Description
Indulgent Orange Dreamsicle Cake blends creamy vanilla and zesty citrus in a delightful dessert that whisks taste buds to sunny memories. Creamy layers meld perfectly, promising a refreshing slice of pure summer joy you’ll savor to the last crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange extract
- 12 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Garnishes:
- Orange zest
- Thin orange slices or wedges
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Thoroughly prepare the baking environment by heating the oven to 350F (175C) and preparing cake pans with a protective coating of grease and flour or parchment paper.
- Combine all dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – in a medium mixing vessel, whisking until uniformly blended.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, transform butter and sugar into a light, airy mixture through vigorous creaming, continuing until the texture becomes soft and voluminous.
- Introduce eggs one at a time, ensuring complete integration after each addition. Incorporate vibrant orange zest, fresh orange juice, classic vanilla extract, and optional orange extract, mixing until harmoniously combined.
- Carefully fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk in three progressive additions. Gently mix until ingredients are just incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
- Distribute batter evenly between prepared cake pans, using a spatula to create smooth, level surfaces.
- Position pans in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, monitoring for a perfectly golden finish and checking doneness with a clean toothpick test.
- Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes, then delicately transfer to a wire cooling rack, permitting complete temperature reduction before further preparation.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for smoother mixing and better cake texture.
- Zest oranges carefully to avoid bitter white pith, focusing only on the bright outer layer.
- Replace buttermilk with equal parts Greek yogurt or sour cream for richer moisture if unavailable.
- Enhance orange flavor by brushing cooled cake layers with orange simple syrup before frosting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg