Description
Mandarin Orange Pineapple Cake brings tropical sunshine to your dessert table with a zesty, moist blend of sweet citrus and fruity goodness. Creamy frosting and juicy fruit chunks make this simple cake a crowd-pleasing treat that feels like a quick vacation.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Cake Ingredients:
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
- 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, undrained
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup applesauce
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 18.25-ounce yellow cake mix, 3 eggs, 1 cup applesauce, and the entire 11-ounce can of mandarin orange segments with their juice.
- Beat the mixture for 2 minutes until completely smooth and no lumps remain.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to the edges.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. The toothpick should come out clean when the cake is fully baked.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature.
- Drain the 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple, reserving at least ¼ cup of the juice.
- In a separate bowl, mix the 3.5-ounce instant vanilla pudding mix with the drained pineapple.
- Allow the pudding and pineapple mixture to sit for 3-4 minutes to slightly thicken.
- Gently fold the 8-ounce container of thawed whipped topping into the pineapple mixture until well combined.
- Spread the filling evenly over the cooled cake, ensuring complete coverage.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the filling to set properly.
Notes
- Drain mandarin oranges thoroughly to prevent excess moisture from making the cake batter too wet.
- Test cake doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out clean with no raw batter.
- For a lighter texture, mix cake batter just until ingredients are combined and avoid overmixing.
- Toasting coconut before adding to the filling enhances its nutty flavor and adds a delightful crunch to the cake.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 223 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg