Orange creamsicle cake

An Orange Creamsicle Cake is light, fluffy, and tastes just like the classic orange creamsicle ice cream. 🍊🍦 Here’s a teen-friendly recipe:

Ingredients (serves 8–10)

For the cake:

• 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) orange juice
• ½ tsp orange zest
• ½ cup (120ml) milk

For the frosting:

• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: a few drops of orange extract for extra flavor

Optional topping:

• Orange zest, whipped cream swirls, or sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven: 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients:
   • In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar:
   • In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
   • Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and orange zest.
4. Combine:
   • Alternately mix in dry ingredients and milk with orange juice, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
5. Bake:
   • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   • Cool completely before frosting.
6. Make frosting:
   • Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla (and orange extract if using) until soft peaks form.
7. Assemble:
   • Frost the cooled cake with whipped cream. Top with extra orange zest or sprinkles if desired.

💡 Tips:

• For a layered cake, double the recipe and slice horizontally.
• Add a thin layer of apricot or orange marmalade between layers for extra citrus flavor.
• Use frozen whipped topping if you want a shortcut instead of whipping cream.