Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting is a light and refreshing dessert that begins with a cake mix and mandarin oranges, then is topped with a frosting made with crushed pineapple and vanilla pudding. Also known as Pig Pickin’ cake, this simple cake recipe is amazing!
Check out these 5-star reviews from our readers! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recipe Highlights
- That creamy pineapple topping! This simple pineapple topping is much lighter than traditional cake frosting. I’m not a huge fan of regular frosting, but I can eat this pineapple mixture with a spoon!
- So easy to make! This cake starts with a boxed cake mix and only requires a handful of simple ingredients – definitely my favorite kind of recipe!
- Refreshing dessert. You’ll need a can of mandarin oranges to mix into the cake and a can of crushed pineapple for the frosting. The cake is stored in the refrigerator and served chilled. This dessert is cold and fruity – it’s the perfect summer dessert!
Not sure why this cake is sometimes referred to as pig pickin’ cake – I think it’s a southern thing?! I’ve been making and eating this cake since I was young, and never heard that until I posted the recipe here a few years back, and all of the comments started coming in! Apparently, this is a popular recipe and is often referred to as pig pickin’ cake! I really don’t understand that name, but regardless of what you call it, this cake is amazing. And has nothing to do with pigs!
Ingredients in Mandarin Orange Cake
Yellow cake mix: A box of yellow cake mix will serve as the base for the cake. You can swap this out with a white cake mix if needed.
Oil: You can use regular vegetable oil, but the last couple of times I have made this cake, I have used coconut oil, and it’s perfect for this cake. You can also swap it out with avocado oil.
Eggs: You will need 4 large eggs to bind all of the other ingredients together.
Mandarin oranges: You need an 11-ounce can of mandarin oranges to add to the cake mix. Make sure you use the juice as well – don’t dump it out!
Cool Whip: Make sure to thaw the Cool Whip completely before adding the other ingredients.
Crushed pineapple: You will need an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple. Once again, you will need the juice, so don’t drain it out before adding it to the recipe!
Vanilla instant pudding: One small box of vanilla pudding mix thickens the frosting and adds a lot of flavor too!
Tips for making Mandarin Orange Cake
Full instructions on making Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful tips.
- Bake for the right amount of time. If you are using a 9X13 pan, the cake will bake at 350° for 35 minutes. If you make the cake in a bundt pan (rather than a 9X13), the cook time will be closer to 45 minutes.
- Don’t drain the mandarin oranges! The juice from the mandarin oranges will provide some of the liquid for the cake, so make sure to dump the whole can in!
- Serve the cake cold. The cake and any leftovers need to be refrigerated, and although it may seem a little strange to eat cold cake, I promise it’s delicious!
Tips for making a cake in a Bundt pan
There is nothing worse than making a delicious bundt cake and then having it get stuck when you are trying to get it out of the pan! It may take a little bit of trial and error, depending on which kind of Bundt pan you are using. Over the years, I have learned a few tips that help make sure your cake comes out successfully!
Use a quality non-stick pan like this one. They aren’t very expensive, and the investment will be worth it when your cakes come out beautifully every time!
Grease your pan! I know. You are wondering why you need to grease a non-stick pan because usually you don’t! Most of your non-stick pans will tell you not to use cooking spray at all because it will build up on the pan and make it less effective over time. That is true, but you still need to grease the pan somehow, or it will likely stick.
- If you have a non-stick pan, grease it with melted shortening. I have had better luck with shortening than with butter. Just melt a little bit of shortening and then apply it to the entire inside of the Bundt pan with a pastry brush.
- If you don’t have a non-stick pan, you can use this type of cooking spray – it works miraculously because there is flour mixed in with the spray. I have an older pan that is not non-stick, and when I use this spray, my Bundt cakes come out perfectly every single time. If your pan is really old and the inside is really scratched up, and your cakes keep sticking, it may be time to get a new pan!
- Also, make sure to grease your pan right before pouring the batter in. If you grease the pan too far ahead of time, the oil may drip down to the bottom of the pan, leaving the sides less coated.
Tips for getting the cake out of the Bundt pan
- Let the cake cool before trying to get it out! If you try to get the cake out immediately after pulling it out of the oven, it will probably fall apart. You don’t want to let it cool completely either, but letting the cake rest for about 10 minutes should allow the cake to be cool enough to come out of the Bundt pan easily.
- Loosen up the edges of the cake with a knife. If you turn your Bundt pan upside down and wait a couple of minutes, and it still isn’t coming out, try to identify which part of the cake is stuck. Often, there is just one or two parts that are stuck, and you can very gently slide a butter knife in between the cake and the side of the pan to get it unstuck.
STORING INSTRUCTIONS
Storing in the Fridge (Short-Term)
- Covered tightly: Use an airtight container or cover the dish well with plastic wrap.
- Shelf life: Keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Pro tip: It actually tastes better after chilling overnight. Flavors soak in, and everything gets extra dreamy.
MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE WITH PINEAPPLE FROSTING
Ingredients
PINEAPPLE FROSTING
- 8 oz Cool Whip
- 8 oz can crushed pineapple
- 1 sm. pkg vanilla instant pudding
Instructions
- For cake: Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. If you make the cake in a bundt pan (rather than a 9X13), the cook time will be closer to 45 minutes.
- Once the cake is cooled, mix the pineapple and pudding together. Let set for a few minutes until slightly thickened and then fold in the Cool Whip. Spread on cake and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
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Can you replace the Cool Whip?
