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Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

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Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake is a refreshing summer dessert. Fluffy vanilla frosting and orange flavor makes this cake taste just like the frozen treats from your childhood. This poke cake recipe is the perfect dessert for summer picnics and potlucks.

Love orange desserts? You need to try this Orange Creamsicle Fudge too.

A white plate with a piece of orange creamsicle cake topped with a vanilla pudding frosting and an orange slice on it

Orange Creamsicle Cake

Poke cakes are one of the easiest desserts to make when you need a quick dessert.   It’s so easy to transform a simple box mix into a decadent and dreamy dessert that will wow everyone.

I love how refreshing a poke cake is on a hot day.  There is seriously something so good about eating cold cake when it is warm outside.  Please tell me I am not alone in my love of eating things like this S’mores Cake and this Lemon Poke Cake.

A few weeks ago one of my friends was talking about this Orange Creamsicle Cake that she had made. Unfortunately, she doesn’t live close enough for me to just go eat hers, so I decided to make an easy Jello cake the very next day.

Jello poke cakes are a delicious way to add flavor and color to a box cake mix.

Two white plates with pieces of orange creamsicle cake topped with vanilla mousse frosting and orange slices

What is a poke cake?

Well, a poke cake is exactly what it sounds like.  After the cake has finished baking, you use the prongs on a fork or the handle on a wooden spoon to POKE holes all over the top of the cake. 

This makes holes in the cake for whatever filling you are pouring on top to soak in better.  The flavor possibilities for these chilly moist cakes are endless.  

Common things to pour on poke cakes:

  • Jell-O
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Instant Pudding
  • Cream of Coconut
  • Canned Frosting
  • Peanut Butter
  • Pureed fruit

Basically, any liquid that you can pour and that will soak into the warm cake is fair game.

Overhead picture of white plates with orange creamsicle poke cake on them and a cake pan beside them

What You’ll Need

This Jello cake comes together with just a few ingredients. Orange gelatin and vanilla pudding give this vintage cake recipe that delicious creamsicle flavor.

  • Vanilla Cake Mix – a box mix makes this cake so easy to make
  • Orange Juice – adds more orange flavor to the poke cake recipe.  BRUCREW TIP: You can also use orange soda.
  • Orange Jello – mix the dry Jello powder with hot water to dissolve it
  • Instant Vanilla Frosting – makes the frosting thick and sweet
  • Milk – whole, 2%, or 1% milk can be used
  • Cool Whip – adds a light and fluffy texture to the pudding mix frosting
A square of vanilla cake with orange Jello stripes topped with vanilla pudding frosting and an orange slice

How to make the Best Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

This orange Jello poke cake is very easy to make and assemble because it starts with a box cake mix. To add a little bit more orange flavor to the cake use orange juice.

  1. Prepare the vanilla cake mix using orange juice instead of water.  
  2. Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, then use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
  3. Mix together a box of orange Jello and hot water, then pour it slowly over the holes in the cake.
  4. Place the orange poke cake in the fridge and let it chill completely.
  5. Whisk together a box of instant vanilla pudding and milk, then fold in an entire container of Cool Whip. If you are completely against it, you could use this Whipped Cream recipe instead.
  6. Spread the fluffy pudding mousse on top of the orange creamsicle cake and chill it again.
  7. Right before serving add a little orange candy slice to the top of each square. You could also use mandarin orange slices if you like.

Recipe Tips:

  • Add 2 tablespoons of orange zest to the cake batter to give this orange Jello cake an even stronger orange flavor.
  • Do not over poke the dreamsicle cake with your fork. If you have too many holes, you will not see the orange strips very well.
  • Make sure you let the orange Jello cake cool for several hours before adding the pudding frosting. 
  • Run a sharp knife under hot water and dry it off before cutting a slice.  Do this between each cut to keep your squares neat and clean. 
  • To make a lighter more diet-friendly cake, use sugar-free mixes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a poke cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, this creamsicle orange poke cake has Jello in the cake and instant vanilla pudding in the frosting, so it needs to be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Can a poke cake be made ahead of time?

A poke cake can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. In fact, it is actually best if it is made early, so the flavors have time to chill and deepen.

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Two white plates with pieces of orange creamsicle cake topped with vanilla pudding frosting and orange slices on them

More Poke Cake Recipes

Other Orange Desserts

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A white plate with a piece of orange poke cake with pudding frosting on it

Orange Creamsicle Cake Recipe

Yield: 24 pieces of cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes

Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake is a refreshing summer dessert. Fluffy vanilla frosting and orange flavor makes this cake taste just like the frozen treats from your childhood. This poke cake recipe is the perfect dessert for summer picnics and potlucks.

Ingredients

  • 1 white cake mix
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 - 6 ounce box of orange Jell-O
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 - 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
  • orange candy slices

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Mix the cake mix according to the back of the box, but substitute orange juice in place of the water called for.
  3. Bake for the time required on the back of the box. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes.
  4. Use a fork to poke holes over the top of the cake.
  5. Dissolve the orange Jell-O in boiling water. Pour the Jell-O over the top of the cake, making sure it goes in the holes. Cool completely in the refrigerator.
  6. Whisk together the vanilla pudding mix and milk. Fold in the Cool Whip.
  7. Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Cut into 24 pieces. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
  8. Garnish with pieces of the orange candy right before serving.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 38Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 27mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes & Cupcakes
Two pictures of Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake collaged together with an orange text box
A square of orange poke cake with vanilla pudding frosting on it

(original photo from June 2013)

*The post for this Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake was originally published June 19, 2013. The photos were updated March 2018 and the post was updated and republished May 8, 2021.

