Orange Soda Cake

This delightful orange soda cake reminds me of spring.  Lightly citrus-flavored, it will make you think of sunny days and juicy oranges.  It’ll make you HAPPY.

Nesbitt’s published the recipe for Orange Soda cake decades ago.  Nesbitt’s Orange Soda originated back in the 1940’s or so, though the company distributed the syrup to soda fountains long before then.  Claiming that it was made with California Valencia oranges, Nesbitt’s Orange Soda was the first–and only–drink served at Disneyland when it opened in 1955.  

Marilyn Monroe modeled for them.

Elvis, known for his strange eating habits, washed it all down with Nesbitt’s Orange Soda.

You’ll find this cake a wonderful change from the norm.  Its icing was unlike anything I’d ever made before.  The texture was smooth, lightly sweet and not heavy at all.  The perfect compliment to the cake.

The recipe calls for the grated rind of one orange.  I forgot to buy one and added a teaspoon of orange extract instead.  And since I found the icing a little bland, I added a teaspoon of orange extract to that, too.

Perfect.

(Trivia from www.nesbittsorange.com)

Orange Soda Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix
• Orange soda pop (substitute for water called for in cake directions)
• Eggs and oil (per cake directions)
• Grated rind of 1 orange (OR 1 tsp orange extract)
• Creamy Orange Soda Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 Tb. flour
• 2/3 cup orange soda
• 1 tsp orange extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix cake as directed, substituting orange soda for water. Fold in orange rind--or orange extract. Bake in 2 greased 9 inch pans at time and temperature on package. Cool thoroughly.
3. Frosting: Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat. Whisk in flour and salt to make a roux. Stirring constantly, add orange soda, slowly whisking to keep smooth.
4. Return to low heat and bring to gentle boil. Cook one minute, stirring.
5. Remove from heat, add powdered sugar at once, beating well. Set saucepan in basin of cold water and continue to whisk until of spreading consistency.
6. Icing will thicken as it cools.