If you can’t find Cool Whip where you live or you prefer not to use it in recipes, you can use stabilized whipped cream instead. If you just use regular whipped cream, the consistency will be too light, and the cream will not hold up very well when mixed into the jello salad. It’s very simple to make your own stabilized whipped cream, and it just takes a few minutes!
See Homemade Whipped Cream recipes here.
More delicious cake recipes to try:
- If you love lighter, fruity cake recipes, you’ll want to try this Lemon Poke Cake or Orange Chiffon Cake. And you must try this Strawberries and Cream Cake that has been one of our most popular recipes for years!
- Chocolate cake is always a good idea! Milky Way Cake is made with melted Milky Way bars, and Ultimate Chocolate Poke Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream!
- Want something a little more unique? Oatmeal Cake is my favorite cake ever, and this Root Beer Cake has root beer in the cake and the frosting.
Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting is a light and refreshing dessert that begins with a cake mix that is mixed with mandarin oranges. This delicious cake recipe (aka Pig Pickin’ cake) is topped with an amazing topping made with crushed pineapple and pudding mix.
Sharon says
Is their an alternative icing?
Nellie says
I’m sure you could use any type of vanilla/buttercream frosting and it would be delicious, but the “frosting” in this recipe is my favorite part of the cake so you should definitely try it at least once!
Sandy Devine says
Instead of using oil in cakes, I use applesauce. It makes the cake healthier and it has less calories. But overall, it makes my cakes lighter.
Nellie says
Sandy – great idea! Applesauce is a great swap for oil – less calories means you can eat more cake, right?!
Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies says
This flavour sounds so wonderful. Thanks for the recipe xx
Edee says
Do I chop the mandarin oranges or leave it whole?
Nellie says
Edee – Just leave them whole. They will break apart a little bit as you mix them in which works out perfectly!
Samantha says
Hellooooo, summer! Such a great flavor combo…this was so yummy!
Liz says
This cake is amazing! It’s hard to believe it starts with a box mix! I’ll make it again and again!
Carly Copher says
I always make this in to a layer cake. It’s my absolute favorite cake and I always feel a little bad when I make it to bring somewhere because it’s so stinking fast and easy that all the compliments seem undeserved 😂 but it’s always well received and there’s never leftovers so I make it anyways 😄
robin says
Have to try this
Olga says
Is there a receipt from the scratch? What does the cake mix consist of? Thx
alishacaudil says
Looks good
nana says
Can I use a round pan, and should I change the cook time for that at all or stick with the 9×13 time? Want to make this for my BF’s birthday because it’s his favorite kind of cake!
Nellie says
Like a 9″ round pan? If that is the size you are using, you will have enough batter to make two of them. The cooking time will probably be about 5-10 minutes less than the time for the 9X13.
Bridget Booth says
Making this now for church thing. Need to know ASAP if I should drain pineapples for icing?
Nellie says
Sorry, just saw this but you don’t need to drain the pineapple- you need the liquid to make the frosting!
Amanda Shaffer says
This cake has been a staple in my family for about 45years. ..we call it a Pineapple Dream Cake. So so so good!
LJ says
This is traditionally called a Pig Picking cake. I grew up on these in NC. I didn’t make them for many years, don’t know why I stopped, but my Mom made one and now it’s the only cake my husband ever wants, even though he always forgets what it is called.
Cheri A Magistro says
Hi! Can I use fresh oranges? If so, do I need to add more moisture? Thank you
Nellie says
I’ve never tried using fresh oranges before! I’m not sure that you need to add more moisture, but I would be concerned about the texture of the oranges since fresh oranges are a lot more stiff and chewy than mandarin oranges. The mandarin oranges kind of divide up and mix into the cake really well since they are so soft and fragile and I don’t think that regular oranges would break up and mix in very well. Let me know if you try it though!
Cheri A Magistro says
Lol..I ended up trying the fresh. I also added the zest and the juice from a can of drained fruit cocktail. I did notice the white parts of the oranges did mix well. I probably over mixed it hoping to remove them. You were right, the texture was more “solid” than cakey. A little dense, but was very moist. I also baked it close to an hour. I made a glaze with the juice of the oranges. Over all, it tasted great, but it definitely not a cake I serve to guest, all though my husband loved it. I really like to try it again using canned. Thank You!
Sandy A says
I made this as a 9×13, I flipped it out and frosted everything. It was a HUGE hit. The only change I made was to use stabilized whipped cream in place of cool whip, just because of preference. I might consider a tiny bit of orange extract in the cake next time for a stronger flavor. I will definitely make it again! Thanks for the recipe.
Virginia Glass says
I made this cake for my husband last year. Since then he’s asked for it several times. He even asked for it on his birthday. He loves it. So do I.
Ellen says
can you make this in a 13 x 9 pan and if so, how long does it need to cook?
Nellie says
You can definitely bake this in a 9X13, just adjust the cooking time to about 30-35 minutes.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Love this idea! Looks so delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Justine says
This is one of my favorite cakes! It’s soft, moist, fruity and super easy to make. It’s always a hit at potlucks!
Kendra says
Could I make this without eggs? I’m trying to make it vegan for my daughter’s birthday. I can substitute most other ingredients for non dairy ones, but the eggs are tricky, obviously. Haha thanks!
Nellie says
I’ve never tried making this without eggs so I have no idea. I know you can google “egg substitutes” and there are a lot of things you can use – let me know if you have success with any of them in this recipe!
Ellen says
can’t wait to try it