Orange Vanilla Bunny and Lamb Cakes with Creamsicle Glaze

When it was time to take them for a test drive, I thought about just making a plain yellow cake and sprinkling the finished product with powdered sugar but that’s not how I roll.  I wanted to create something special with them.

Lately I have been on a kick baking with flavored sugar. Although I usually like to make my own flavored sugars, lemon, vanilla and orange are readily available here in most supermarkets.

Vanilla and orange, hmmm… What could be better than a creamsicle? 

Maybe this cake. It was amazing! A combination of creamy orange, tangy, sweet and the glaze tastes just like a creamsicle.

It took a few attempts because it wasn’t easy working with the molds. First I over filled them and the cake was soggy in the middle. Then I under filled them and they were too hollow and broke apart when removing them from the molds. This did however give me plenty of chances to perfect the cake recipe (say no to adding the Contrineau! And the Triple Sec, btw)

Also, because they are baked upside down the heads would burn before the cake completely cooked through. The molds stand vertically so there is no way to move them to the center rack in the oven.

In the end what worked for me was to triple line the bottom rack of the oven with baking sheets. This insulated the heads enough so they didn’t burn before the rest of the cake was baked.

Orange Vanilla Cakes with Creamsicle Glaze

For the Orange Vanilla cake:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vanilla sugar
• 1/4 cup orange sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F
• Grease cake pans or large bunt pan.*
• Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• eat butter and sugars together.
• Add eggs one at a time thoroughly combining each.
• Beat in zest and extract
• Alternate adding the flour and orange juice starting and ending with the flour.
• Stop the mixer when everything is just combined.

• Pour into pans or spread into molds and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry. If you are using a large bundt pan your baking time will probably be longer.
• Cool completely before de-molding or de-paning.
• Trim off excess.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place a wire rack on top and then place cake(s) on it. 

*This can also fill a large bundt pan. I had some batter left over so I filled a little heart tin with the extra.

For the Creamsicle Glaze:

Ingredients:

• 2 + 1/3 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Directions:

• Sift powdered sugar into the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment.
• Add butter and turn the mixer on low.
• Slowly stream in cream and combine thoroughly.
• Turn the mixer on medium and slowly add the orange juice.
• You can add more of each liquid to thin out the glaze if you wish. It should be easily to pour.
• Pour the glaze over the cake(s) and let dry.