This Orange Charlotte Cake is an easy, light, delicious no bake recipe that can be made all year round when you need to make a dessert but you do not want to bake. This is a Charlotte Cake built upside down, refrigerated overnight, and flipped on a cake platter the next day, so the oranges become the face and the decoration of the cake.
This recipe comes from my collection of Cakes and Entremets where you can find an abundance of no bake recipes, like this Chocolate Biscuit Cake, or Philadelphia No Bake Cheesecake. It was also featured in this collection of 10 Delicious New Year's Cake Ideas.
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🍰 What is an Orange Charlotte Cake?
As the name already indicates, this is a sister version of the popular Charlotte Cake. This type of cake is also known as Charlotte Russe Cake and is a sweet treat made by lining a mold with ladyfingers and filling it up with fruit, custard, or mousse.
Coming from Europe, these cakes are not only tasty but also pretty to look at, making them a delightful centerpiece for special occasions. These are the main characteristics of my cake:
- No-Bake and Upside-Down Design: This cake requires no baking, just setting in the fridge. The upside-down design comes from arranging orange slices at the bottom of the pan, which, when flipped post-setting, become the beautiful top decoration.
- Orange Mousse Interior: It is enriched with whipped cream, an orange custard stabilized with gelatin for a delightful citrusy bite.
- Ladyfinger Layers : The lady fingers mimic traditional cake layers in between the orange mousse.
- Ideal for Non-Bakers and Hot Summers: A light, beautiful dessert perfect for impressing guests without heating the oven.
📝 Key Ingredients:
- Medium Oranges: These add a fresh, citrusy flavor and form the beautiful top decoration when the cake is unmolded.
- Egg Yolks: They contribute to the richness and texture of the mousse filling.
- Orange Juice: Adds a citrus zing to the mousse, enhancing the orange flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the mousse, balancing the tanginess of the oranges.
- Salt: A pinch to enhance the flavors.
- Orange Zest: Brings in additional citrus aroma and flavor.
- Unflavored Gelatin: Helps set the mousse to the right consistency.
- Cold Water: Used for blooming the gelatin, ensuring it dissolves smoothly.
- Heavy Cream: Whipped to create a light, airy texture for the mousse.
- Ladyfingers: Create soft, cake-like layers, adding a delightful texture contrast. Sponge cake or biscuit slices are good substitutes if ladyfingers are unavailable.
🍓 Can I use some other fruits instead of oranges?
Absolutely, you can experiment with various fruits and their juices. Berries are an option, but also blood oranges or a mix with regular ones would have a dramatic effect on the cake. You could replace orange juice with strawberry or canned pineapple juice.
NOTE: Avoid using pineapple, kiwi, papaya, or mango in their raw form as they contain bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down the gelatin, preventing the cake from setting. Instead of a firm cake, you'll end up with a "soup" cake. Trust me, I learned this lesson early in my baking career, having to scoop up the cake with spoons from soup bowls.
Video Recipe
🧑🍳 How To Make this Orange Charlotte Cake:
I cannot wait to show you how to make this super easy Charlotte Cake with oranges, so let's proceed:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts please scroll to the printable recipe card.
Step 1. Prepare the pan.
Line a 9-inch springform with plastic foil for easier unmolding.
While foil works well, professional bakers might already be familiar with using clear acetate for lining the pan (affiliate link), especially for mousse cakes, as it lends a smooth, elegant finish to the cake. (Image 1)
Step 2. Prepare the oranges:
Wash two oranges, grate the peel for zest, then peel and remove as much white layer as possible. Slice the oranges about ¼ inch thick.(Image 2)
Step 3. Cover the bottom and sides of springform pan with orange slices.
Grab the springform pan and place the orange slices on the bottom of the pan and the sides of the springform pan.(Image 3)
Tip: Try to choose orange slices that are pretty enough, as that layer will basically be the decoration on top of the cake.
🥣 Make the filling for the cake:
Step 1. Hydrate the gelatin.
The gelatin needs hydration. For 2 ½ tablespoons, you will need more or less ½ cup of cold water. While the gelatin is hydrating, cook the filling.
Step 2. Make the orange egg yolk custard.
Separate eggs, placing yolks in a saucepan with orange juice, salt, sugar, and zest. (Save egg whites for a Walnut Meringue Cake With Chocolate Mousse)(Image 1)
On medium-low heat, cook the mixture in the saucepan, stirring until it thickens, ready when it coats a spoon and holds a line drawn by a finger. (Images 2,3,4)
Step 3. Combine the custard and whipped cream.
Remove from heat, add gelatin, stirring well for full incorporation, and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream using an electric mixer. (Image 5)
Incorporate the whipped cream into the orange cream and mix well.(Image 6)
⚒️ How to assemble the cake:
Step 1. Alternate the filling with lady fingers to create layers.
Pour half of the filling over the oranges you placed in the springform.(Image 1)
On top of that filling, place half of the ladyfingers. The ladyfingers will mimic the "cake" layer.(Image 2)
Repeat with the remaining mousse and ladyfingers, which will form the cake's bottom when flipped upside down.
Step 2. Refrigerate overnight.
Cover the springform with foil, refrigerate overnight or for 4-5 hours to set the gelatin and allow ladyfingers to soak.
During overnight refrigeration, the ladyfingers absorb some moisture from the mousse, becoming softer. Arrange them closely as they expand slightly, creating a cohesive cake layer between the mousse layers.
When ready to serve, remove foil, place a serving plate atop the springform, hold both, flip upside down, and remove the springform and plastic foil.
Your cake should look like this now:
Isn't that beautiful?
While working with gelatin desserts might make some nervous, following the instructions should yield a beautiful cake that everyone will love. This recipe renders at least 12 slices, but thinner slices can serve more guests.
