Citrus Cake with Cream Cheese frosting recipes
This recipe combines the convenience of a yellow cake mix with the bright, refreshing flavors of fresh orange, lemon, and lime. Elevated by a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting, this citrus cake is surprisingly easy to make and perfect for any occasion, offering a delightful balance of sweet and tart notes.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Mixer Stand or hand mixer
- 2 Mixing Bowls Large, for cake batter and frosting
- 2 Round Cake Pans 8 or 9-inch
- 1 Citrus Zester and Juicer
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Main
- 1 orange zested and juiced
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2 limes zested and juiced
- 1 box Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounce block of Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange extract optional
- lemon
- lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans.
- Zest and juice the orange, lemon, and limes, keeping them separate or combined as preferred.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, all the citrus juices and zest, melted butter, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs.
- Beat the cake mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, in a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, salt, pure vanilla extract, and optional orange extract with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- In another bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined and smooth.
- Once the cakes are completely cool, frost and decorate as desired, garnishing with fresh lemon or lime zest.
Notes
For a truly vibrant citrus flavor, use fresh zest and juice generously; the zest contains the most aromatic oils. When mixing the cake batter, be careful not to overmix after adding wet ingredients to avoid a tough cake. Ensure both cream cheese and butter are at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free frosting. For a professional finish, level your cake layers before frosting and garnish with extra fresh citrus zest or candied citrus peel.