This Mandarin Orange Cake Recipe is the stuff of legends. You may have grown up calling it Pig Pickin Cake. Everyone who tries this cake needs the recipe and then is shocked by how few ingredients you need to make it.
You only need SEVEN ingredients to make this orange pineapple cake, and that includes the frosting!
This is a classic cake recipe that lots of you grew up eating and loving at family gatherings, church picnics, and back yard BBQs. I got this recipe from my neighbor and fell in love immediately.
Anywhere she takes this cake people need the recipe. And for good reason. It is moist, packed with flavor, and best of all it is super easy to throw together.
I made this cake for work and it was a winner! Everyone loved it, I will be making this again and again. Thank you!
Ingredients for Orange Cake
One of the best parts about this cake is how few ingredients you need to make it!
- Yellow Cake Mix: You can pick your favorite brand. Or you can even use a homemade recipe yellow cake mix.
- Mandarin Oranges: These are for the cake and you will want to buy a can of these and not use a fresh mandarin orange, because you are using the juice too and want them completely peeled like you get in the can.
- Oil: I love using vegetable oil most for recipes like this.
- Eggs
- Cool Whip: You can also use my recipe for stabilized whipped cream.
- Vanilla Pudding Mix: This is for the frosting and you want to make sure you buy instant pudding mix, not the cook and serve kind. You will just be using the dry mix.
- Crushed Pineapple: You will be using a 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple for the frosting, and you will use both the juice and the fruit.
How to Make Pig Pickin Cake
- Make the cake. Combine the cake mix (you are not following the instructions on the box or using the ingredients it calls for), mandarin oranges, eggs, and oil. Pour into a 9 by 13 inch pan and bake for 40 minutes.
- Make the frosting. Combine the cool whip, the undrained pineapples, and the dry pudding mix. Beat until smooth.
- Frost the cake. Once the cake is completely cooled, frost it with the frosting, serve and enjoy.
Making Ahead and Storing
For best results, this cake should be made right before serving or up to 24 hours in advance.
Leftovers should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to four days.
FAQ
Nope! You can add them as they are in the can. They will break up a little as your mixing all the ingredients together, and that is just perfect.
Correct! The pineapple and the juice go into the frosting. I promise it won’t be too runny. Don’t forget that you re also adding dry pudding mix.
Nope! They get added without draining.
No. Whipped cream isn’t stable and it alone can’t be used as a frosting. You can, however, use my stabilized whipped cream recipe in place of Cool Whip.
Bundt cakes are really tricky and can’t be made straight from another cake recipe without tweaks being made.
Other Easy Desserts
I have lots of great dessert recipes that take short cuts from store bought ingredients. I love baking from scratch, but I love how fun and easy these are for the kids to make too!
If you make this great orange pineapple cake or any of my other desserts be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
Mandarin Orange Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix (just the dry cake mix – 15.25 ounces)
- 1 15 ounce can mandarin oranges (undrained)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
For the Frosting
- 12 ounces cool whip (or our recipe for stabilized whipped cream)
- 1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple undrained
- 1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix (just the pudding mix)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, with a hand mixer or a spoon, mix together the yellow cake mix, the can of mandarin oranges, the eggs and the vegetable oil. Pour into the prepare pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, being careful not to over bake.
- Let the cake completely cool.
- In a large bowl whip together the cool whip, pineapple, and vanilla pudding mix. Spread over the cooled cake and serve!
Recipe Video
Linda says
I have a question about the mandarin cake recipe. Is it correct to use 1 cup of oil? It seems like a lot.
Yup, one cup of oil.
Sandy says
Love the mandarin cake recipe. It doesn’t need eggs and that is good since they are so expensive now
Sandy says
Love the mandarin cake recipe. It doesn’t need eggs and that is good since they are so expensive now sorry went back and read the recipe. It does take eggs
Mary ann says
Can you use mangarin oranges and it’s juice for the icing too instead of crushed pineapples?
I haven’t tried that, but I have had readers do it with good success.
Kimberly says
Would there be enough frosting for two 9 inch rounds?
Yes, but not if you want to layer them and frost the outside.
Jan says
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
From a standpoint of will it work, absolutely. From a taste point of view, I don’t think it will be as delicious. Olive oil has a distinct taste that I don’t think goes amazing in desserts.
Sherry says
I love the mandarin orange cake. It is so moist and delicious. I made it one time with cream cheese topping, and one time with the Cool Whip and pineapple with pudding both were absolutely delicious
Everybody loved it, and I had to make it again for the second Sunday
I’m so glad you like it!
Karen says
Just wish we didn’t have to go through numerous pages to get the recipe.
There is a jump to the recipe button at the top of every page that will take you right to it. It’s a big blue circle.
Kimberly says
Hi
Could you do this as cupcakes…
Hi Kimberly! Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this as cupcakes. I would imagine that it would work just fine.
andrea says
The cake was delicious but it didn’t seem to rise as much as i would have liked.
Is that normal? Could i use fewer eggs?
I’m surprised to hear that. Is it possible you were using an older box of cake mix? That could account for a lack of rise.