I did serve it as it was, but some people add a dollop of whipped cream to each slice.
🙋♀️ Recipe Faqs:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This cake is not suitable for freezing.
Gelatin sheets, common in professional kitchens, yield clear results, while bagged gelatin is typical in US households. Both suit this recipe; just look in the recipe card to see how to use each of them.
Make sure the gelatin is fully dissolved and give the cake ample time in the refrigerator to set, preferably overnight.
Yes, you have to, as the cake needs refrigeration for a few hours.
🍮 No Bake Desserts:
Are you interested in more no bake desserts? Check out my 31 Decadent No-Bake Pies, 30 Best Trifle Dessert Recipes or these 30 No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes. Plenty of opportunities here to share a wonderful dessert with your family and friends!
More Recipes To Enjoy:
📖 Recipe
Orange Charlotte Cake (No Bake Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium oranges
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- orange zest from 1-2 oranges
- 2 ½ tablespoons of Knox unflavored gelatin (2 ½ bags) or 9 gelatin sheets (230bloom)
- ½ cup cold water for blooming the gelatin
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 17 ounces ladyfingers
Instructions
Prepare the pan and the oranges:
- Line the bottom and the insides of a 9-inch springform with foil. If you have an acetate cake collar, use it inside the springform and cover just the bottom with foil.
- Grate 1-2 oranges for zest before peeling, saving the zest for the cream filling. Peel oranges, remove as much white layer as possible, and slice them into ¼ inch thick wheels.
- Select the prettiest orange slices, arranging them nicely on the bottom and walls of the springform for decoration. Set aside.
Make the filling for the cake:
- In a small bowl, mix unflavored gelatin with ½ cup cold water, let stand while preparing the filling. For gelatin sheets, hydrate in ice-cold water, squeeze, and use in filling.
- In a saucepan, combine egg yolks, orange juice, sugar, salt, and zest from 1-2 oranges.
- Cook the mixture on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, typically around 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, add gelatin, stirring well to blend. Set aside to cool.
- Separately, use an electric mixer to whip the heavy cream. Add the whipped cream to the cold egg yolk cream and mix well.
Assemble the cake:
- Pour half the mousse over the orange slices in the springform, then layer ladyfingers over the mousse.
- Pour the remaining mousse over the ladyfingers, then add another layer of ladyfingers on top.
Refrigerate overnight:
- Cover the springform with foil and place the cake in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours or overnight.
- The next day, remove the overnight foil, place the serving plate on top, hold both the plate and springform, and flip it upside down.
Serve:
- Open the springform, remove the foil, revealing a beautiful layer of orange slices covering the cake's surface.
- Slice the cake and serve it as is or with more whipped cream.
- This cake needs refrigeration. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezing the cake is not advised.
Video
Notes
- Step-by-Step Photos: This blog post features helpful step-by-step photos to guide you through making this recipe.
- Use a 9-inch springform for easy unmolding.
- Arrange orange slices neatly as they will be the cake's decoration.
- Ensure gelatin is properly dissolved before adding to the mixture.
- Allow mousse to set well before flipping the cake.
- Refrigerate overnight for best results. Ladyfingers will soften, absorbing moisture from the mousse.
- For a twist, consider using blood oranges or a mix of regular and blood oranges.
- Follow gelatin conversion instructions if using sheets instead of powdered gelatin.
- Avoid fruits like pineapple, kiwi, papaya, and mango in raw form due to enzyme bromelain, which affects gelatin setting.
Cristina says
Amazing recipe, easy to make and not very sweet. A light dessert that I highly recommend!
I used 9 gelatin sheets and the consistency came out perfect. It was very easy to flip it upside down after 5 hours in the fridge. The cake looks beautiful, although my orange slices were not perfect. This may become my favorite summer dessert. I'd be curious to try it again soon with strawberries, since it's the peak season here where I live. Can I replace the 1 cup orange juice for 1 cup of crushed strawberries?
The Bossy Kitchen says
I think you can.I would squeeze the strawberries or pass them through a sieve, to remove the seeds. They can be quite unpleasant in the texture of the mousse.Same with raspberries. I am happy you liked the recipe. I like this cake very much too.
Mia says
The mousse set before I had a chance to pour into my mold. Could it possibly be too much gelatin? I did 2.5 Tablespoons of gelatin.
The Bossy Kitchen says
I am not sure what kind of gelatin you used. It is possible that it was too much or the gelatin was too strong. It never happened to me or to other people I know they make this recipe. Try to lower the amount, maybe use only 2 tablespoons instead of the whole amount.
Mary says
Too much gelatin. Orange juice part was solid like Turkish delight - impossible to mix with cream. I am wondering if it’s supposed to be 2 1/2 teaspoons not tablespoons.
The Bossy Kitchen says
Mary, I am sorry this happened to you. The idea is to cook the orange juice mixture, add the gelatin and allow it to cool for a few minutes while you whip the heavy cream. If you wait too long, the gelatin will set, and you will not be able to mix it properly with the whipped cream. If it sets, there is a way to fix it. Just put the bowl back on very low heat, just for a few seconds, so the mixture becomes more fluid, then immediately mix it with the whip cream.
Please look at the article again. There is a picture that shows mixing the whipped cream with the orange cream. My orange cream is fluid, not solid like Turkish delight. I also checked the recipe again, the gelatin amount is correct.
Travis Ogle says
You are a winner but you make me one too! I've read and studied many recipes on line because cooking fascinates me. Your presentation of the orange mousse cake recipe leaves absolutely nothing to be desired. It's all there in mouth watering glory. Very precise and easy reading and given an over the top boost by the many excellent photos making it all come together. Like I said, it lacks nothing. Thank you for making a wannabe cook enjoy the process and hopefully the outcome.