Easy Orange Creamsicle Bars (Doctored Cake Mix)

If the idea of a creamsicle gives you flashbacks to your childhood (in a good way) this luscious dessert will certainly make you happy! These easy creamsicle bars have those same lovely flavors and they’re so simple to make because they start with a box of cake mix! 

Making Bars from Cake Mix is Easy

I’ve been on a roll over the past week making every kind of bar I could think of, starting each one off with a box of cake mix. 

I’ve created fruity ones already – lemon coconut, strawberry cheesecake. . .even strawberry lemonade. But I had nothing in the “orange” family and that happens to be one of my favorites, especially when you merge it together with cream. 

So, I decided “creamsicle” sounded divine. 

What is a Creamsicle? 

A creamsicle is a type of frozen treat (like a popsicle) made up of flavored ice cream, usually vanilla, and a layer of frozen fruit-flavored ice or sherbet on the outside. Basically, it’s an orange cream popsicle.

The delicious creamsicle flavor features a creamy, vanilla ice cream center surrounded by a tangy, citrus-flavored outer layer.

The name “creamsicle” is derived from the combination of “cream” and “Popsicle,” which is a popular brand of frozen treats in the United States. Like other popsicles, creamsicles are served on a stick.

It’s the contrast of flavors that creamsicles are known for. The center is smooth, sweet, and creamy. The outer orange layer adds a refreshing and tangy element.

Creamsicles are especially popular during the summer months and are enjoyed by people of all ages.

As a kid I adored this flavor combination. Orange and cream? Yes, please! A cold creamsicle on a hot Texas summer day was a favorite treat!

And that’s where the idea for these luscious bars came from. 

Creamsicle Bar Ingredients

• yellow cake mix
• orange zest
• orange juice
• room temperature butter
• room temperature cream cheese
• sweetened condensed milk
• orange marmalade

That’s it! Just a few simple ingredients! 

How to Make Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake Bars

These came together so quickly! I’m so glad I gave this flavor combination a try. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Remove orange marmalade from jar and place in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds to loosen it slightly. If you like, you can add one dot of orange gel coloring to brighten the color. Stir well and set aside. 

Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by spraying with nonstick spray. Place a piece of parchment paper inside (as demonstrated in photo). Lightly spray the paper with the same nonstick spray. 

Place the box of cake mix into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. You could also use a food processor if you like. Add a dot of orange food coloring to brighten the color, if you prefer. Add room temperature butter and mix well at medium speed. It will form a crumbly texture. Not really fine crumbs, but more chunky.

Remove about 1/3 of the crumble and set it aside in a small bowl. This will be your topping. 

Back to your crust: add the zest of one orange. Add two tablespoons of orange juice. Mix well. 

Press mixture into the bottom of the 9x-13-inch dish in an even layer.

Place in preheated oven and bake for ten minutes. 

While crust is baking, making your filling. 

Place cream cheese into the bowl of the stand mixer (or other large bowl) and mix at low speed until light and fluffy. 

Now mix together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk and continue to mix on slow speed until fully incorporated. 

You now have everything you need to cover your partially baked crust.

At the ten minute mark, remove crust from the oven and pour the cream cheese mixture on top. 

Place dollops of orange marmalade in random fashion on top of the cream cheese layer. 

Drag a knife through the filling until the colors are swirled and pretty. 

Now it’s time to sprinkle the rest of the crumble on top. 

Place dish into the preheated oven and bake for for 30 – 33 minutes. 

Remove and place on a wire rack to cool. I let mine cool for a full hour. 

Place in the refrigerator to cool for another hour before attempting to cut. 

Lift the orange bars from the dish and place on workspace.

Cut into squares using a sharp knife. 

Serve and enjoy these luscious orange creamsicle dessert bars!

Store leftovers in airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap. 

You can freeze these bars up to two months if tightly wrapped. 

What to Expect from these Creamsicle Bars

I’m so glad I came up with this idea, y’all! The luscious orange crust is the perfect first layer! The creamy filling inside is divine, and that burst of orange flavor on the top layer? It’s all so lovely! 

You’re going to love this orange dream bar recipe, y’all!

These are going to be perfect for summertime because of their bright flavor, but I think they would also be great in the fall, due to the orange color. (Isn’t that a pretty presentation?)

No matter when yo serve them, you’re going to be so glad you did, and so are your guests. They’re creamy, dreamy, and loaded with flavor. This is one of those easy recipes you’ll turn to again and again.

Variations on this Recipe

Creamy orange cheesecake: Want to give this more of a cheesecake texture in the middle layer? Your best option is to add a second block of cream cheese to the mix. Yum!

Blackberry Preserves: Use a yellow cake on bottom, and swirl a jar of blackberry preserves into the cream cheese filling. 

Blueberry Preserves: Same method as above, but use blueberry in place of blackberry. 

Apricot Preserves: Same method, different flavor of preserves! 

You get the idea! You can use any flavor of preserves you like for this one, folks. 

Chocolate cake on bottom. Chocolate and orange go together beautifully! 

Chocolate chips on top. When the bars come out of the oven, add a few chocolate chips. 

Heavy whipping cream (or Cool Whip): If you like, you can place a dollop of whipped cream on top of each slice. Whipped topping is delicious on desserts!

Candied orange slices or orange peel: Decorate each piece with a candied orange slice. Pretty and delicious!

Orange extract: If you like, you can add orange extract to the filling before baking.

Other Orange Desserts from Out of the Box Baking

If you liked these baked orange creamsicle bars, you’ll love some of our other yummy orange desserts. Here are some fan favorites!

Orange Raspberry Pound Cake: If you love the texture of a luscious pound cake but the light, bright flavors of citrus and berries, you’re going to be crazy about this new recipe.

Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake Cookies: This is a delicious slice-and-bake cookie dough that can be made in advance and frozen. Just like those tubes of cookie dough you buy at the store, this one is convenient. But it’s cheaper and healthier, too!

Orange Cranberry Pudding: Every now and again you come up with a recipe that surprises and delights you—not just because it’s original, but because it’s so simple, too! This Cranberry Creamsicle Pudding was definitely pure delight!

Poppy Seed Cake with Orange Glaze: If you love a luscious poppy seed cake but enjoy a hint of orange flavoring, you’re going to flip over this simple homemade cake. It’s truly perfect, inside and out.

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Learn more about doctored cake mixes, the theme of this blog. 

For the master list of all doctored cake mix recipes on this site, visit Doctored Cake Mix Recipes, Master List. 

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That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

The Lazy Gastronome

Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.