This beautiful made-from-scratch Mandarin Orange Cake is easy to make, especially with the help of little hands. It’s a fresh twist on an old classic – Mandarin Cake made without Cool Whip or boxed cake mix.
The Southern version of this mandarin cake recipe is often referred to as a pig pickin’ cake. Whatever you want to call it, it’s just a fresh, flavorful, beautiful cake.
Luckily, girls enjoy holiday baking just as much as I did growing up. My sister, Isla and I recently made this beautiful mandarin orange cake to celebrate the holidays together.
It’s a fresh twist on an old favorite, because it’s made from “scratch”.
My mom always made mandarin orange cake with yellow cake mix, Cool Whip, pudding and canned pineapple. I’m convinced that’s simply because 80’s advertising made everyone feel like they couldn’t do it on their own.
Don’t Skip These: If you love old-fashioned cakes, don’t miss my homemade butterscotch cake and this fabulous peanut butter cake, too.
This recipe is truly quick and easy and worth the extra steps for fresh flavor. With just a couple additional (staple) ingredients, you can whip up this amazing cake on a whim!
Mandarin Orange Cake
Let’s skip the boxed cake mix and Cool Whip and give this easy recipe a whirl!
Why You’ll Love this Mandarin Orange Cake
What is Pig Pickin’ Cake?
It’s a funny name for a delicious cake!
Mandarin or Pig Pickin’?
Mandarin Orange Cake is also known as Pig Pickin’ Cake… a Southern classic that’s been served for generations. It’s often called that because it is frequently served at pig roasts. The name refers to picking the tender meat off the pig. (But trust me, there’s no pork in this cake!)
While it’s typically deemed as a summer dessert, I feel oranges lend themselves well to fall and winter, too. It’s a delicious dessert any time of the year!
It’s moist, dense and oh-so-delicious!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, your preference.
- Sugar– white granulated
- Egg yolks– add a rich binding agent to this cake.
- Mandarin oranges – Fresh, peeled, crushed. Don’t replace the fresh mandarins with canned, as the cake won’t have the same moisture and texture.
- Vanilla – you can make your own vanilla extract or of course, use any store bought brand.
- Milk – I like whole milk here, but anything you have on hand will work.
- Cake flour – Cake flour is significantly different than regular flour. Be sure to use cake flour instead of traditional in this recipe.
- Baking powder – this helps the cake rise!
- Salt – it’s needed to balance the sweet citrusy flavors of this cake.
Variations
- Try almond extract instead of vanilla.
- If you use salted butter, skip the additional salt.
Frosting (+ Filling)
- Fresh Pineapple – crushed, you can substitute canned pineapple if you prefer.
- Heavy cream – required to create the rich, creamy frosting that is the star of this cake!
- Powdered sugar – creates the smoothest frosting imaginable!
- Vanilla pudding mix – instant is best!
Variations
- You can even add a little cream cheese or coconut to the filling if you’d like!
- If you’re not a big frosting fan, you can always cover it in my orange glaze, but this pineapple topping can’t be beat!
Tools to Use
- Mixer (You can also mix by hand)
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- 8 inch Cake Pans
- Wire Cooling Rack
How to Make Mandarin Orange Cake
- Prep – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour two cake pans.
- Cream – In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, mandarin oranges and vanilla.
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a separate bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Make Batter – Gradually incorporate into wet mixture alternating with milk until just incorporated.
- Bake – Pour into baking pans. Bake 25-28 minutes or until the cake springs back after being touched or a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool completely (approximately 20 minutes) before turning onto rack or pedestal.
How to Make Filling and Assemble
Let’s be honest, the filling in this cake is everything! Fortunately, it’s quick and easy, even when making it fresh!
I make Mandarin Orange Cake filling with homemade whipped cream.
- Make Topping – Beat heavy cream until stiff (if you must, you can substitute whipped topping). Add powdered sugar, vanilla pudding mix and crushed pineapple.
- Assemble – Place one layer of cake onto your serving dish and fill with icing before placing the second layer on top.
- Ice – Ice the top and sides until the cake is completely covered.
- Garnish – Garnish and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips
- Grease your pan so that the cake doesn’t stick. This is the best baking spray.
- Make it ahead or bake and enjoy right away.
- Baking Pan Sizes and Conversions
- Use the Toothpick Test – Insert a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
Make More (or Less!)
