Easy Mandarin Orange Cake – this traditional orange sponge cake with sweet vanilla whipped topping is so moist you won’t believe it’s so easy to make! Just 6 ingredients required!
The casserole dish featured in this post was provided to me complimentary by Arousing Appetites. However, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Learn more about Arousing Appetites here.
Mandarin Orange Cake is so old school; I bet some of you have had it once or twice growing up. With orange infused yellow cake topped with sweet vanilla whipped topping… it’s an oldie but most certainly a goodie. I remember eating Mandarin Orange Cake for the first time at a childhood friend’s house. It was her grandmother’s specialty. Side note: I think there’s some unwritten requirement that all southern grandmas have to be good cooks. Nevertheless, the reason this recipe has been around so long is that it is so. dang. good.
The sponge cake is itself is bright, moist and delicious; like taking a big bite of sunshine. I use a box of Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix because it is the perfect size for a small cake and because it has a super rich and lucious texture. Then, there’s the whipped topping. OMG. It’s a combination of mandarin orange juice/syrup, instant vanilla pudding and cool whip. It is so sweet and fluffy without all the fuss of an electric mixer.
P.S. I think it’s also a rule that all southern grandmas have at least 3 packs of cool whip in their freezer at all times.. and that they keep the containers to store left overs. 😉
I like baking this Mandarin Orange Cake in a casserole dish so I can store it easily in the refrigerator. Also, it’s more fun/casual when guests can spoon out their own portions. I used my new 1.5 quart baking dish from Arousing Appetites and it was the perfect size for this recipe. The cake baked evenly and came out of the oven just perfect. Plus, the lavender detail on the handles makes this dish so ideal for springtime.
This recipe makes a small cake perfect for 4-6 people. Sometimes that’s all you need, am I right? If you want to make a larger cake, just double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan. You may need to bake 5-7 minutes longer.
Looking for other traditional southern dessert recipes? Check out this Cream Cheese Pound Cake.
Happy Spring!
Kelsey Renee
Easy Mandarin Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 9 ounce box yellow cake mix (I use Jiffy)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup water
- 1 can mandarin oranges (15 ounces)
- ½ container cool whip (4 ounces)
- 1 box vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350
- 2. Grease and flour a 1.5 quart casserole dish (or a 8x8 glass baking dish)
- 3. Combine cake mix, water and egg. Beat with whisk for 5 minutes.
- 4. Drain mandarin oranges reserving the liquid. Add half of the oranges to the cake batter.
- 5. Whisk batter for another minute. Oranges will break up into small pieces.
- 6. Pour batter into baking dish.
- 7. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- 8. Meanwhile, whisk together pudding mix and reserved orange juice. Once fully combined, fold in cool whip and remaining oranges (reserve 8-10 orange slices for garnish). Chill whipped topping in refrigerator.
- 9. Once cake has cooled completely, spread on chilled whipped topping.
- 10. Store cake in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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