Name: Fresh Orange Cake with Orange Vanilla Bean Icing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 oranges (zested and juiced (1 1/4 cups juice)); 1 box yellow cake mix; 3 eggs; 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled); Additional butter for pan; 3/4 cup butter (at room temperature); 1 orange (zested and juiced); 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract; 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar; Orange slice candy (optional)

Fresh orange cake with orange vanilla bean icingis a vibrant and zesty sheet cake that’s a breeze to whip up and even easier to enjoy.

Did you grow up enjoying orange creamsicle popsicles?I couldn’t get enough of the tangy orange flavor mixed with the softer notes of vanilla — it was a treat that I’ve loved ever since and enjoy replicating in other sweet treats! This fresh orange cake with orange vanilla bean icing is like the sheet cake version of creamsicles,and it’s oh-so good. This is the perfect summertime cake for all kinds of festivities and celebrations. (Plus, orange slice candy takes the cuteness to new heights — they’re optional but I highly recommend!)

Long live all the sheet cake recipes!I make sheet cakes often because they are so easy and great to take to a party because they can feed a crowd.This orange cake is a bright fun one. I also love to serve my Grandma’sChocolate Sheet Cakeand it’s always a hit. My other two favorites areEasy Vanilla Sheet Cakeand in the fall we love to makePumpkin Sheet Cake with Caramel Frosting, oh wow is that one good too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy:Sheet cakes are so fast to whip up and bake so quickly. They’re a perfect treat to throw together when you want something yummy in a hurry.
Fresh Citrus Flavor: Fresh juice and orange zest make for a double dose of bright, orangey flavor.
Simple Ingredients:You probably have all of these ingredients in your house already! Desserts made from panty staples are always the best ones because you can make them whenever you’re in the mood.

Ingredients

For the Cake

Oranges: the recipe amounts are for large oranges. If you use a small mandarin variety, you’ll need to use more.
Yellow Cake Mix
Eggs
Butter

For the Frosting

Butter
Orange
Vanilla Bean Paste or Pure Vanilla Extract
Powdered Sugar
Orange Slice Candy:for the garnish, it’s optional

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

How to Make Fresh Orange Cake with Orange Vanilla Bean Icing

Step #1.Preheat the oven. Butter a jelly roll pan and set aside. Pour the cake mix into a large bowl. Strain the orange juice into the bowl. Add the zest, eggs and melted butter. Mix well.

Step #3.While the cake is baking, in another bowl, whisk together the first three icing ingredients. Add one cup of powdered sugar and beat well to remove all the lumps. Continue to add the powdered sugar until it is a soft icing.

Step #2.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a spatula until it touches the edges and corners. Bake 17-20 minutes until it springs back.

Step #4.Ice the cake with the icing after it has cooled completely. Garnish with orange slices, if desired, and serve.

Recipe FAQs

Can you use orange extract instead of orange zest in orange cake?

Extracts tend to be really strong, concentrated flavors, and they can be over-powering if too much is used. I’d suggest adding extract in recipes more to taste, not as a full on substitute. If you do try using extract as a sub, use half (or less) of the amount called for in directions. For example, if you need 2 tablespoons of orange zest, I’d use less than 1 tablespoon of orange extract.

Can you make a cake with olive oil instead of butter?

Some cakes actually do really well with olive oil instead of butter. It will give it a bit of a different flavor and texture, but not overwhelmingly so! I actually think olive oil complements citrus well — it’s why you see so many citrus vinaigrettes. I have not tried using it in this recipe, but if you want to give it a go, be sure to use 3/4 of the amount of butter you’d need. So, if you need 8 tablespoons of butter (1 stick), only use 6 tablespoons of olive oil.

How long will orange cake stay fresh in the refrigerator?

Because this cake uses fresh orange juice and zest, it won’t last quite as long as some other cakes. Store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days — or take it to a party and it’ll be gone before the heyday’s over!

Expert Tips

Be sure to zest your oranges before you juice them.It may seem like common sense, but it’s easy to forget to do it first. Full oranges aremucheasier to zest then juiced ones.
When zesting any citrus fruit, you want tojust take off the colored partthat’s on the outside. If you go too deep, you’ll get to the white pith which is bitter.
For recipes like this, you want touse the kind of zester that looks like a very small cheese grater, usually called a microplane.You’re looking for those itty-bitty pieces of zest and not those long pieces or curls that other zesters will give you.
You could switch the garnishup to thin orange slices, edible flowers, or even mint if you’d like.
If your oven bakes unevenly,give your pan a 180° turn halfway through baking.