Escape to the tropics with this incredibly moist mandarin orange cake topped with luscious pineapple frosting. This refreshing dessert captures the essence of spring and summer with its bright citrus flavors and light, fluffy texture. Made with real mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple, this cake delivers authentic fruit flavors that will transport your taste buds to a sunny paradise. Best served chilled, it’s the perfect finale to any celebration or potluck gathering.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to this cake’s incredible moisture and vibrant flavor is using whole canned mandarin oranges, including their natural juices. Unlike recipes that rely on artificial flavoring, the real fruit provides authentic citrus taste and beautiful natural color. The pineapple frosting, made with crushed pineapple and Cool Whip, creates a light, fluffy topping that perfectly complements the citrus cake without being overly sweet.
Why is this Recipe Different?
You use actual mandarin oranges for this recipe to get the flavor, not just a flavor additive. So not only does that make the flavor on point, but it also provides an excellent natural color to the cake itself.
Plus, the frosting on this cake is out-of-this-world delicious. People will be thanking you for bringing this fantastic cake. Be prepared for people to ask for the recipe for mandarin orange cake. It is just that good.
Ingredients
For the Mandarin Orange Cake:
- Yellow cake mix – Provides reliable base structure and sweetness
- Large eggs – Add richness and help bind ingredients together
- All-purpose flour – Creates an additional structure for moist, tender crumb
- Vegetable oil – Contributes to moist texture and tender cake
- Canned mandarin oranges with juice – Delivers authentic citrus flavor and natural moisture
For the Pineapple Frosting:
- Canned crushed pineapple with juice – Provides tropical flavor and natural sweetness
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – Thickens frosting and adds creamy vanilla notes
- Cool Whip – Creates light, fluffy frosting texture that holds its shape
How to Make Mandarin Orange Cake Easy Dessert Recipe
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
- Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, flour, eggs, oil, and the whole can of mandarins (including the juices) until well combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan that has been greased and floured beforehand.
- Once the cake has been evenly spread in the pan, place it in the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and it comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely.
- When the cake is almost done cooling, mix together the whole can of crushed pineapple (pour the juice in, too) with the instant vanilla powder and Cool Whip.
- After the frosting is fully mixed together (it will not be smooth because of the pineapple chunks), spread it over the cooled cake.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Recipe Variations
If you are not a huge fan of pineapples, you can always substitute another can of mandarin oranges for them or even change the frosting recipe to your favorite. Cream cheese frosting would work well, too.
Another idea is to use peaches instead of oranges. If you choose to do that, blend the peaches slightly before using them in the cake.
Peaches do not break down as easily as mandarin oranges. But imagine what a peaches and cream cake would taste like.
How to Serve Mandarin Orange Cake
You generally keep many cakes at room temperature, but not this one. Mandarin orange pineapple cake is served cool, which adds even more to its flavor.
This is such a fresh and refreshing cake. Serving it cold makes this fruity dessert stand out even more.
What Goes Well With Orange Mandarin Cake?
Since this is such a refreshing cake, it is often served with fresh fruit and a sweet cream cheese dip. Or, if you are having a little get-together, you can make a fruit pizza or fresh fruit salsa to go with the mandarin cake and serve it with cinnamon sugar chips.
If you have this cake later in the day, it would also be great with an excellent mint mojito!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Freezing: Cake portion only can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before frosting with fresh pineapple frosting.
- Refrigerator Storage: Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep refrigerated at all times.
- Serving Temperature: Always serve chilled for best flavor and texture experience.
Favorite Cake Recipes
- Banana Cake
- Banana Split Cake
- Cherry Dump Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Gooey Butter Cake
- Jello Poke Cake
- Peach Dump Cake
- Sock It To Me Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
Popular Spring Desserts
Check out my easy cake recipes and the best recipes for spring on CopyKat!
Mandarin Orange Cake Pineapple Frosting Easy Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges
Pineapple Frosting
- 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple
- 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
- 10 ounces Cool Whip
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan.
- Mix together the cake mix, flour, eggs, oil, and mandarin oranges (with the juice).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until done.
- Let the cake cool completely.
Pineapple Frosting
- Mix together the pineapple (with the juice), pudding powder, and Cool Whip.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
- Keep the cake refrigerated.
Can you use mandarin oranges instead of the pineapple for the frosting?
I would not do this, because the frosting needs the sweetness of the pineapple.
Can this cake be baked in bunt pan
I haven’t tried it; if you are going to try this, I would prepare the pan very well with non-stick spray, I think the cake may have a hard time releasing from the pan.
Why do you add flour
The recipe was originally created when cake mixes were 18 ounces, the box mix is now 15.25 ounces, the added flour corrects the amount of dry ingredients.
Ummm, Delicious!
I Made this cake yesterday, It was very good. Not too sweet. Would make this one again. The family loved it!
Yam, I just love fruit cakes, especially orange made.
just made this, it’s delicious and perfect on this hot summer day!
I love mandarin oranges, especially when added to a salad. I bet this cake is delicious!
Made this yesterday for company and they loved it!
I made this cake and it was a hit, my S/o couldn’t stop eating it, so light and fluffy. It is a keeper.
Do you drain the pineapples or just put all the juice in there also?
Yes, empty the whole can into the frosting.
I have made this cake for many years. This cake makes a beautiful presentation when done in 3- 9″ pans. I save a few of the orange slices to decorate the top and it is so much better if the cake is allowed to chill before serving.
Is the vanilla pudding the one you cook or is it the instant vanilla pudding? Sounds really good. Thanks Cheryl
The instant vanilla pudding works very well.
looks delish! any suggestions on how to make the mandarin magic cake without using Cool Whip ?? not available in Australia :o(
perhaps substitute cream cheese, or cream ?
You know what I would do, is to use your favorite cream cheese frosting, and leave out the vanilla pudding, but add the pineapple.
I send my brother in law 3 huge blocks of Velveeta every 3 months or so his family loves my hot dip I make in the crock pot and I have to send him eeverything that goes in it but the meat and the corn chips do dip it with
Cool Whip is a brand of whipped topping.. whipped cream. Like what is put on top of an ice cream sundae. Is there no version of that in Australia? Interesting.
Cool Whip is unavailable in Australia, and apparently so is Velveeta cheese.
I remember this, to make it lighter, has anyone tried to leave the oil out? It has the liquid of the oranges.
I remember this, to make it lighter, has anyone tried to leave the oil out? It has the liquid of the oranges.
I personally wouldn’t try this. I don’t think it would work well. I think you needsome oil in here for structure, but if you do try it this way, please let us know how it turns out.
My brother used to make this cake every year at Christmas. He had to make one just for me!