6/18/12

Mandarin Orange Cake

The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

JUMP TO RECIPE

I’d never considered putting this recipe on the blog before because, like with the Chocolate Delight recipe, I assumed everybody already had it.

Then I searched online for the recipe, which I thought was pretty standard, and learned that there are a gozillion versions of this recipe out there.

I had to call Mama up to make sure I had the recipe right. Then I decided I better make one and put the recipe here so I could always find it. The original, best recipe.

Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

I imagine there are so many versions of this recipe out there because of recipe bloggers like me tweaking it here and there to make it seem original or make theirs somehow different.

But y'all... there's only ONE way to make this cake. The original way. Because it's perfect!

I'm sure this recipe originally came from a cake mix box or can of pineapple (or Cool Whip carton or pudding mix box, etc.) because there's a whole generation of us from coast to coast who know this recipe.

Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

  • Yellow cake mix
  • Eggs
  • Vegetable oil
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Crushed pineapple
  • Instant vanilla pudding mix
  • Cool Whip
Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

You’ve probably seen this cake before. I think it hit the scene in the 80’s and is known by a few other names: Pig Pickin’ Cake, Ambrosia Cake, Pea Picking Cake and Sunshine Cake to name a few.

We actually call this Man Cake since Mom says she’s yet to serve this to a man and he not ask for it again and again. Ha! She just made this for Father’s Day for that exact reason.

I can’t claim to have tested out all the other versions of it floating around out there but I’m going to go out on a limb and declare this one the best because I, honest to God, can’t think of a thing that could be improved upon with it.

Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

I love how moist and fluffy the cake is. You don't have that combo in too many recipes. Most recipes that are moist are dense and thick. But this one is airy and light. And I love that this is refrigerated because the cool cake and creamy frosting are perfect combo!

And this frosting? Ohhhh, this frosting! I love it so much that I came up with a pie recipe that's made up of just the frosting ingredients! Since so many people call this cake Pig Pickin' Cake, I decided to call my pie Pig Pickin' Pie (and well, because it sounds cute!).

Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

RECIPE NOTES FOR MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

Use the 6-serving size instant vanilla pudding (usually about 5-oz) and do not prepare first.

I like to use 3 8-inch pans for the cakes but 2 9-inch pans can be used as well.

The cake can be made in a bundt pan or 13x9 pan. You will not need all of the frosting for these. The frosting is delicious by itself as a treat or you could stir mini-marshmallows into it for a small batch of fluff salad.

Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

MORE BOX CAKE MIX RECIPES

WHITE CHOCOLATE BERRY BUNDT CAKE - Tender white chocolate cake with a berry swirl based on Nothing Bundt Cakes famous White Chocolate Raspberry cake. 

IMPOSSIBLE 5-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CAKE - An impossibly moist, fudgy, decadent chocolate bundt cake recipe made with just five ingredients. 

WHITE WINE CAKE - A super moist, rich cake recipe made with white wine and a touch of cinnamon. This short-cut recipe is made easy with a cake mix! 

PISTACHIO CAKE - This easy retro cake mix recipe uses pistachio pudding in the cake AND in the frosting for tons of pistachio flavor and a super moist cake. 

HONEY BUN CAKE - An easy cake recipe with all the classic flavors of a honey bun made with a doctored up cake mix, cinnamon and brown sugar. 

Recipe for How to Cook Mandarin Orange Cake

Mandarin Orange Cake! The classic box mix recipe (aka Pig Pickin' and Sunshine Cake) made with mandarin oranges, topped with the famous fluffy icing made with crushed pineapple, vanilla pudding mix and cool whip.

Mandarin Orange Cake

Mandarin Orange Cake
Yield: 10 Servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
A moist and fluffy cake recipe made with a cake mix and mandarin oranges topped with the famous cool and creamy icing made with crushed pineapple, pudding mix and cool whip. Also known as Pig or Pea Pickin' Cake, Sunshine Cake and Ambrosia Cake.

Ingredients

Cake:
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, with juice
Frosting:
  • 1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, with juice
  • 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 16-oz. carton Cool Whip, thawed
Garnish:
  • 1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained very well

Instructions

Cake:
  1. Grease and flour three 8" round cake pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine eggs, oil and oranges (with juice) then beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.
  3. Add cake mix then beat on low speed for two minutes. Pour evenly into cake pans then bake per cake mix manufacturer’s instructions. Cool cakes completely.
  4. Frost cake (between layers, top and sides) and garnish with drained orange slices. Refrigerate 4 hours before serving.
  5. Refrigerate in an air-tight container to store up to 5 days.
Frosting:
  1. With a rubber spatula or with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer set on low, mix pineapple (with juice), pudding mix and half of Cool Whip until thoroughly combined.
  2. Fold in remaining Cool Whip until well combined.

