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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.
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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:
- Lemon or yellow boxed cake mix – You can even use a vanilla or white cake mix, whatever you have on hand. I love the fresh lemon flavor, but any cake mix will work.
- Eggs – four large eggs works great for this recipe.
- Vegetable oil – half a cup
- Mandarin oranges – one 8-ounce can. Do not drain the juice.
- Vanilla instant pudding mix – one 3.9-ounce box.
- Crushed pineapple – one 15-ounce can. Again, don’t drain that yummy pineapple juice.
- Whipped topping or whipped cream – I use a 16-ounce tub of 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions about Orange Pineapple Cake
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.
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.
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:
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Cake
- Coconut Cream Cake
- Better Than Sex Cake
- Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Cake
How to Make Orange Pineapple Cake
Orange Pineapple Cake
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.
- Pour cake batter into a 12×18 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cake cool before adding frosting.
Frosting:
- In a mixer, or with a blender, beat pudding mix, crushed pineapple, and whipped topping together.
- Spread frosting generously over the cooled cake. The frosted cake should be kept in the refrigerator until it is served.
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.
Been making this cake for years. It’s my son’s requested cake for every birthday. Great summer cake!
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!
We haven’t tried adding coconut before, so I can’t say for sure! But it sounds delicious!
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.
This looks so delicious and yummy! I can’t wait to give this a try! So excited! My family is going to enjoy!