Orange Pineapple Cake

5 from 18 votes
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Orange Pineapple Cake is a light, fruity cake with an island flair. You will love the delicious whipped creamy topping! This is the perfect dessert to bring to potlucks and parties.

Two slices of Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping with a fork.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in Orange Pineapple Cake
  2. Tips for Baking Light and Fluffy Cake
  3. How to Adjust the Cake Size
  4. Tips for Making the Orange Pineapple Cake
  5. Frequently Asked Questions about Orange Pineapple Cake
  6. More Cake Recipes
  7. How to Make Orange Pineapple Cake
  8. Orange Pineapple Cake Recipe

This Orange Pineapple cake is a perfect dessert for summer gatherings with family and friends. Light and fluffy lemon cake with citrus orange and pineapple flavors, topped with a fluffy, fruity topping that is always a crowd pleaser. Our dear family friend, Mary Alice, brought this cake to us and we loved it so much I had to get the recipe. It’s our favorite summertime dessert because it’s easy to put together, feeds a crowd, and just tastes fresh and fruity, just like a summer treat should taste on a hot night.

Ingredients in Orange Pineapple Cake

We have made it many times since and it always turns out great every time! It is so light and fruity. This is a versatile recipe that can be made up in several ways. But here’s the original recipe to start:

Ingredients to make Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping including lemon cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla jello, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges and cool whip.


Tips for Baking Light and Fluffy Cake

  • Make sure your eggs are room temperature. Use a hand mixer to beat each egg slowly into the cake mixture.
  • Preheat your oven to the correct temperature BEFORE placing the cakes inside.
  • Consider sifting the cake mix before adding it to a large mixing bowl. Sifting adds air into the flour and will make your cake lighter.
  • Grease your baking pans liberally with cooking spray or flour and butter before adding the cake batter.
  • Give the cake plenty of time to cool on a wire rack before assembling and frosting.
Fork with bite of Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping.

How to Adjust the Cake Size

The recipe listed below is for an Orange Pineapple Sheet Cake. It serves a large piece of cake to 20 people! If you need to serve a smaller crowd, it can easily be made as a 9×13 cake or a two layer cake with a simple adjustment to the baking time.

  • If you prefer to make a 9×13 cake, bake the cake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
  • Use round cake pans for a gorgeous two round layer cake. Adjust the baking time to about 20 minutes.

Tips for Making the Orange Pineapple Cake

I’ve made this cake a time or two (or twenty…) and I’ve got a few tips to help you make this cake perfectly, every single time.

  • For the cake, you can use either a lemon or a yellow cake mix. I prefer the lemon cake mix because it brings out the citrus flavor of the oranges as well as the lemon in the mix, and I think it is delicious with the pineapple in the frosting.
  • You will know when the cake is done when it is just turning a light brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • This recipe makes a ton of frosting! The frosting is not a heavy, rich frosting, but more light and creamy so I generously heap it on the cake.
  • It is a nice touch to add mandarin orange slices, pineapple slices, or strawberry slices to the top of the cake when serving.
Mandarin oranges on top of Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping.

Frequently Asked Questions about Orange Pineapple Cake

Can I use pineapple juice instead of water in a boxed cake mix?

Yes! Adding the juice will give a plain yellow or vanilla cake mix lots of tropical flavor and will pair perfectly with the creamy topping.

Is there an orange flavored cake mix?

I have seen a Duncan Hines version of an orange cake, but you can also add a couple of drops of orange extract to a yellow cake mix for a good orange flavor.

How many calories are in orange pineapple cake?

A slice of this cake will run about 340 calories. See our nutrition facts in the recipe card below.

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More Cake Recipes

There are very few problems a slice of good cake won’t fix. Try some of our favorites next time you need a treat:

How to Make Orange Pineapple Cake

Two slices of Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping with a fork.

Orange Pineapple Cake

5 from 18 votes
Orange Pineapple cake is a light, fruity cake with an island flair. You will love the delicious whipped creamy topping! Perfect for potlucks and parties!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15

Equipment

  • 12×18 Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon or yellow cake mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 8 ounces mandarin oranges do not drain
  • 3.9 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 15 ounces crushed pineapple do not drain
  • 16 ounces container of whipped topping or whipped cream I use Cool Whip

Instructions

Cake:

  • Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl.
    Mixing bowl with cake batter for Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping.
  • Pour cake batter into a 12×18 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cake cool before adding frosting.
    Large rectangle baking sheet with spread out cake batter for Orange Cake with Pineapple Topping.

Frosting:

  • In a mixer, or with a blender, beat pudding mix, crushed pineapple, and whipped topping together.
    Mixing bowl with Pineapple topping for Orange Cake.
  • Spread frosting generously over the cooled cake. The frosted cake should be kept in the refrigerator until it is served.
    Spreading Pineapple topping with a spatula on top of a baked Orange cake.

Notes

  • For the cake, you can use either a lemon or a yellow cake mix. I prefer the lemon cake mix because it brings out the citrus flavor of the oranges as well as the lemon in the mix, and I think it is delicious with the pineapple in the frosting.
  • You will know when the cake is done when it is just turning a light brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • This recipe makes a ton of frosting! The frosting is not a heavy, rich frosting, but more light and creamy so I generously heap it on the cake.
  • It is a nice touch to add mandarin orange slices, pineapple slices, or strawberry slices to the top of the cake when serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 317mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 388IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising, and her four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    this is an easy delicious cake – I usually make for birthdays and holidays celebrations. I am planning on making it for Christmas. Yum!

  2. 5 stars
    Been making this cake for years. It’s my son’s requested cake for every birthday. Great summer cake!

  3. I was thinking of adding coconut flavoring to my yellow cake mix. What do you think? If I were to, how much do you suggest? This recipe is delicious, I’ve had it but never made it. Can’t wait to try it!

  4. I have made this for years and I add a small box of dry orange jello to the cake batter. It adds flavor and color! I also put half of the oranges and half pineapple in both the batter and the topping.

  5. 5 stars
    This looks so delicious and yummy! I can’t wait to give this a try! So excited! My family is going to enjoy!

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