Orange Dreamsicle Cake

I created this cake for my husband's 30th birthday. I combined his three favorite flavors - vanilla, raspberry and orange in to one delicious desert. It's luscious, creamy and dreamy. My mom said it is the best cake she has ever tasted and demanded it become a regular treat at family parties. Enjoy!


















Orange Dreamsicle Cake

• 1 box Golden Vanilla cake mix
• 1 16 oz container of cool whip
• 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 1 cup powder sugar
• 2 tsp orange extract
• 10 drops red food coloring
• 10 drops yellow food coloring
  
• 1 envelop Knox gelatin
• 1 cup apple juice divided
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup mandarin oranges
• 1/2 cup raspberries

Make cake mix according to directions on box. Remove 1/4 of cake mix into separate bowl. Add food coloring and 1 tsp of orange extract.

Grease and flour an 8 inch cake pan. Pour 3/4 of the remaining white colored cake mix into pan (this will later be sliced into two halves) Spoon half of orange cake batter in large drops over top of batter. Take a butter knife and slice through horizontally and vertically to make pretty swirl design. Bake according to directions on box. Cool and remove. Take remaining batter and do the same. Cool and remove.

Once cakes are cooled take a string and use it to carefully slice through the larger cake into two even halves. Shave a little of the top as well so that is is flat. Take smaller cake and shave off the top as well. You should have three even sized cakes now.

Beat together cream cheese and powder sugar. Add 1 tsp orange extract and gently fold in cool whip with a spoon. Spread over each layer of cake and stack. Use remaining spread to frost cake. Smooth out rough edges with a wet butter knife.

Take a cookie cutter mold (circle or heart) and center on top of cake. Press down slightly. On stove bring 34 cup of apple juice to a boil. Take 1/4 cup of cold apple juice and dissolve envelope of gelatin over it. Once dissolved add boiling apple juice. Place in fridge for a few minutes to begin setting. Meanwhile decorate inside of cookie mold with berries. Then pour semi-solid gelatin over berries. Decorate top of cake with oranges. Place in the fridge 4 hours before removing cookie cutter. Serve chilled.