BEST MANDARIN ORANGE PINEAPPLE CAKE

Start with yellow cake mix and Mandarin oranges to make this cake with a frosting made with pineapple, pudding mixture, and whipped topping.

This showpiece cake has been a favorite for more than 25 years! It makes for a particularly perfect cake for spring or summer get togethers. The way I make it varies only a bit, but may be enough of a difference to be helpful. I use a 15-1/2 oz. can of pineapple, or the equivalent if that size can is not availabe, and I combine it with the pudding mix before folding in the whipped topping. I bake this in 3 9-inch layer cake pans (layers will be thin) for 20-25 minutes, and spread the frosting between the layers and on top and sides of the cake. This makes for a very impressive presentation. Absolutely delicious, refreshing, and beautiful cake, great for birthdays!

INGREDIENTS :

1 box Duncan Hines Butter Cake mix
1/2 cup Wesson oil
1 11- ounce can mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
Icing
12 ounce tub of Cool Whip
small instant vanilla pudding mix
1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple

STEPS :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, oil, oranges with juice, sugar and eggs. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees in 3 greased, floured and lined with wax paper pans for about 20 minutes or until center of the cake bounces back when touched. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on cooling racks.
Icing
Drain juice from pineapple and set aside (If the icing seems to be too thick you can use it to thin it out a bit).
Mix pineapple with the instant vanilla pudding. Stir in Cool Whip. Frost the cake according to these directions. Store the cake in the refrigerator. I think it is better the next day.

From: allrecipes.com