Orange Dreamsicle Cake (A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe)
If you love Orange Dreamsicles or orange desserts, this Orange Dreamsicle Cake Mix Recipe is the perfect dessert for you!
It is so easy, moist and fluffy with a bright citrus flavor.
Table of Contents
Why we Love It
There are many reasons to love this easy orange cake!
- It is easy to make
- Starts with a cake mix but the add-ins give it a from-scratch flavor and texture
- Perfect birthday cake recipe, potluck or picnic dessert, and more!
- The orange layers paired with the easy orange cream filling are heavenly!
- We love the convenience of cake mix recipes- don't miss our full collection of favorite box mix cake recipes!
One of our most popular cakes over the years has been our scratch version of Orange Dreamsicle Cake, and we're excited to now have a doctored cake mix option of this orange cake recipe for everyone who prefers working with cake mixes!
This cake consists of three moist orange cake layers, a luscious (and easy!) orange cream filling and orange cream cheese frosting.
How to Make an Orange Doctored Cake Mix Recipe
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans as usual- I like to also line my pans with parchment circles.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the dry ingredients and whisk 30 seconds to blend.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and mix for 1 more minute. If you are using a hand mixer, mix for a bit longer.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes, if a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, it is done!
- Cool in the pans 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack, then turn out.
Orange Dreamsicle Cake Filling
The orange cream filling that we used in this recipe is the same as we used in our scratch version. It is just SO easy and delicious, and works great when paired with the orange cake layers to give us the Orange Dreamsicle flavor that we're looking for!
This recipe is also known as a "mock mousse" for its lovely mousse-like consistency but is as simple & quick as combining heavy cream and instant pudding! I like to use a small hand mixer to mix this cream filling up quickly but you can whisk it by hand also.
We added a bit of orange extract to the filling to boost the orange flavor, and if you'd like you can even stir in a little more orange zest.
If the consistency is too thick, simply add additional heavy cream in small amounts.
**For more "mock mousse" recipes, check out our Chocolate Mousse Filling, Pineapple & Cream Filling, and Baileys Irish Cream Filling just to name a few!
Dreamsicle Cake Frosting
We frosted our cake with a delicious Orange Cream Cheese Frosting- if you love cream cheese frostings , this recipe will be no exception.
It is based on a classic cream cheese frosting, but with a little orange extract mixed in (and also a bit of orange coloring gel for an optional boost of color)!
If the Cream Cheese Frosting is Too Soft
Cream cheese frosting is always going to be a bit on the softer side when compared to American buttercream (like our classic vanilla buttercream). If you find that it is too soft, simply pop the bowl (or piping bag) in the refrigerator for several minutes to thicken up the consistency.
Also, whenever I'm decorating cakes, I like to place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm them up after crumb coating- it makes the process much simpler!
Assembling the Orange Dreamsicle Cake
Decorating the Cake
More Orange Cakes and Fillings
If you love orange desserts, here are a few more recipes to add to your collection! Some of our favorites are our scratch Orange Cake, Orange Bundt Cake, Orange Spice Cake (from cake mix), and Orange Coconut Cake!
Thanks so much for stopping by! We hope that you enjoy this orange dreamsicle cake mix recipe.
Don't miss our full collection of hundreds of recipes and free cake decorating video tutorials! You can find them here: Cake Recipes & Free Cake Decorating Tutorials .
You'll find our favorite tried and true cake recipes from scratch as well as cake mix recipes! We also have a huge collection of cake decorating tutorials.
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Orange Dreamsicle Cake {A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe}
Ingredients
Orange Cake Layers
- 1 box, white cake mix, sifted 15.25 oz. (We used Duncan Hines)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (plain in the UK) (114g)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (5g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups orange juice (322g)
- 1 cup sour cream (we use full fat sour cream) (242g)
- 1 Tablespoon orange extract (*See note below for alternative) (10g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (2g)
- zest of one orange
- *A little orange coloring gel for additional color is optional
Orange Cream Filling
- 1 small box instant Vanilla pudding (3.4oz/96g) We used Jello- Brand
- 2 cups Heavy cream or whipping cream. (464g)
- 1 tsp. Orange Extract (we used McCormick) (4g)
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (226 g)
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened (total weight 452g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (4g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
- 6 cups powdered sugar (690g)
- Orange Coloring Gel optional We used a very small amount for tinting.
Instructions
For the Orange Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the dry ingredients and whisk at least 30 seconds to blend.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for 1 more minute. If you are using a hand mixer, mix for a bit longer.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes, if a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, it is done.
