Creamsicle Orange Poke Cake
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Creamsicle Orange Poke Cake layers orange cake with a boost of extra orange flavor and finished off with a creamy whipped topping for a dessert reminiscent of your favorite sherbet treat. It’s the perfect summer dessert for potlucks or parties.
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I’ve made no secret about my obsession with poke cakes. I can’t even count how many flavor combinations I’ve tried over the years.
I love them because they take simple store-bought cake mix and take it up a notch. They’re also always a huge hit at potlucks and parties, especially this Orange Poke Cake that tastes just like the creamsicles I was obsessed with as a kid!
How to Make a Poke Cake
All poke cakes have the same basic process. Start with a cake mix and prepare as usual. Then use a skewer or handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all through it.
Pour your filling (in this case orange jello) over the cake and allow it to fill the holes and soak into the cake. Refrigerate then add your topping of choice.
Step by Step
Start with your orange cake mix but replace some of the water it calls for with orange juice to amp up the flavor.
Mix it up and bake it according to the package instructions.
While the cake cools, mix up the orange Jello with water as indicated on the package. Now it’s time to poke those holes!
I try to keep the holes no more than one inch apart so the Jello can really soak into all of the cake.
Pour the Jello over the cake and then refrigerate at least 4 hours, longer is fine too!
After refrigerating, it’s time to top it off! Mix milk and vanilla pudding mix and whipped cream.
Spread the topping over the cake. If you’re feeling extra fancy you can top it with orange zest or even a yummy orange candy (or both!)
Then all you have to do is sit back and watch it disappear!
Tips & FAQs
- Be sure to poke holes no more than 1″ apart for the best flavor.
- Use cool whip, not homemade whipped cream.
- If you do have any leftovers (I never do!) keep it in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- You can make this orange poke cake up to 2 days ahead of time (it tastes better than way actually), just add the topping before serving.
If you love this poke cake be sure to try my Triple Lemon Poke Cake, Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake, and OREO Poke Cake too!
If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
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Creamsicle Orange Poke Cake
- Total Time: 4 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Creamsicle Orange Poke Cake layers orange cake with a boost of extra orange flavor and finished off with a creamy whipped topping for a dessert reminiscent of your favorite sherbet treat. It’s the perfect summer dessert for potlucks or parties.
Ingredients
- 1 box orange cake mix and oil, water, & eggs required on the box
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 box orange Jello
- 1 3.4 ounce box vanilla pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 8 ounce tub whipped topping (Cool Whip)
- orange zest and/or orange candies for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Prepare cake in a 9 by 13″ baking pan according to package directions, substituting 1/3cup of the required water for orange juice. Allow to cool 15 minutes.
- Use a skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes 1″ apart throughout the cake.
- Mix Jello mix according to package directions and pour over cake.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to 2 days.
- When ready to top, mix pudding and milk until blended. Fold in whipped topping.
- Spread topping over the cake. Garnish with orange zest, whipped cream, and/or orange candies if desired.
Notes
- Be sure to poke holes no more than 1″ apart for the best flavor.
- Use cool whip, not homemade whipped cream.
- If you do have any leftovers (I never do!) keep it in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- You can make this cake up to 2 days ahead of time (it tastes better than way actually), just add the topping before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 276
- Sugar: 38.3 g
- Sodium: 490.8 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.1 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 31.7 mg
This recipe was originally shared in July 2011. It was updated with new photos and additional information in September 2020.
A creamsicle and a cupcake…that’s the best of both worlds! Yum! Your boys gotta love you! 🙂
These look so good!! I pinned this so I can give it a try! I love orange creamsicles!
~Jessa
Yum!
This recipe looks so good. I would love it if you came over to my party “Cast Party Wednesday” tomorrow and shared some of your recipes with us.
Thanks,
I hope to see you there!
I am definitely making these! I love dreamsicles. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Yumm! Looks delicious!
I’m going to give this to my son…I think he’d really enjoy making these.
new follower from Wandering Wednesday!
Those cupcakes sound great! I wanted to invite you to come over and share your recipe at These Chicks Cooked Recipe Spotlight today. Have a great day 🙂
Katie
My husband and sons love creamsicles and I know this recipe will be a hit!
Yowza! Those sound heavenly! Can’t wait to make them. Thanks!
Yum! Can I just say creamsicle Popsicles are one of my favorite summer desserts, and this just looks awesome! Thanks for linking up to Lemon Tree today!
Hey!
Great idea!
I’m a new follower! I found your link on Paisley Passions Wandering Wednesday Blog Hop.
Hope you stop by for a visit!
Brenda
I’ll be linking to this from LTC, thanks for the inspiration!
i bet these are moist and delicious…love the poke cake idea in a cupcake…thanks for sharing at fridays unfolded!
alison
stuff and nonsense
These look amazing! We are your newest followers!
Wow! It looks so yummy!Love the poke idea. These cup cakes are my kids fav. Thanks for sharing:)
Hope to see you on my blog:)
MMMmmmm sound deeelish! I love creamsicles!
I found you via Paisley Passions and was drawn in by the photo. This Friday I shared a cupcake recipe and a cool contest from Duncan Hines.
Yummmm….I’m making Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes next week too but I’m still tweaking my recipe 😉 Thanks SO much for sharing yours…the frosting sounds AMAZING!
Those sound scrumptious! Thanks so much for sharing this at Inspiration Friday this week!
Vanessa
Keri these look great!! I love the creamsicle flavors but I haven’t tried them in cupcakes yet! Thanks for the recipe and linking up to Think Pink Sundays! I featured you today on FB & Twitter!
Oh yummy – love how you got so much orange flavour into these cakes!
These sound scrumptious! Please link your recipe up at Muffin (and Cupcake) Monday! Thanks!
The Creative Bloggers’ Party & Hop became the coolest party on the block because of your participation. Thank you!
YUMMY DREAM HEAVEN. Never new they made that flavor… I must try. They look so good. winks-jen
These look sooo yummy! Creamsicles are soo summery! Thanks so much for sharing with the Pink Hippo Party.. can’t wait to see what you share this week!
I love poke cakes…and it looks like you have a gift for coming up with recipes. In this recipe you list 1/3 cup of orange juice in the ingredients list. Where do you use it?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for pointing that out Elaine, you substitute 1/3 cup water that the cake mix requires with the orange juice. I have fixed the recipe card to reflect that!
What size jello?
Where I live we don’t have orange cake mix. Can we replace it with white cake mix
You can but I am not sure how different the cake will taste, I’m sorry I have not tried it.
This cake is delicious and I’ve been making it for over 20 years. The only difference is that I add a box of sugar free orange jello powder to the icing.. Try it I think you will like it.
I’ll have to try that next time I make it!
Going to try this cake for my husband who loves orange everything but I’m curious what size orange jello box did you use?
I can’t find a Orange cake anywhere I live