Orange Creamsicle Cake

Jello Cake is a dessert cherished for generations. Our vintage Orange Creamsicle Cake features fluffy vanilla cake infused with zesty orange jello and crowned with a creamy whipped topping. Serve cold and it captures the delightful flavors reminiscent of an orange dreamsicle in every bite.

Poke cakes are fun and easy desserts for any occasion. Jello Cake isn’t the only way to make a poke cake, try our Banana Pudding Poke Cake or Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake. Both are also delicious and make the perfect treat.

Easy Orange Jello Poke Cake

Whoever said baking is hard has clearly never made an Orange Creamsicle cake!  They are always so moist and easy to make!  Nothing beats the summer flavor of orange and vanilla, to take you back to the days of buying dreamsicles from the ice cream truck.

Hot summer days get me in the mood for a cool dessert, that isn’t ice cream. If you haven’t had a jello cake, you’re missing out! It’s a cold moist cake that can be made in any flavor……the possibilities are endless.

I grew up on this classic poke cake- my favorite version is Orange Creamsicle Jello Cake. It’s probably one of the first desserts I learned to make. Not only is it an easy dessert, but it’s also a total crowd-pleaser and perfect for any potluck! It’s always the first cake to disappear on the dessert table!

How To Make a Creamsicle Cake

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

This is not a complicated recipe by any means, it’s actually one of the easiest cakes you can make. So, even if you’re a novice baker, you can still whip up your own orange creamsicle cake with ease when you follow these simple steps.

1. To start preheat your oven and grease and flour a 9×13 cake pan. Mix and bake a vanilla cake according to the directions on the box, using a 9×13 cake pan. Cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
2. Poke holes in the cake using a fork. Holes should not go all the way through the cake to the bottom of the pan. The entire cake should be perforated with holes every 1/2 – 3/4 inch.
3. Next, combine orange jello mix in a medium bowl and boiling water, stir for about 2 minutes until the jello is completely dissolved (do not chill the jello).
4. Now you are going to pour the jello over the cooled cake allowing it to seep into holes.
5. Finally, place the cake in the refrigerator at least 3-4 hours before serving. Top each piece, or the entire cake with COOL WHIP or whipped cream when serving. (store covered in the refrigerator)

Tips For The Best Jello Cake

I’ve always used a box mix because I love the convenience, but you can certainly use your favorite recipe and make your cake from scratch. You could even use a store-bought cake without frosting.

Vanilla cake and white cake pair well with almost all flavors of jello.

Cool Whip is always my choice of topping for a creamsicle cake or any jello cake (again, it’s easy and we love it), but homemade whipped cream is just as light and airy and will work just as well.

Make sure the cake is completely cooled before adding the whipped topping.  You can speed this step up by placing the cake with the jello in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. Just long enough to set the jello, but not freeze the cake.

If you’d like, decorate with fresh fruit (or canned Mandarin oranges like we do with our Pig Pickin Cake), sprinkles, or fresh mint leaves when serving.

Flavor Variations

Vanilla and white cake go with most flavors of jello. But you don’t have to limit yourself……..

• Chocolate cake with raspberry, strawberry or cherry jello, whipped topping with chocolate shavings 
• Strawberry cake with strawberry jello, whipped topping, and fresh strawberries
• White cake with blueberry and strawberry jello, whipped topping with red and blue sprinkles
• Lemon cake with lemon or lime jello, whipped topping and lemon zest on top
• Orange cake with pineapple jello, whipped topping with toasted coconut on top
• Cherry cake with cherry jello, whipped topping and cherry pie filling on top 
• LIGHTER VERSION: I often make this cake with sugar-free jello and top with light Cool Whip – for a more “diet-friendly” version.

Storage and Make-Ahead Options 

Do you need to refrigerate Creamsicle Cake? Yes! The jello does not set like gelatin normally does, but it does set up in the cake and needs to chill for a few hours. The poke cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Can you make jello cake ahead of time? Yes, you can! We actually enjoy this cake best after 24 hours and all of the flavors have had a chance to mingle. I recommend adding the whipped topping the day that you plan to serve it. FYI it’s also delicious without the topping, so I often serve the whipped topping by the slice, instead of covering the whole cake.

Can I freeze a creamsicle jello cake? You sure can!! It’s best to freeze it after adding the jello and letting it chill for a few hours (do not add the whipped topping until ready to serve).  Simply double wrap the cake in plastic wrap, or a layer of plastic wrap then a layer of foil. Place in the freezer for 1-3 months. When you are ready to enjoy the cake, put it in the fridge at least 24 hours in advance to thaw, then top it with whipped topping and serve. 

Tools Used You’ll Need

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Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer:

I honestly don’t know where I would be without my stand mixer! It’s truly a lifesaver for anyone who does a decent amount of baking or cooking. With that being said, if you aren’t ready to commit to a stand mixer purchase, a good hand mixer works just as well too!

Glass Mixing Bowl Set

Everyone should have a good set of mixing bowls in their kitchen. This set is my favorite because the variety of sizes means I always have exactly what I need available. 

9 x 13 inch Non-Stick Pan

My non-stick cake pan is easily my most used baking pan. I absolutely love how all my cakes turn out when baked in this pan, and the snap-on lid is just the icing on the cake!

Cooling Racks: 

Every good baker needs a good set of cooling racks, and I can’t say enough great things about this set. These oversized cooling racks are the perfect size to accommodate almost any dessert you need to let cool. 

Originally posted 2009. UPDATED AUGUST 2020. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.