Orange Creamsicle Wedding Cake

My friends, Jayson and Nattida, got married last weekend. I was asked to do the cake which I was so excited to do because Nattida is a "foodie" and always gives me a challenge in the kitchen. This was no exception. She asked for a cake that tasted like an Orange Creamsicle ice cream bar. Hmmm... that one was new to me! And honestly... didn't sound all that delicious (I am a chocolate girl!). But she is the bride and her wish is my command! I started by Googling "orange cake" and surprisingly enough I found quite a few recipes. I tried a few but they didn't pass the taste test until I came upon the Pioneer Woman's Orange Cake recipe. I should have known, I can pretty much trust anything the Pioneer Woman says is good. Seriously, that woman is a culinary genius!

I made a few minor changes and added an "Earl Grey Frosting" which was another unique request from the bride. The Earl Grey flavor complimented the orange quite nicely and the cake followed a delicious dinner of Thai food. It ended up being a great recipe for a wedding cake because it was a very dense pound cake and sliced very cleanly. The best part about it was that it was so unique, the wedding guests will definitely remember an Orange Creamsicle cake!

Orange Creamsicle Cake with Earl Grey Frosting

Cake:

3 sticks butter, softened

3 cups sugar

5 whole eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup + 1 Tbs. orange soda

2 drops orange food coloring

1 Tbs. orange zest

1 tsp. orange extract

Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened

5 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup of milk steeped with 1 tsp. of earl grey tea

Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Combine flour and salt, then add it 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. With the mixer on low, slowly add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons orange pop until combined. Add orange food coloring, orange extract and orange zest.

Thoroughly spray a pan with nonstick baking spray. Add large spoonful’s of batter until the pan is filled, then even out the surface. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack and let it cool.

Frosting:

Heat the milk called for until very hot but not boiling.

Place the tea leave in the milk and steep until very strong. You’ll know the milk is ready to be used when it turns a deep caramel color. Place in the refrigerator and chill overnight. When ready to use, strain the milk through a coffee filter to remove the tealeaves.

Mix the butter until creamy and smoothed out. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Add the remaining sugar and mix until creamy.  Add the vanilla and the tea infused milk. You will not use the entire cup; just pour into the frosting until it is the right consistency. Mix until creamy. 

The finished cake. My friend, Diamant, did the flowers. She is so talented!

 

This is what it looked like plated (isn't it pretty?). The cake was served with a Thai coconut jelly type of dessert. 

There were four pieces left after everyone was served. Phew! I was getting a tiny bit worried toward the end but it ended up being perfect!