Chocolate Castles as wel

Just can’t wait any longer, I am ready to celebrate temps falling below 100. And with that celebration comes pumpkins of all sizes and shapes. Peter Pumpkin (aka Randy) is just pacing the floor until I give him the go ahead to begin bringing all the boxes from the garage that store the Fall Trees and pumpkins that are just waiting to have a place in the house.

We have invited some friends over tonight to join us in celebrating It’s Almost Fall!  Because I still had some fresh oranges, I decided to make an Orange Cake for dessert after we go to Smash Burger.

Thought I would share how easy it was and how fresh the cake layers taste with substituting orange juice for the water.

One Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix

Mix the cake mix according to directions except substitute half of the water called for with orange juice. I used fresh squeezed, but using orange juice is just fine. I used the zest of one of the oranges and added that to the cake batter. Mix well and pour into 2 (9″) round cake pans. Bake about 24-25 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool and frost with Orange Butter Cream Frosting or Cream Cheese Frosting (the CC Frosting was posted yesterday with the Key Lime Cake recipe)

Buttercream Frosting

1 stick of softened unsalted butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup of Crisco Shortening

5 cups of powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

zest of an orange

Enough orange juice to make frosting to spreading consistency.

Whip up the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest and the orange juice, (about 1 tables at a time).

Frost the bottom layer that you have put on a serving platter, then place the 2nd layer on top. Frost the sides and then the top with the buttercream.

Maybe the cake will get Peter in a festive enough mood to start bringing in the boxes!