Description
This vibrant and refreshing Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping is a tropical dessert bursting with flavor. Made with yellow cake mix, mandarin oranges, and a creamy pineapple frosting, it’s the perfect sweet treat for any occasion, guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 15-ounce can mandarin oranges (½ cup juice reserved, drain the rest)
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup), softened to room temperature
- ½ cup mandarin orange juice
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the topping:
- 20-ounce can crushed pineapple (¾ cup juice reserved, drain the rest really well)
- ¾ cup juice from the crushed pineapple
- 3.4-ounce box vanilla instant pudding mix
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 4 ounces Cool Whip (whipped topping) (half a regular-sized tub)
- Extra mandarin orange slices (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven & Prep Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the Cake Batter: Drain the can of mandarin oranges, reserving ½ cup of the juice and discarding the rest. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, unsalted butter, ½ cup mandarin orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Mandarins: Gently stir in the drained mandarin oranges, leaving some chunks intact for texture.
- Bake the Cake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
- Prepare the Topping: Drain the crushed pineapple very well, reserving ¾ cup of juice and discarding the rest. In a medium bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice and vanilla instant pudding mix. Stir in powdered sugar, then fold in the Cool Whip. Finally, fold in the drained crushed pineapple. If the frosting is too thin, add more Cool Whip to reach the desired consistency.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake has cooled, spread the pineapple topping evenly over the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours to allow the frosting to set.
- Serve: Slice the cake into 12 pieces and top each slice with extra mandarin orange slices for garnish.
Notes
- For a thicker topping, add more Cool Whip or reduce the amount of pineapple juice.
- You can use fresh mandarin oranges for garnish or additional fruit, like kiwi or strawberries, to add variety.
- If you don’t have Cool Whip, you can substitute it with homemade whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Tropical
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
