Does hurling the flame from Produce Flame cost another action?

Question

Produce Flame 1 action, 10 minutes
A flame appears in your hand, harming neither you or your equipment. It sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. The spell ends if you dismiss it as an action or if you cast it again.

You can hurl the flame at a creature within 30 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 fire damage. The spell then ends.

The spell does not state whether attacking using the produced flame is a part of the spell, or requires another action on the next turn.

What happens if:

1. I cast Produce Flame, and wants to attack in this turn. Can I do this?
2. I cast Produce Flame, and later wants to attack in that turn. Do I consume an action, or it's "free" because I've spent an action to cast Produce Flame earlier?

Answer 1

Hurling the flame can be part of casting the spell, or an action afterwards.

The current wording of the second paragraph of the spell is (emphasis mine):

You can also attack with the flame, although doing so ends the spell. When you cast this spell, or as an action on a later turn, you can hurl the flame at a creature within 30 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 fire damage.