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Comments

  1. Diane says

    Hi,
    Are you using whole eggs or just the whites in your cake as the box indicates? If just using the whites, then I am assuming the cake has a yellowish tint due to the orange juice, correct?
    Thank you so much for your response.
    My daughter has requested an orange creme sickle cake for her birthday next week & yours looks yummy.

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      I made the cake using the whole egg directions on the back of the box and orange juice instead of the water, so the cake does have a slight yellow tint. Happy Birthday to your daughter. I hope she enjoys the cake!

      Reply

  2. kelley says

    Just found this Recipe on Pinterest, making this tonight for Father’s Day! Can’t wait to Taste it tomorrow!

    Reply

  3. Alex Beach says

    Made this today and my family and I love it! The cake is perfectly moist, the frosting is amazing! Will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      I think that topping has been discontinued now. You can leave it off as it doesn’t affect the cake. You could also tint a little bit of the pudding topping orange and swirl that on top if you like. I hope you enjoy the cake!

      Reply

  8. Marcia says

    I just made this cake last night for my work luncheon. Fingers crossed I’m sure everyone will love it! Looks absolutely devine!

    Reply

  9. Linda Teramoto says

    I made this cake for my co-worker’s birthday and glad to say it was a big hit! I was told it was very refreshing and light. People liked the frosting the most. I did look at 3 stores for the orange crush ice cream topper (because it sounds so yummy) and couldn’t find it so used the food coloring. It doesn’t look as good as your picture though. I need to practice my swirling skills more, lol.

    Reply

    • Jocelyn says

      Yay for it being a hit with your work. That frosting is so good!!! I think the Orange Crush topping might have been discontinued because I can’t find it anymore either.

      Reply

  10. Jessica says

    Oooh, i Can’t wait to try this one. Have you had the caramel apple poke cake? It was fantastic, I served it war with vanilla ice cream.

    Reply

  11. Vanessa says

    I needed a last minute Orange Creamsicle cupcake recipe for a friend’s Vintage Magic Kingdom birthday party. I tried another recipe but they just weren’t orange tasting! So I decided to try this as cupcakes and it worked quite well. I followed the recipe but made cupcakes instead and kept an eye on them when I put them in the oven since I didn’t have a bake time for them. It made nearly 24 cupcakes I think and I used foil liners to keep them looking pretty and keep any liquids in. These were a hit, especially the frosting!

    Reply

  12. mindy says

    it’s about time i crawled out of my blogger cave!!
    so honored you called ME “friend”…
    love you!! you make the world such a better, happier place!

    Reply

  13. Karen says

    I am making the orangecreamsicle cake, my question is…I only have a large box of sugar free vanilla instant pudding (Jell-o). It calls for 3 cups of milk to make it into pudding. You recipe says only 1 cup of milk. What I need to know is did you use a small box or large box of (Jell-o) pudding?

    Reply

    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      Hi, Karen. In the recipe, it does say 3.4 after the pudding. I added the oz after it to make it clear what size box I added. You could just use half the pudding mix in the box you have.

      Reply

      • Karen says

        Thank you, I realized you put 3.4 on the recipe, but the large size box of sugar free vanilla pudding Jell-o brand says it is 1.5 oz. I do not have regular pudding to know what the oz. It has in it. So that was the reason I was asking in the first place. You would know if the box you used was the small one or the larger one.:-)

        Reply

  14. Lynette says

    They have a Key Lime Cake right now through Mid-April. I made this cake last year using it with Lime Jello and it is divine! I have one in the oven right now! I bought 5 boxes this year since it is seasonal. We have until October to eat them. That is NOO problem! ☺

    Reply

  15. Marianne Hawk says

    I made the Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake for a gathering on the Fourth of July. It was a hit! It was so refreshing on such a hot day.

    Reply

  17. christine says

    I don’t understand what it means to “fold”
    I looked up the terminology. You’re not mixing the pudding and cool whip?

    Reply

    • Jocelyn Brubaker says

      Yes, after you mix the pudding and milk, you will gently fold the Cool Whip into the pudding. Folding is using a spatula to to turn the mixture without stirring. The main reason to fold is to preserve the air bubbles contained in the whipped item. I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  19. Vicki Bensinger says

    I love creamsicles or when I was growing up they called them Dreamsicles. I just wrote and article about them in a magazine. I wish I’d seen this post, I would have linked it to this cake. I can’t wait to try this and your other poke cakes. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  24. Renee @ Awesome on $20 says

    Eclectic is code for real life, right? I probably shouldn’t admit how many things I serve in a heap on a plate. I’m not even sure this cake would make it to a plate. I love the swirl action you achieved on the top. Very psychedelic. Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply

  25. Joan says

    This cake is excellent. To make it taste even better, instead of using a white cake mix use the Orange cake mix. I make this often for the girls I work with,

    Reply

  27. catherine says

    I was wondering if I can substitute real whipped cream for the cool whip….my husband loves orange cake but hates cool whip. Thank you

    Reply

  29. tanya says

    I may be he last person on earth to have tried to make a poke cake! What am I waiting for! I love the creamsicle flavor Jocelyn! Perfect for summer!

    Reply

  36. Chels R. says

    I have yet to make a poke cake! I’m seeing them everywhere right now too! I guess I’m gonna have to try it out!!! Great tip btw-I’m going to use it!

    Reply

  49. Joan says

    The cake looks so good and I cannot wait to make it! I love your recipes and you have so many great ideas. Thanks!

    Reply

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