This easy to make pineapple orange cake is like taking a bite of sunshine. It is bright and creamy, cool and refreshing. The best part is that it starts with a cake mix, so it is super simple to make.

Piece of pig pickin cake on dessert plate with 9x13-inch pan of remaining cake in the background.

If you are looking for the perfect summer dessert, this is it. The cake features bits of mandarin oranges throughout and there is plenty of crushed pineapple in the frosting to really give it a taste of the tropics.

It is the perfect sweet finish to a barbecue. You store it in the fridge, so the cold temperature combined with the bright fruity flavors makes it feel nice and refreshing after a hot meal.

Mixing bowl with can of mandarin orange, vanilla cake mix, eggs, and sour cream inside ready to be made into cake batter.

9x13 pan with cake batter with bits of oranges mixed in.

A lot of southerners call it a pig pickin cake for the reason. The exact origin of the name isn’t known, but it is assumed it was served after hog roasts.

I love that idea, so I think we should just go with it. Though you can serve it at just about any event after any meal that would be better finished with something sweet and unbelievably tasty.

Making the Cake

The cake itself has a nice texture thanks to the sour cream. You empty a whole can of mandarin oranges in, juice and all.

As you mix the batter together, the mandarin orange slices get broken into bits and distributed throughout. It makes for such a flavorful and moist cake.

9x13 pan with baked cake inside showing what it looks like when it comes out of the oven.

Mixing bowl filled with Cool Whip, vanilla instant pudding mix, and crushed pineapple ready to be stirred together into frosting.

Once the cake is cooled, just mix together a tub of whipped topping, vanilla instant pudding, and a large can of crushed pineapple along with the juice. The pudding helps to thicken up the juice and again you have a simple, but delicious frosting.

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Spread it over the cake and stick the whole thing in the refrigerator to chill. The result is fabulous, I can tell you that much.

Can I use whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?

Cool Whip or other brands of whipped topping are more stable than whipped cream. However, this recipe should work with whipped cream as well.

Just stir together the can of pineapple and the pudding mix and stick it in the refrigerator while you whip the cream. Once you have stiff peaks, fold in the pineapple mixture and spread it over the cake.

Mixing bowl with crushed pineapple frosting mixture ready to be spread on the cake.

Piece of pineapple orange cake with fluffy white frosting, ready to be eaten.

How do I store pig pickin’ cake?

Due to the frosting, this cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Keep it covered and it will be good for about 5 days.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing the frosted cake. However, you could freeze the cake by itself for up to 3 months, just defrost it and cover it with the topping when you are ready.

Spatula lifting piece of pineapple orange cake with fluffy frosting out of the cake pan.

More Recipes to Try

If you like quick and easy cakes like this, you are going to love my pineapple poke cake. Like this one, it is creamy with lots of pineapple goodness. So is my pineapple sheet cake if you need to feed a few extra people.

Maybe creamy no bake orange pie is more your style. Just mix together a simple filling and put it in a graham cracker crust for another refreshing and simple treat.

Or make a layered fruit salad for something with fresh fruit. It is topped with a pudding mixture that takes it to the next level of goodness.

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Piece of cake with bits of mandarin orange in vanilla cake topped with fluffy vanilla frosting with bits of crushed pineapple inside.

5 from 1 rating

Easy Pineapple Orange Cake

Author: Carlee

Servings: Servings

One bite of this pineapple orange cake and you will be transported to somewhere warm and beautiful. The creamy frosting goes perfectly with the fruity flavors of orange and pineapple. This dessert is sure to become a new favorite!

Prep: 5

Cook: 25

Chill Time 1

Total: 1 30

Ingredients

Mandarin Orange Cake

▢ 1 yellow cake mix
▢ 15 ounces canned mandarin oranges undrained
▢ 3 large eggs
▢ ¾ cup sour cream

Pineapple Frosting

▢ 20 ounces canned crushed pineapple
▢ 3.4 ounce vanilla instant pudding mix
▢ 8 ounces Cool Whip

Makes: 9 x 13inch rectangle, 2inch height