A nostalgic orange creamsicle-inspired layer cake made from scratch with fresh orange juice and zest, filled with homemade orange curd, and frosted with silky Italian buttercream decorated with an ombre orange gradient.
granulated sugar (for orange curd)266g1 and 1/3 cups
cornstarch2 tbsp
all-purpose flour (for curd)30g¼ cups
fresh-squeezed orange juicestrained, no pulp2 cups
egg yolks4
salted butter (for curd)about 75g1/3 cups
all-purpose flour (for cake)540g4 and 1/2 cups
baking powder2 tbsp
salt2 tsp
salted butter (for cake)
152g, softened
2/3 cups
orange zestfrom 2 oranges, roughly 2 tbsp2
sour cream160g2/3 cups
granulated sugar (for cake)3 cups
eggs6
fresh-squeezed orange juice (for cake)2 cups
granulated sugar (for Italian meringue)533g2 and 2/3 cups
water2/3 cups
egg whites8
granulated sugar (for meringue)1/3 cups
softened butter4 cups
salt (for meringue)¼ tsp
vanilla extract2 tsp
gel food coloring (orange)for ombre effect~1-2 tspest.
Steps
▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.
1
Make the orange curd filling. In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and flour, whisking until well blended.
2
Add the fresh orange juice and whisk until there are no lumps.
3
Add the egg yolks and whisk them in thoroughly, reserving the egg whites for the frosting.
4
Place over medium-high heat and stir continuously for about 5 minutes until thickened. The mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon and leave a trace when you run your finger through it.
5
Add the salted butter and whisk until fully incorporated, enhancing the silky mouthfeel.
6
Pour the curd into a bowl to cool, cover the surface with plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with butter and parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and whisk together.
8
In a stand mixer, combine softened salted butter, orange zest, and sour cream. Beat on medium speed for about a minute until well combined.
9
Gradually add the granulated sugar and mix on medium speed for 1 minute until incorporated. Increase to high speed and beat for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, allowing the citrus oils from the zest to be released.
10
Reduce to medium speed and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after every 1-2 eggs to ensure proper incorporation.
11
Reduce to lowest speed and alternate adding the flour mixture and fresh orange juice in three additions each, starting and ending with flour. Stop the mixer and finish by hand-scraping the bowl to incorporate any remaining flour.
12
Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Wrap damp cake strips around the edges to help the cakes rise evenly and stay flat.
13
Bake for about 30 minutes until the centers spring back to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Rotate the pans about halfway through for even baking.
14
Prepare the Italian buttercream. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water. Place over medium-high heat and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and comes to a boil, then stop stirring.
15
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed while slowly drizzling in the granulated sugar until soft peaks form.
16
Monitor the sugar syrup with a candy thermometer. When it reaches the soft ball stage (238-240°F), slowly pour it into the egg whites while the mixer runs at medium speed, cooking and stabilizing the whites.
17
Increase to high speed, add salt, and let the mixer run for about 10 minutes until the meringue reaches room temperature. To speed up cooling, wrap the mixer bowl with frozen pea bags if needed.
18
Once the meringue is warm but near room temperature, add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously. The mixture may look soupy at first but will eventually emulsify into a luscious buttercream as all the butter is incorporated.
19
If the buttercream looks too liquidy, refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes until cool to the touch, then resume mixing until it reaches the right consistency. Add vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
20
Divide a portion of the buttercream into several bowls (reserving about 1 cup of plain white). Melt a small amount of gel food coloring in the microwave for 10 seconds, then mix into the buttercream. Add progressively less coloring to each subsequent bowl to create an ombre gradient.
21
Transfer all colored buttercreams into piping bags. Place the first cooled cake layer on a cake stand and spread a cup of buttercream as the base layer.
22
Spread about half of the orange curd over the frosting, then carefully place the second cake layer on top. Repeat with frosting and the remaining curd, then top with the final cake layer.
23
Check that the cake is level. If it wobbles, insert a large wooden skewer through the center and chill in the refrigerator to set the frosting.
24
Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream all over the cake. Return to the refrigerator to set before final decoration.
25
Pipe about two rings of each colored buttercream (from lightest to darkest) around the sides of the cake to create the ombre gradient effect. Top with the reserved white buttercream.
26
Use a small offset spatula to pre-smooth the gradient, being careful not to blend the colors. Follow with a final smooth using a bench scraper.
27
Re-whip the remaining white buttercream to restore its consistency, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and pipe a rope pattern around the edge of the cake.
28
Optional: Warm the reserved 3 tablespoons of orange curd in 10-second microwave bursts, add a small amount of butter to thin it, pour into the center of the cake, and smooth toward the edge. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.
29
The cake is now complete. Slice and enjoy. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
PrimedTableBETA