Notes

  • Use the 6-serving size instant vanilla pudding (usually about 5-oz) and do not prepare first.
  • I like to use 3 8-inch pans for the cakes but 2 9-inch pans can be used as well.
  • The cake can be made in a bundt pan or 13x9 pan. You will not need all of the frosting for these. The frosting is delicious by itself as a treat or you could stir mini-marshmallows into it for a small batch of fluff salad.


mandarin oranges, pineapple, cool whip, vanilla pudding, Pig Pickin' Cake, Sunshine, Ambrosia, Pea Picking, cake mix, box mix, easy, best, original, dessert, recipe, cold,
dessert
American
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32 comments:

  1. I must have been living under a rock for most of my life! I haven't had or heard of this cake before. I'll be putting it on my baking list for sure!

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    1. Seriously? It's one that I never posted because I assumed everyone had it!

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    2. So you mix the oranges with the cake mix?

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    3. Yes, I just edited the directions to explain that better :)

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    4. I make it a lot. Its a heavy cake but we live it.

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  2. It's really good if you add coconut to the frosting.

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  3. I am making this cake this weekend! I love this cake!! I haven't had it in so long & seeing this made me crave some!

    Sue Shelton
    from SJ

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    Replies
    1. Don't you love stumbling across an old favorite! Hope you like it, Sue! GO JAX!!!

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  4. my mom makes this, calls it "pig pickin' cake," undoubtedly because most people bring them to pig pickin's to be fancy (i guess). she also makes a pie version, which is cool wHip based, and that is called the million dollar pie. super yums.

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  5. I had never heard of this cake before, but I am so glad I stumbled upon your site and this recipe. Everyone absolutely loved it. It is like a cross between pineapple upside down cake and Watergate/Grasshopper Salad, both of which I love. The only problem I had with it was that it is a little too sweet for me. I think next time in place of the cool whip, I will whip up some heavy whipping cream. Still, even with it being a little sweet, I absolutely love this cake. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

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    Replies
    1. The real deal whipped cream would be amazeballs! Glad you liked it!

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    2. I have made this lots now and still love it and am happily sharing that love. I've made it as directed, as cupcakes and in a 9x13 and it comes out delicious no matter which way you bake it. I brought the cupcakes to a wedding shower this summer and they got rave reviews and plenty of recipe requests, they were all surprised at how simple it was. You're right by the way, the real whipped cream is amazeballs, though occasionally, like tonight, I still make it with cool whip (I thought I had more whipping cream than I do). Thank you once again for such a versatile and delicious recipe.

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  6. Do I make up the pudding according to the box directions before I fold everything together?

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  7. Wow I so have to try this....looks n sounds like an essential addition to my diet. :P

    One Q - can you feel bits of pineapple in the cream or do they just blend in really well? My kids hate 'bits'!

    Also have you ever tried it with the vanilla pudding in the cake batter? I wonder if that would take it up a notch or not really...

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    Replies
    1. Yes, you can feel the texture of the pineapple bits. I'm sure adding the pudding would be lovely!

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  8. Love love love this cake. This recipe was given to me many years ago by a GF from Kentucky. Our husbands were in the military together in Germany. Thanks for sharing and reminding me of good times.

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  9. Grandma Harris used to make this all the time when I was in high school, and now I make it. Did not know there was one online to Pin and share with my friends. This is one of the yummiest! I have gained about 35 lbs reading your recipes and canNOT wait to try them!
    Diana M
    Houston, TX

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  10. This is one of my go to cake recipes! Always a crowd pleaser and gets better as it sits in the fridge!!! Just found your blog today and I absolutely love it!

    Hugs from Louisiana!

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  11. my husband made this cake for me for me for my birthday this past Monday and it is delicious!!!!

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  12. Do you think I could just make it a 9x13 or no?

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure! I've thought about doing that too!

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  13. Also known as Georgia Special or Pig Pickin cake as it was served at a pig roast. Soooo good!

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  14. We have eaten this cake since I was a little girl, my mom called it "Sunshine Cake"--it was what we always requested for birthdays!!!!

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  15. So since it was 70 degrees here in NC today, I wanted to make something cool and light. I will have to call mine tropical cake. I thought I had my schnitz together and had all the ingredients....ha! This was my version. A lemon cake mix with the oranges, and banana pudding in the pineapple topping. Almost added some coconut but was lazy. It's still tasty and my onions and grandma onion will be glad to get something sweet. Thanks for recipe.

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  16. This looks really good, but I would have to do mandarin oranges (chopped) instead of pineapples since my daughter hates pineapples. We actually do the icing (with the oranges) and use it with angelfood cake as a nice light desert in the summer!!

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  17. Mandy, Can't thank you enough for posting this particular cake! It is very similar to a cake I made for my wife's co-workers....and had continuous requests to do again. I thought I'd lost it when my old computer went on the fritz and I replaced it....could never retrieve from the old one. The only differences were that mine called for an Orange Supreme cake mix, and was done in a 9x13 pan. NOW I'VE GOT IT BACK AGAIN!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

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  18. We make this as a punch bowl cake. It’s definitely one of our favorites!

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  19. Has anyone tried this cake with the oranges in the frosting, too? My DIL is allergic to pineapple, so I wondered how it would work with just the orange flavor.

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Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.

I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).

And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy