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Jello Cake is a favorite at Oh Sweet Basil and this Orange Jello Cake is no different! It is easy to make and everyone will love the zesty orange flavor!
I have to confess, making cakes is not one of my favorite things to do. Like why do you need so many tools for one recipe?! All the spatulas, and scrapers, and turn table thingy, and so much butter! I will make them but honestly, dressing up a box cake mix is the way to go for quick and easy family dessert night!
You all have loved our Lemon Jello Cake, so I know you’re going to devour this orange Jello cake. It is LOADED with bright and zesty orange flavor, and we are saving a bunch of time, steps, and equipment needed and using a box cake mix.
Trust me, you’ll never know the difference!
Ingredients Needed for Orange Jello Cake
Because we are keeping things simple with a box cake mix, our ingredient list is short and sweet (pun! ha!):
For the Cake
- Orange or White Cake Mix
- Eggs
- Water (should this even appear on ingredients lists? Thoughts?)
- Vegetable Oil
- Orange Jello Packet
For The Icing
- Juice from 2 Oranges
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Orange Jello Cake
Here are the basic steps for making this delicious cake. For all the details, scroll down to the full recipe card.
- Prep: preheat oven, spray and flour baking dish
- Batter: add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix together, pour into prepared baking dish
- Add the dry cake mix and the dry Jello powder
- Bake: 27-30 minutes at 350 degrees F
- Icing: combine the orange juice and powdered sugar, prick the finished cake all over with a fork and then pour the icing all over the top of the cake
- If you want a little more substantial frosting on this cake, head to our Frosted Lemon Jello Cake post and follow the instructions there using orange frosting.
PRO TIP: You have to use regular Jello, no sugar-free or alternative.
Can I Add Dry Jello to a Cake Mix?
Yes! This recipe calls for you to mix the cake mix, dry jello mix, and a couple other ingredients together. This combination gives you a light and tender cake but packed with so much orange flavor goodness!
This is not a poke cake where you poke holes all over a cake and then pour the prepared liquid Jello all over it. For this recipe you will just use the dry Jello powder.
Does Jello Cake Need To Be Refrigerated?
Jello cake should be refrigerated because Jell-o needs to be refrigerated to keep its consistency and it just tastes better when it is chilled. This cake can be kept for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Can Cake Be Frozen?
Cake should be covered with plastic wrap and foil before freezing, and can be frozen for 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Why Does Cake Fall In The Middle?
Over beating the batter or too much moisture in the cake batter will cause a cake to fall in the middle.
Opening the oven door to check on a cake before the baking time is up, could also cause the cake to fall.
Moist, tender, simple with the bright flavor of orange in every bite, this Orange Jello Cake is going to be a hit at your next family gathering and is perfect for any season.
More Orange Desserts and Cakes You Will Love!
- Orange Cinnamon Butter Flake Rolls
- Orange Cranberry Glazed Poppy Seed Bread
- Lemon Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
- Orange Creamsicle Cookies
- Orange Rolls
- Red White and Blue Jello Poke Cake
- Frosted Lemon Jello Cake
- Strawberry Jello Cake
- Lemon Jello Cake
- Pineapple Crush Jello Cake
- All our CAKE RECIPES!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 Box Cake Mix, Orange or white cake mix, regular size,
- 4 Eggs, large
- 1 1/3 Cups Water
- 2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Package Orange Jello, (small box — 3 oz)*
Icing
- 2 Oranges, Juiced
- 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
For The Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and sprinkle with flour.
- Tip and tap the edges of the cake pan to coat it with flour.
- In the bowl of a mixer, mix the cake mix, eggs, water, oil and jello together.1 Box Cake Mix, 4 Eggs, 1 1/3 Cups Water, 2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil, 1 Package Orange Jello
- Pour into the greased and floured pan.
- Bake for 27-30 minutes. While the cake is in the oven, prep the icing (see Notes below).
- When cake is done, prick with a fork while still hot.
- Immediately pour orange icing over top.
For The Icing
- In a small bowl, mix the orange juice and powdered sugar until smooth.2 Oranges, 1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I followed this recipe to the T, and the cake did not turn out. It was all liquid in the center after 35 minutes in the oven.
Hi Steven! It sounds like something definitely went wrong. Did you just use the jello powder when you added it to the batter?
I wanted to use an orange vegan jel, why wouldn’t that work?
Hi Hayley! I’m not familiar with vegen jel, but it would be worth a shot to try it. Are you thinking to use it in place of the jello?
Making as cupcakes and I am so nervous as to how they will turn out. I used a confetti cake mix so if they don’t I’ll have to chalk it up to my own error. The batter is extremely runny and looks like I will have extra at this point which is a first. Kids are waiting and I’m crossing my fingers!
How did they turn out??
Never mind got it figured out great cake.
Oh great! Thank you!!
How much juice is suppose to be enough for the powdered sugar for the icing?
Hi Bob! It depends on how juicy the oranges are, but it will be about 1/2 – 2/3 cups of orange juice.
It turned out perfect. Thank you.
Yay! Love to hear that Shelia!
I am wondering how it would taste if you sub orange juice for the water ? Have you tried that ? Thanks .
Hi Sandi! Hmmmmm…good question. I have not tried that. It would be interesting to try it. I just worry about there being too much acid and too much sugar/sweetness if orange juice was used. It would definitely bump up the flavor though.
I made the cake using orange juice instead of water and turned out great. My family loved it, and no one thought it was too sweet.
Yay! Love to here that! And thank you for for the feedback on using orange juice!
I used to bake this cake for friends going on vacation or moving. We were Navy so lots of friends moved. I used a tube pan and no icing. This way they could eat it in the car while traveling without the sticky icing. Super good.
Love to hear this! Thank you so much Lynda!
Why won’t sugar free jello work? Just curious
Hi Jennifer! I actually have no idea why it doesn’t work, at least the science behind it, but I tried it and it just didn’t turn out well.
I did make the orange jello cake like the recipe came for and its just wonderful,it reminds me of a cake I brought from a department store,Hudson’s they sold this cake call sunshine cake its a round 9’inch cake with a hole in the middle the sides and the surface is flat like B.C.’s wheel it has yellow fondant frosting (like store brought cupcakes) but when you cut and eat it the frosting and cake is soft and moist this cake cost $3 dollars you couldn’t cakes like this at the store because the cooks in Hudson restaurant were people who came from cooking school.so I’m glad that you have this recipe because other recipes for sunshine cakes are more like a pineapple,orange cake. Not quite the same I wonder if you know how to make a tuxedo cake? Its a cake offered at Honey Bake Ham.its a vanilla/chocolate two layered cake.
Thank you so much for the feedback George! I love that this cake brought such memories for you! I’m not familiar with that tuxedo cake, but we do have a killer chocolate cake recipe (https://ohsweetbasil.com/the-most-perfect-moist-chocolate-cake-recipe/).