- Cool in the pans 5 to 10 minutes then turn out.
- Makes 7 ½ cups batter. Works well for cupcakes
Orange Cream Filling
- Combine the pudding mix and heavy cream and orange extract in a mixing bowl. I prefer to mix with a hand held mixer, but a whisk is just fine too. If using a mixer, start on low speed until well combined. Then, switch to high speed and whip the pudding until thick and fluffy. If mousse is too thick, mix in small amounts of heavy cream to reach desired consistency.
- If mixing by hand, simply whisk rapidly for a couple of minutes or until mixture is nice and thick.
- Refrigerate until ready to use. Cakes with this filling should be chilled until close to serving time.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth.
- Cut the cold cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating at low to medium speed until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and orange flavorings. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating on low speed until blended. Cover the bowl with a towel to keep down the cloud of powdered sugar.
- Increase mixing speed and beat until fluffy. Don't over beat.
- This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix.
- Will frost a 3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake. When decorating our Dreamsicle Cake, we frosted our cake and then went back in with swirls of lightly tinted orange frosting for a pretty effect.
Assembling the Cake
- Place first cake layer on pedestal or cake plate. Pipe a dam of cream cheese frosting about ½ inch from the edge of the cake using a piping bag with the tip snipped away. Filling with the orange cream filling. Repeat for the next cake layer and top with the final layer. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
- I added additional texture with a small cake comb and topped with an orange slice.
- © Melissa DiamondCATEGORY: Recipes
Will Loran's Orange Emulsion work in place of Orange Extract? If so, do I need to use more of it or less? Thanks.
Hi Rachel- We haven't experimented with Lorann flavorings but I would check this link for details! https://www.lorannoils.com/about-our-flavors
Thank you.
I'll have to use 3 x 9" unfortunately. I thought I had 3 8", but no. I guess it'll be alright. What do you think?
Hi Wanda, I think it would be best to use only 2 (9x2) inch pans. Hope you will enjoy the cake.
i have been baking a long time but for thr life of me i do not understand when you mix the filling in the cake it says to put filling in fridge then to frost cake when cool forgive me for being dumb but were does the filling go
Hi Juanita, The filling, is prepared and refrigerated until you are ready to use because it is perishable. It can even be made a day in advance. The filling is spread on the top of each cake layer when you are assembling the cake. In most cake recipes the frosting is also used as a cake filling, but in this recipe the frosting and filling are 2 separate things. Once you have the stacked layers with the filling in place, you will frost the entire cake with the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. Melissa instructs to pipe a dam of cream cheese frosting around the edge (about 1/2 inch in from edge) of the cake layer. This is to prevent the soft filling from spilling out when the next layer is on top of it. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Have you tried making this with orange cake instead of white? Curious if I would still need to add the orange extract
Hi Jimmi, We have not used orange cake mix with the recipe, but I think it should have an orange flavor without the orange extract. It would be fine to add 1 teaspoon if you would like to.
This cake recipe has no fat added except for the sour cream. Should there be oil or butter?
Hi Donna, The recipe is correct as written. I hope you will enjoy the recipe.
This looks a little complicated until you start to put it all together. After that, the only thing easier than making the cake is to make sure it all gets eaten. Everyone wanted a second piece and a few were a more than a little peeved to find out it was already gone. Excellant cake. I've been told that next time I had better bring two.
Your scratch recipe uses orange juice concentrate. Just want to be certain that this recipe is using 322g of juice NOT concentrate.Ja
Hi Janice, it is orange juice and not orange juice concentrate. Hope you will enjoy the recipe
Made this cake this weekend for my husband's birthday it was so amazing and got rave reviews from our guests thanks so much for the great recipe!!
Hi Chrissy! That is great, thanks so much for your feedback- so glad that you all enjoyed it ;0)
hi- i just made this cake this past wkd and it was a huge hit!!
i loved the texture as well!!
is there a way i can convert this to a vanilla cake? could i switch out the orange juice for something else and substitute the extract? and leave out the orange zest ?
thank you ! i just love the texture of this cake!
Hi Tammy! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it. Hmmm... maybe buttermilk could be substituted for the orange juice. We haven't tried this yet. The closest recipe in our Recipes section to this one is our white almond sour cream cake. You could just add additional vanilla extract rather than almond. Thanks for your review!
Hi! What would the time conversion be if I made these into cupcakes? Also, would you pipe the cream filling into the middle or skip for cupcakes?
Hi Korey! I would check them at the 15 minute mark and adjust the time from there. If it were me, I would pipe the cream filling in the middle just because I love it so much, but they would be delicious either way.