Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

Tastes like my favorite childhood dessert!

Oh my word!  I figured this cake would be a refreshing summer dessert, but I had no idea how delicious it was going to taste!  This was the best poke cake yet...and you know how much I like poke cakes.

The frosting, oh yes, the frosting!  Well, I could just devour the frosting all by itself!

It tastes just like those Orange Creamsicle ice cream bars we used to get on the beach in New Jersey, when I was a little girl.  We spent a week each summer in Wildwood with all the family, and they were some of the best times ever.  The only "not so happy" memory I have of those ice cream bars is the time my tongue got stuck to one.  Ever see "A Christmas Story"?  It looked a lot like that famous scene when they triple-dared that poor boy (minus the flag pole).  I was slightly hysterical...crying, screaming and running around trying to unstick my tongue.  Good times, yeah!  Haha!

At least no one will get their tongue stuck to a piece of this cake...I hope!

Ingredients:

Make cake mix as directed on package:

1 (18 ounce) box orange cake mix (Walmart carries Duncan Hines Orange Cake)
  *If you can't find the orange, a white cake is perfectly fine to use.
3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
1⁄3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
1 cup water (or as called for by your cake mix)
 
Mix together:
1 (6 ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup cold water
 
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed

Defrost Cool Whip in the refrigerator the night before,

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, 1 cup water and the oil with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
• Poke cake all over with fork or wooden skewer. In medium bowl, pour boiling water on 1 box orange gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour gelatin over cake. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth with electric hand mixer (or other); add orange Jell-O, instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup milk, orange and vanilla extract.  Immediately beat until smooth and well blended.  (Don't let the Jell-O and vanilla pudding sit or they'll get lumpy).   Fold in Cool Whip.   

Spread over the cake and keep refrigerated until serving.   Garnish with mandarin orange or whipped cream. Refrigerate any leftovers.


Be encouraged!

Praise the Lord because He is good to us, and His love never fails.    -1 Chronicles 16:34