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!
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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.
Denise Noseworthy says
This is also called Sunshine Cake. I’ve made this cake several times. I use a lemon supreme cake mix and add crushed pineapple to the cake batter as well. I also use applesauce for the oil.
Karan says
I never put oil in my cake mixes.. It makes a lighter cake. And NO I don’t put more liquid in the mix and it is just fine. . I’ve done this for 40 years.
Nellie says
I had no idea you didn’t need the oil! Good to know!
Holly says
Do you use the oranges in syrup? Thx!
Nellie says
I usually buy the mandarin oranges in juice, but you can use ones with either light or heavy syrup too. Pretty much any can of mandarin oranges will work!
Pam Newlands says
How long would I have to bake cupcakes?
Nellie says
I would start at about 15-18 minutes, checking them around that time. They made need a little longer depending on how full the cupcakes are. Enjoy!
Mary says
Would it be ok to use fat free vanilla pudding. One box is ok
Nellie says
That should work fine!
Abby says
Do you break up the mandarin oranges or leave them whole? In your pictures there do not appear to be any orange chunks. Thanks!
Abby says
Never mind! A mixer will take care of that. Haha. I have quarantine brain!
Nellie says
Haha! Totally understand the whole quarantine brain thing! Hope you enjoyed the cake!
Terry. says
It came out beautiful but I didn’t care for the frosting. It tasted bitter to me for some reason. I would like to make it again and make a cream cheese frosting.
Nellie says
I’m sorry you didn’t like the frosting – that’s my favorite part! But a cream cheese frosting sounds delicious too!
Darlene says
Do you make the pudding according to the directions on the box before combining with the whipped topping or do you mix it in right out of the box, dry?
Nellie says
Just mix the dry pudding mix right out of the box with the can of crushed pineapple and then mix it with the whipped topping.
Lisa says
I purchased mandarin oranges in syrup, can they be used for this cake
Nellie says
Yep, just make sure not to drain the juice (syrup) out before adding them to the cake!
Judy Grubbs says
Made it as above instructions with these substitutions: Duncan Hines Supreme Orange cake mix and used DelMonte Mandarin Oranges with light syrup 15 oz. and 1 tsp Coconut Extract and baked it in a 9×13 glass pan was very moist!! I used 8 oz sliced pineapple in its own juices that I mixed with the boxed pudding with an electric mixer since I didn’t have crushed pineapple. Everyone loved it, and my 85 year old Dad is hard to please!! Would definitely make this again!! Thanks!!
Alison says
Thanks, Judy for sharing your adjustments! I’m glad you and your dad/family enjoyed this one!
gayle a alvey says
I was wondering if I could use strawberries in stead of pineapple to make this frosting
Nellie says
I’ve never tried strawberries! I think you might have to add the strawberries to the pineapple though because the juice from the crushed pineapple is what provides the moisture for the frosting. But maybe you could use milk as the liquid and then add the strawberries? I think I would just add diced strawberries to the top of the cake after adding the pineapple frosting – that actually sounds delicious!
Dené Cizek says
My Mom made this 35+ years ago for the firemen at my Dads Fire Station but added rum. It’s truly delicious and was always requested!
Kaylie says
Love that memory! Thank you, Dene!
Julia Sutton says
I love this cake, but how do you get the frosting not to be like a sauce? I followed the recipe to the letter but the icing would not go thick enough to spread on. I had to pour it on over the cake when I served it.
Nellie says
Did you make the pudding with milk before adding it to the frosting? You don’t need to make up the pudding- just add the powder in with the other ingredients. It should be pretty thick!
Julia Sutton says
AAAhhhhh yes, I did make the pudding with milk.
Thank you for the tip….next time I will make it right….although the sauce on the cake is very yummy.
Margaret Guarino says
You say a small pkg of vanilla instant pudding the pkg I purchased is 153g is that the correct size?
Nellie says
I just checked a small box and it’s 3.4 oz or 96 grams. So I’m guessing you have a large box! Which will work fine, just use about 2/3 of it.
Ellen Thing says
Yum!
Olivia says
Can this be made in 3 8in round pans? Is the frosting thick enough to support the layers?
Nellie says
I’ve never tried to layer this cake, but I think it would work great! The frosting is pretty thick so it should hold up well!
diane says
Do u beat mandarins into the cake mix?
Nellie says
Yes, just add them right into the cake batter and mix them in. I try not to beat them too much so that they stay intact a little bit once folded into the batter.
Susan says
Can you make this with sugar free pudding?
Nellie says
I’ve never tried it, but I’m sure it would work fine!
Marsha Tilby can this be made with a white cake or an angel food cake mix says
Can this be made with a white cake or an angel food cake
Nellie says
I think a white cake mix would work, but I don’t think the angel food cake would work because the consistency is so different.
olivia campos says
can I use real mandarin orange?
Nellie says
I’ve never tried it, but I’m not sure it would work as well as the canned ones because the canned ones are much softer and kind of fall apart a little bit in the cake. Plus, you use the juice from the canned ones!
Peggy M Lampkins says
Sounds delicious! I wonder if the frosting would be good with a little coconut flakes added? Anyone tried that?
Alison says
Sounds like an excellent addition Peggy!
Hollie says
It is called pig pickin’ cake because it was served, traditionally, at pig pickin’s.
Alison says
Love it!