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Frequently Asked Questions
Mandarin oranges are a little flatter on both ends, and are much easier to peel. Mandarin oranges are traditionally a winter fruit here in the States, because they are generally available between November and March.
They are nutritionally very similar, though mandarins are significantly smaller. Ounce for ounce, navel oranges do contain a little more fiber, calcium and vitamin C.
Serving Suggestions
I couldn’t decide how to decorate the cake – to use mandarins whole, quartered, sliced or peeled. The options are endless!
- Add the fresh mandarin slices in any shape you’d like! We decided we loved them shaped to create a star.
- Garnishing it with rosemary to makes the Mandarin Orange Cake feel festive for the holidays.
Make Ahead
You can make this mandarin orange cake up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container to retain moisture.
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – This can be left out on the counter for up to two hours.
- Refrigerate – Cover and store refrigerated, ensuring any exposed cake is covered in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Freeze – You can also freeze Mandarin Orange Cake for up to 30 days covered. Bring to room temperature to enjoy.
Dietary Considerations
- Vegetarian
- Nut Free
More Cakes
Mandarin Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature, softened, unsalted
- 1½ cups white granulated sugar
- 8 egg yolks
- 1⅓ cups mandarin oranges FRESH, crushed
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 16 ounces pineapple fresh, crushed
Optional
- 3.4 ounces vanilla pudding mix (One 3.4 ounce box of instant pudding)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 8" round pans and set aside.
- Crush oranges with food processor or blender.
- In a large bowl/mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, crushed mandarin oranges and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Gradually incorporate into wet mixture, alternating with milk until just incorporated.
- Pour into baking pans and bake 25-28 minutes when cake springs back after being touched. Allow to cool 20 minutes before turning onto rack or pedestal.
Frosting + Filling
- Crush fresh pineapple in food processor or blender. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat heavy whipping cream until stiff. Gradually add powdered sugar, crushed pineapple and optional vanilla pudding mix.
- Place one layer of cake onto your serving dish and fill with icing before placing the second layer on top. Ice, garnish and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Julie’s Tips
Substitutions
- Fresh Pineapple – Substitute canned pineapple, strained
- Salted Butter – Eliminate salt if using salted butter
To Garnish
- Add orange slices to the top
- Add rosemary for Christmas
To Store
Cover and store refrigerated, ensuring any exposed cake is covered in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. You can also freeze Mandarin Orange Cake for up to 30 days covered. Bring to room temperature to enjoy.Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
I am a bit offended that you think ladies of the 80’s might have led to think they could not make a cake without using a cake mix. As a working wife and mother during the 80’s I was raising two children, teaching school and enjoying life on the go. I loved baking a cake from scratch and still do, but there were times that a “scratch” recipe required way too many ingredients that were not on the shelf so a cake mix was the way to go. A cake was a substitute for a scratch mix but not a permanent replacement, just an easy quick dessert at my house. Just guessing, you are questioning your grandmother’s cake baking skills and I imagine you never turned down one of her cakes, mix or scratch. I plan on taking a trip to Kroger with a long list of your needed requirements as opposed to items that are probably on the shelf at my house and will bake both, then take to work for a taste test. Will let you know the results. Happy cooking.
It wasn’t my intent to offend and maybe I didn’t elaborate enough, but baking from scratch more often than not requires the same amount of time and only a couple extra ingredients. I completely understand being a busy working mother (as both I am and my mother is). The 80’s made a lot of box and can dishes popular through advertising (which I studied) and I just wanted to note that you can make something from scratch with nearly the same effort. My apologies, Jean.
What type of vanilla pudding mix did you use? I’m trying to figure out wether I need to use instant or regular…
Hi Kenna, great question! I tend to use instant! Enjoy!
Can’t wait to make this cake. What would be a good substitute for the vanilla pudding mix?
Hi! YOu are welcome to eliminate the mix if you’d like. It just makes the cake even more moist. Enjoy!
Excited to make this for Mother’s Day, as our grandma always used to bring Sara Lee’s orange cake to Sunday brunch. (It seems like this will be similar.) I just am not sure what the pudding measurement is? Thank you!
Hi Sarah! I adjusted the formatting to clarify. Enjoy!
Hi Julie what are “cuties”? I can’t find it hare. Is there any other alternative? A yummy cake! Thanks
Just fresh mandarin oranges. You should be able to find them at your local grocer, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. If you make this cake, let me know what you think! We’ll be enjoying it again for Mother’s Day!