Mandarin orange cake with pineapple frosting is a very refreshing dessert perfect for spring and summer. It is a tropical and fruity cake great for celebrations and potlucks.
This tasty mandarin orange cake is served chilled adding even more to the citrus flavor to the fluffy and light texture.
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Why This is the Best Recipe for Mandarin Orange Pineapple Cake
This orange mandarin cake is so good and the best recipe around because it is absolutely moist and delicious. Plus, it is a super simple recipe to follow and you wouldn’t know it from the taste of the cake.
Why is this Recipe Different?
For this recipe, you use actual mandarin oranges to get the flavor, not just a flavor additive. So not only does that make the flavor on point, but provides wonderful color to the cake itself that is natural.
Plus, the frosting on this cake is out of this world delicious. People will be thanking you for bringing this amazing cake. Be prepared for people to ask for the recipe for mandarin orange cake. It is just that good.
Recipe Ingredients
Be sure to have all of these ingredients on hand to be able to make this cake whenever the mood strikes! I promise you will have cravings for it after you’ve had it once.
- Yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines or Better Crocker)
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil
- Canned mandarin oranges – This provides the amazing flavor of the cake, also make sure to keep the juice.
- Canned crushed pineapple
- Instant vanilla pudding mix
- Cool Whip – Be sure to use Cool Whip and not whipped cream because the consistency is key for the frosting.
How to Make Mandarin Orange Cake
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
- Then in a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, flour, eggs, oil, and the whole can of mandarins (including the juices) until it is well combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan that has been greased and floured ahead of time.
- 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 (this will not be smooth because of the pineapple chunks), spread the frosting over top of 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 use another can of mandarin oranges in place of the pineapples or even change it to your favorite frosting recipe. Cream cheese frosting would work well too.
Another idea would be to use peaches instead of oranges. If you choose to do that, blend up 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
A lot of cakes you generally keep at room temperature, but not this cake. Mandarin orange pineapple cake is served cool and it adds even more to the cake by serving it cold.
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 up a fruit pizza or fresh fruit salsa to go with the mandarin cake and serve it with cinnamon sugar chips.
If you are having this cake later in the day, this would also work well with a wonderful mint mojito!
How to Store the Orange Cake
It is essential that this cake is either wrapped with foil or plastic wrap or has a lid on it and is stored in the fridge. The cake will be best for 2 to 3 days. After that, the frosting will begin to break down a bit.
Can You Freeze Mandarin Orange Cake?
I’ll be honest, this cake does not freeze well whole, and so I would not try it that way.
If you do want to freeze it, I would suggest just making the cake part and freezing it. Then you are ready to serve the cake, pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw. Frost it after it is completely thawed.
Favorite Cake Recipes
- Banana Cake
- Banana Split Cake
- Cherry Dump Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Fruit Cocktail Cake
- Gooey Butter Cake
- Jello Poke Cake
- Peach Dump Cake
- Sock It To Me Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
Popular Spring Desserts
Check out more of my easy cake recipes and the best recipes for spring on CopyKat!
Mandarin Orange Cake
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.
Cindy
Why do you add flour
Stephanie Manley
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.
Pat
Ummm, Delicious!
Kathy Hall
I Made this cake yesterday, It was very good. Not too sweet. Would make this one again. The family loved it!
Maria
Yam, I just love fruit cakes, especially orange made.
Nila
just made this, it’s delicious and perfect on this hot summer day!
Fran
I love mandarin oranges, especially when added to a salad. I bet this cake is delicious!
Name (required)
Made this yesterday for company and they loved it!
Cher
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.
Lisa
Do you drain the pineapples or just put all the juice in there also?
Stephanie
Yes, empty the whole can into the frosting.
Mary
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.
Cheryl
Is the vanilla pudding the one you cook or is it the instant vanilla pudding? Sounds really good. Thanks Cheryl
Stephanie
The instant vanilla pudding works very well.
Sue
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 ?
Stephanie
You know what I would do, is to use your favorite cream cheese frosting, and leave out the vanilla pudding, but add the pineapple.
mia
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
Anonymous
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.
Stephanie
Cool Whip is unavailable in Australia, and apparently so is Velveeta cheese.
Carol S
I remember this, to make it lighter, has anyone tried to leave the oil out? It has the liquid of the oranges.
Anonymous
I remember this, to make it lighter, has anyone tried to leave the oil out? It has the liquid of the oranges.
Stephanie
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.
Margo
My brother used to make this cake every year at Christmas. He had to make one just for me!