The 5-ingredient cake one Tennessee grandmother made for 25 years

It’s a beloved family tradition.

Key Takeaways

• This 5-ingredient cake combines white cake mix and orange gelatin for a moist, citrusy dessert.
• A Tennessee grandmother made it a family tradition for 25 years, and it’s still a fan favorite.
• Simple swaps like orange juice or flavored extracts can make this easy cake even more flavorful.

You can tell a recipe has staying power when people start typing in all caps. “THIS CAKE IS MARVELOUS!” one reviewer gushes. “SO MOIST AND FLUFFY AND THE ORANGE FLAVOR REALLY COMES THROUGH!!” Decades after a Tennessee grandmother made it a family tradition, Orange Party Cake is still winning fans over with its bright citrus flavor and tender crumb.

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According to Allrecipes community member Janice Wielusz, the recipe came from her grandmother. “She made it for my family on every visit for 25 years,” Wielusz writes. Today, the home cook carries on the tradition herself, though she notes the cake rarely survives more than a couple of days once it’s served.

Part of the appeal is how simple it is. The cake starts with a box of white cake mix and a package of orange-flavored Jell-O, then gets a boost from four eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and water. The oil and eggs help create an exceptionally moist texture, while the gelatin gives the cake its signature citrusy flavor and sunny color. 

Plus, the five-ingredient recipe comes together in about 45 minutes from start to finish, making it the perfect dessert to make when you’re short on time.

How To Make Orange Party Cake

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. 
• Mix. Combine the cake mix and orange gelatin together, then beat in the eggs, oil, water, and vanilla until the batter is smooth and fluffy. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 
• Cool. Slice and serve.

Tips, Tricks, and Variations for Orange Party Cake

• Experiment with different flavor combinations. Reviewers report success using a variety of cake mix and gelatin pairings, including:
• White cake + orange gelatin
• Chocolate cake + orange gelatin
• Chocolate cake + raspberry gelatin
• White cake + lemon gelatin
• Boost the flavor with extracts. One reviewer recommends using 2 teaspoons vanilla extract plus 2 teaspoons of an extract that matches the gelatin flavor (such as orange, lemon, or raspberry) to intensify the fruit flavor.
• Amp up the citrus. For an extra-orange twist, try using an orange cake mix and adding 1/2 cup orange juice along with a few tablespoons of triple sec.
• Enjoy an extra-moist cake. Reviewers note that the combination of gelatin and additional liquid helps create a cake that’s especially moist and flavorful.
• Finish with a simple glaze. Drizzle the cooled cake with an easy orange glaze or vanilla glaze for a little extra sweetness and a bakery-style finishing touch.

Allrecipes Community Praise for Orange Party Cake

• “I use a recipe similar to this, except I use Yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix,” says NotUrAvgChick. “And I use 1 cup Tropicana Orange Juice with lotsa pulp. Everyone loves it! You can't go wrong with this recipe.”
• “THIS CAKE IS MARVELOUS! SO MOIST AND FLUFFY AND THE ORANGE FLAVOR REALLY COMES THROUGH!!” says missrochester. “SO SIMPLE WHEN YOU'RE SHORT ON TIME! I DID ADD A LITTLE ORANGE ZEST TO MY BATTER.OUTSTANDING!! ANOTHER WONDERFUL CAKE RECIPE SAVED!! THANK YOU!!”
• “Made this for my church youth group,” says Mary Lynn. “It was a hit! I didn't have a large box of jello, so I used the small box and used 3 tsp orange flavoring and 1 tsp vanilla. Moist cake with great orange flavor!”

Read the original article on Allrecipes