Description
A nostalgic, moist layer cake bursting with orange flavor from juice, zest, and Jell-O—topped with a creamy orange buttercream frosting. Perfect for birthdays or summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Cake:
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 box (3 oz) orange gelatin (e.g. Jell‑O)
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup orange juice
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp orange extract or extra orange juice (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8‑inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, combine vanilla cake mix and orange gelatin. Add oil, orange juice, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest; beat until smooth.
Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
To make frosting, beat softened butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then heavy cream and orange extract (or juice), until smooth and spreadable.
Frost the top of one cake layer, place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides. Chill briefly, then decorate with extra orange zest or mandarin segments if desired.
Notes
For extra orange flavor, increase zest or use orange juice concentrate.
Substitute white or yellow cake mix if preferred.
Add a thin layer of orange marmalade between layers for more depth.
Use whipped topping + orange concentrate as a quick-fix frosting option.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
