Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting, moist, brightly-flavored orange cake is topped with a light and fluffy pineapple frosting. So delicious, refreshing and easy to whip up!
Since the recipe starts with a cake mix, it's an easy and delicious complement to the warm, sunny days of the season...making it perfect for every cookout, picnic, or party on your calendar!
Aren't dessert recipes always the stars of the show at a potluck party? No matter how many hotdogs or hamburgers you throw on the grill, the guests will always remember the sweets!
That's why this easy Orange Cake recipe is perfect for all of your festive get-togethers this season. It doesn't take long to prepare, but it leaves a lasting impression!
In fact, this cake leaves such a lasting impression that I'm finally getting around to sharing it on the blog after first sampling the dessert about 3 years ago.
That's right -- for 3 years I have held onto this recipe, made it, enjoyed it, devoured it over and over again, and intended to blog about it. It's not the kind of treat that is easily forgotten!
Ingredients for Making this Easy Orange Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- eggs
- vegetable oil - (or other similar mild oil)
- Mandarin oranges in syrup - NOT drained
- Frozen whipped topping - thawed (such as Cool Whip)
- 1 box vanilla instant pudding mix - (just the dry mix…do not prepare the pudding)
- Crushed pineapple - well drained
I absolutely love this orange cake because the flavors and ingredients remind me so much of the delicious components in my Orange Pineapple Fluff Salad.
That recipe has been on the blog for ages, but it continues to be one of my most popular posts to date!
How to Make Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch cake pan (or two 8-inch round cake pans) with cooking spray and set aside
- In a large bowl, beat together cake mix, eggs, and oil on low speed for about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add mandarin oranges (with their syrup) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until completely combined
- Bake cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely
- In a separate large bowl, gently fold together whipped topping, dry pudding mix, and crushed pineapple. Spread “frosting” on cooled cake
- Refrigerate until ready to slice and serve!
Please treat yourself and your friends to this simple and delicious dessert. I promise, they will NOT forget it!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers will store well covered in a cool dry place for 1-2 days or place in the fridge for a few days longer.
An unfrosted cake will last much longer in a sealed container (up to 1 week).
You can also freeze this orange cake with or without the frosting. If you have a lot of leftovers then freeze in a suitable container with the frosting or make extra cakes and store in the freezer to frost at a later date.
Top Tips for Making the best Orange Cake
- You can prepare one large cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan; or, if you're serving a smaller group, prepare 2 separate smaller cakes in round pans.
- Make sure to allow the cake to cool completely before frosting or it will melt.
- If you prefer you can go with a different frosting such as chocolate.
- Decorate with your favorite sprinkles or chocolate chips.
More easy cake recipes from a cake mix that you might enjoy:
Orange Pineapple Fluff Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or other similar mild oil)
- 1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges in syrup, NOT drained
- 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
- 1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix (just the dry mix…do not prepare the pudding)
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, well drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch cake pan (or two 8-inch round cake pans) with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together cake mix, eggs, and oil on low speed for about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add mandarin oranges (with their syrup) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until completely combined.
- Bake cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely.
- In a separate large bowl, gently fold together whipped topping, dry pudding mix, and crushed pineapple. Spread “frosting” on cooled cake.
- Refrigerate until ready to slice and serve!
Notes
- You can prepare one large cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan; or, if you're serving a smaller group, prepare 2 separate smaller cakes in round pans.
- Make sure to allow the cake to cool completely before frosting or it will melt.
- If you prefer you can go with a different frosting such as chocolate.
- Decorate with your favorite sprinkles or chocolate chips.
- Store this cake in a sealed container or freeze.
Nutrition
This recipe for Orange Pineapple Fluff Cake was originally posted in June, 2015. The photos were updated in May, 2018.
Desserts always seem to take the cake at parties and potlucks! 🙂 This fluff cake sounds delicious, Blair! I love the combination of orange and pineapples. Sounds so light and refreshing!
Totally agree, Gayle! Everyone remembers the cakes!
Pinned! Visiting from The Pretty Pintastic Party. Thanks so much for sharing! Looks absolutely divine!
Thanks for the pin, Kim!!
Super YUMMY Blair!!!!! Love it!
all of your recipes look "Oh So Yummy" I can hardly wait to try a few of them. I love the orange fluff cake, it looks, and sounds a lot like the one I make for my hubby every year for his birthday. It's his favorite and I only make it once a year.
Your orange creamsicles are next on my list though. I have to go buy some of those cute little popsicle things first.
Thanks so much, Debra! Enjoy! 🙂
Oh WOW does that look fantastic! Love that combination of the orange with the pineapple. Pinned!
Thank you so much, Claire!!
This looks like the perfect summer picnic cake!! Those yummy fruit flavors...and I LOVE the orange EO addition! I bet it really makes the flavors pop! 🙂 Pinned!
Thanks, Anna! The orange EO is definitely a nice addition. 🙂
Yummmm!! This looks like it would melt in my mouth. Making this for a Summer treat =)
Awesome, Becca! So glad that you might try it. 🙂
Wow, does this look yummy! Perfect dessert for a summer party. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday, hope to see you again next week!
Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
Hi Blair ! This cake sounds amazing !! I have family May and June birthdays coming up that we plan on celebrating together and l would love to make this cake ! I don't seem to see any directions though , just ingredients . It sounds like perfect spring flavours and l was just wondering if you could help me out . Thanks !
Looked all over for the instructions on Orange pineapple fluff cake. Only ingredients were printed and shown. This recipe sounds really good and I am willing to make it bur need to have instructions.
Ah, sorry about that, Fran!!! Thanks for letting me know! I just fixed the recipe card so that the instructions appear! Not sure what happened, although my web designer is in the process of switching to new recipe cards, so we're working through some little kinks. Let me know if you have any questions now. Enjoy! 🙂
This sounds so yummy! I'm going to try them making them in cupcakes for a charity bakesale! Thanks for sharing!
Perfect! I hope that they sell well and earn the charity a lot of money! 🙂
Wish people would try recipe first before writing a review! It may look good and sounds delicious but how does it taste?