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.
Laurie says
Best cake I have EVER put in my mouth. So full of flavor and so moist. This is my go to cake for anything and I make it for my special friends and they are absolutely in love with it. 😋
Alison says
Love it when one of our recipes becomes a go-to! Thanks Laurie!
Suzette says
I used 1/2 cup of butter instead of any other kind of oil.. fingers crossed it comes out! Just placed it in the oven! 🙏🏼
Terry says
I made this into a trifle… years ago I was making it for a family reunion and my cake fell apart and I thought well here we go… I’m not throwing it away so I’ll make it into a trifle. It was a success… I even toasted some cocnut for between layers. I just made it again for Easter. Delicious and a success 😁😋❤️
Nicole says
That sounds like a really delicious idea, i might have to try that soon for myself 🙂
Arlene says
We all love this cake.
Nicole says
Im happy to hear that
nettie says
Very moist cake. Everybody loved it. Had a larger can of mandarin oranges than called for so I put all the oranges in but not all the juice and it turned out great. The cake was actually better the next day after being refrigerated over night.. Will definitely make again.
Nicole says
that sounds great
Nancy Power says
Do you mix up the pudding before adding it in or just the powder mix?
Jessica says
You just use the powder mix!
Anna Korsun says
Love this cake! Can it be frozen? Thank you.
Jessica says
I’ve not tried freezing the cake fully iced…
Katie says
I’ve made this recipe both as a 9×13 and a Bundt, both so delicious!! Thank you for sharing! I want to try it as cupcakes this weekend.. any guesses on cooking time?
Nellie says
I would guess 15-20 minutes. Why have I never thought of making cupcakes with this recipe?!
Sharon says
Greetings, I want to make this cake, however I don’t want to use cool whip. Have you made the icing with regular whipped cream?
Nellie says
You can definitely make your own whipped cream, but you’ll want to make a stabilized version to achieve the right consistency. You can find a recipe here.
Sharon says
Thank you Nellie, I appreciate the fast reply. Obviously I didn’t scroll down far enough to see that you already have the answer. Happy Holidays and God bless!
Nellie says
No worries! Happy Holidays!
Kathy K says
One of my favorite cakes to make. I’ve done it as a sheet cake and as cupcakes. It’s always a hit ar church dinners.