Description
This delicious orange cream cheese cake is perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup orange zest (from about 4 oranges)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 drops orange food coloring gel (optional)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 6 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup orange juice (from about 4 oranges, strained to remove pulp and seeds)
- 12 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 pod vanilla bean (scraped OR 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
- 5 cups powdered sugar (plus more for the decoration)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tube orange food coloring gel
- 1 tube green food coloring gel
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two or three 8-inch cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and orange zest. Beat together to release the fragrant oils. Add the butter and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. If desired, add 2 drops of food coloring gel. Pour in the oil and beat once more.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg whites, and strained orange juice.
- On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and liquid ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture until the batter is relatively smooth.
- Divide the batter among the prepared baking pans and smooth until it reaches the sides. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake layers to cool in their pans for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
- In a mixer bowl, add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Then add the butter and beat for about 10 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and heavy cream; beat for a full 2 minutes.
- Divide the frosting into two bowls. Add orange food coloring to one bowl and green food coloring to the other. Mix until smooth.
- Transfer the orange frosting to a piping bag with a #3 round piping tip, and the green frosting to a piping bag with a #1 round piping tip.
- Add the frosting to the top of the cake and smooth it out into an even layer. Decorate as desired.
- Pipe rounds of frosting to create orange shapes, and add leaves if desired.
- The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered, for about 2 to 3 days.
Notes
- If you don’t have a glass cake cover, a colander works well to protect the cake.
- Using a large plate or baking dish covered with plastic wrap is also an option for storage.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 80mg