This Orange Cream Filling Recipe is light and creamy and surprisingly SIMPLE to create. Because it’s made with instant pudding and heavy whipping cream, it has a mousse-like quality and great flavor versatility with the addition of extracts.
For a wonderful lemon cream filling, you can use this recipe but add 1 teaspoon lemon extract rather than orange.
For a fabulous chocolate filling, simply eliminate the extracts from this recipe and substitute instant Chocolate Pudding. In fact, you can find a link to our delicious, easy Chocolate Filling recipe here: Easy Chocolate Mousse Filling.
We often refer to these fillings as a mock mousse- they have great flavor and the consistency of a mousse filling, but can be made in minutes!
Orange Cream Filling Recipe
We love this easy and delicious Orange Cream Filling for cakes and cupcakes!
Ingredients
- 1 small box instant Vanilla pudding (3.4 oz/96g) We used Jello- Brand
- 2 c. (464g) heavy cream or whipping cream (plus additional if needed).
- 1 tsp. (4g) Orange Extract (we used McCormick)
Instructions
Combine the pudding mix and heavy cream and orange extract in a mixing bowl. I prefer to mix with a hand held mixer, but a whisk is just fine too. If using a mixer, start on low speed until well combined. Then, switch to high speed and whip the pudding until thick and fluffy.
If mousse is too thick, mix in small amounts of heavy cream to reach desired consistency.
If mixing by hand, simply whisk rapidly for a couple of minutes or until mixture is nice and thick.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Cakes with this filling should be chilled until close to serving time.
We used this Orange Cream Filling recipe as the filling in our Orange Dreamsicle Cake Recipe and absolutely loved it. We hope that you enjoy it too!
Don’t miss our full collection of favorite cakes, frostings, and fillings in our Recipes Section!
This sounds heavenly. I’ve tried pudding with Bettercreme also instead of whipping cream and it was good too. Try it with pumpkin spice pudding mix around the holidays …. amazing!!! You are right, it IS like a mock mousse.
Thank you so much, Joan!! The pumpkin spice sounds fabulous!
Would love to see more. Cant seem to find your recipe for the orange cream. Wanted to make it
Hi Lori- This recipe is the Orange Cream Filling—If you’d like to try the Orange Dreamsicle Cake or Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, those are linked here:https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/dreamsicle-delicious-homemade/
Cake,beautiful presentation!
What is the uk equivalent of vanilla pudding mix?? Angel delight? X
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I’m making a 2-tier cake (20cm & 25cm) and would like to use the orange dreamsicle cake with this orange cream filling.
Are the flavors suitable for children?
As the filling has cream, how far in advance can I make the cakes?
Do they need to be refrigerated?
Will they be stable under fondant?
Hi Ruby, I think children will love the flavors in this cake and filling. If you need to bake the cake layers in advance, you can wrap them individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to two months. The orange cream filling can be made several days in advance and refrigerated until you need it. It firms up when refrigerated but just leave on the countertop a short while and stir and it will be spreading consistency. The completed cake will need to be refrigerated because of the cream in the filling and the cream cheese frosting (if you plan to use that). If you want to complete the entire cake, you can do so and refrigerate it. We like to serve the cake by the 3rd day. It should hold up well under fondant. What will be under the fondant? The Orange Cream Cheese Frosting that we used on the cake is too soft to use under the fondant. You could use orange extract in you favorite buttercream recipe and use that under fondant.
Jodie, I found Jello brand ‘pudding’ on Amazon, am going to try a comparison with Angel Delight/instant whip! Watch this space!!!!!
beautiful creation
Can I use this recipe to frost my cake
Hi Rachelle, We don’t recommend it as a frosting but it makes a great filling.
Have you tried freezing this mousse?
@Nancy, thanks I’ve added that to the instructions ;0) —
@Terra, we’ve never experimented with this. I would worry that it would separate and I’m not sure how easily it could be whipped back to original consistency- let us know if you get it a try!
Hi! Sounds delicious. Is this basically an orange cake with orange filling? I think I’m thinking of a creamsicle – orange exterior with vanilla inside. Do you have a recipe for this one? Maybe the orange cake with vanilla pudding filling?
Hi Gloria, This is going to make you say, “oh my” but if you had scrolled down just under the picture of the Orange Cream Filling, there is a link to our Orange Dreamsicle Cake. Click on this link:
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/dreamsicle-delicious-homemade/
I hope you will give it a try!
I used this recipe as a filling for chocolates. I found if mixed until too thick for cakes, it works perfect for this. I also doubled the orange flavor (it was beautiful). I’m glad I picked this recipe!
Hi April, Thanks for your thoughts on another use for the orange filling. The filling is perishable because of the heavy cream so if you are giving the chocolates as a gift let the recipient know they should be refrigerated.
Can I use this filling for Easter eggs
Hi Carol, this is a filling that is perishable and needs to be refrigerated. How were you going to use it for Easter eggs?
The cake turned out amazing!. Made it in August for a birthday and just had a piece from the freezer, so good. Followed the directions exactly and it turned out great.
Great! Thank you for your nice comments.
I must be missing something. There is no recipe for the orange filling on this page. Am I missing something?
Hi Jason-Thanks for letting us know! We recently changed out our recipe card plugin and switched everything over manually- looks like we missed one! It’s back now ;0)
What do you do with the filling? Does it go in the middle? Looks like the frosting is in the middle also, mot sure what to do with the filling
Hi Craven, The filling is used between the cake layers. Don’t spread too close to the edges, leave about a 1/2 inch space so it will not spread to the outside as the layers are stacked. This filling is perishable so the cake will need to be refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours in advance of serving .
Can you use cool whip instead of heavy cream? If not, can you use a sugar alternative?
Hi Michele, You could use sugar free instant vanilla pudding mix. Is this what you mean? Does this work for you?
Can I freeze a cake with this filling and thaw in fridge a few days to complete with cream cheese icing for a event.
Hi Angela, We have never frozen the filling. I am not sure if it would separate. You could freeze your cake layers individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. They can be frozen successfully for 2 months if kept airtight. Let them thaw on the counter top, when condensations forms on the aluminum foil unwrap and allow to continue to thaw. It is also fine to fill and frost when the cake layers are partially frozen. You could also prepare the filling a couple of days in advance and refrigerate. This would save you some time on the day you are ready to frost with cream cheese frosting.