Description
A fresh and fruity gluten-free and dairy-free orange creamsicle cake filled with vanilla pastry cream and covered with a light whipped orange buttercream frosting. A delicious cake inspired by the frozen summer treat.
Ingredients
Orange Cake
- 2 ½ cups (320 g) gluten-free flour blend *
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum **
- ¾ cup (168g) dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperatures
- ¼ cup (59ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) orange juice, freshly squeezed & room temperature
- ¼ cup (60ml) dairy-free milk, room temperature
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup (300 ml) dairy-free milk
- ¼ cup (56g) dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
Orange Buttercream
- 3 cups (672g) dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
- 8 ¼ cups (990g) icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon orange extract ***
- 3–4 drops orange food color
Instructions
Orange Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 8-inch round baking pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum (if using), and salt, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with an electric handheld mixer, cream the butter, sugar, oil, and orange zest on high speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on high for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the dry ingredients from step 2 and turn the mixer on low.
- While the mixer is on low slowly pour in the orange juice and milk. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Divide the cake batter evenly into the three prepared 8-inch round baking pans and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake layers on the cooling rack and allow them to fully cool. If freezing the cake layers for a later time, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, egg, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
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In a medium pot over medium-high heat bring the milk to a boil.
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As soon as the milk comes to a boil remove it from the heat and slowly pour half of it into the egg mixture while continually whisking.
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Pour the tempered egg and milk mixture back into the pot while continually whisking and begin to cook it again over medium heat. The mixture should start to thicken in 1-2 minutes.
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Allow the mixture to come back to a boil, while still whisking, and boil for another 1-2 minutes.
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Remove the vanilla pastry cream from the heat and add in the butter. Mix until fully melted and smooth.
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With a fine-mesh sieve, strain the vanilla pastry cream into a shallow dish and directly cover the surface with plastic wrap.
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Allow it to fully cool to room temperature before filling the cake.
Orange Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and orange zest together on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Add in the icing sugar and salt and mix on low until combined.
- Add in the orange extract and orange gel food color and mix on low until combined.
- Turn the mixer to high and allow to beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Cake Assembly
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Level each fully cooled orange cake layer with a cake leveler or knife if needed.
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Place one leveled layer of cake on a cake board, plate, and/or cake turntable and top with approximately 2 cups of orange buttercream.
- Pipe a buttercream border around the edge and fill with approximately ¾ cup of vanilla pastry cream.
- Place another layer of leveled orange cake on top and very gently apply a thin coat of buttercream to all of the cake. If the cake feels unstable or the buttercream is soft, stop here and chill the cake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and repeat step 3. Top with the remaining orange cake layer and apply a thin coat of buttercream all over the exposed cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
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Cover the cake with a final layer of buttercream and smooth the sides and top with a cake smoother and/or offset spatula.
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Decorate the cake as you please. I topped the cake with some sugar cookies and piped a Wilton 1M swirl in between each cookie. Enjoy!
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
* Check to see if the gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum.
** Omit xanthan gum if the gluten-free flour blend already contains it.
*** Replace orange extract with vanilla extract if desired
- Prep Time: 60 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 924
- Sugar: 113 Grams
- Sodium: 245 Miligrams
- Fat: 39 Grams
- Saturated Fat: 20 Grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 Grams
- Trans Fat: 2 Grams
- Carbohydrates: 138 Grams
- Fiber: 4 Grams
- Protein: 7 Grams
- Cholesterol: 140 Miligrams
Keywords: gluten-free orange creamiscle cake, gluten-free orange cake, orange creamsicle cake, dairy-free orange cake, dairy-free orange creamsicle cake