Sunshine Cake Recipe
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Packed with vibrant fruity flavor, this Pineapple Sunshine Cake Recipe is perfect for a special summer treat! With a light and fluffy texture and a refreshing tropical twist, this easy dessert is always a crowd favorite for potlucks, parties, or warm-weather gatherings. If you love fruity desserts, be sure to try my Pineapple Zucchini Bread too!
This easy pineapple cake also features mandarin oranges for a bright and fruity flavor! Topped with a light and creamy frosting, this refreshing dessert is soft, moist, and perfect for spring and summer gatherings. If you like recipes like my Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake or Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake, you'll love this sweet dessert.
Quick Look: Sunshine Cake Recipe
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 15
- 📊 Calories: ~440 kcal per serving
- 🥣 Ingredients: white cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, mandarin oranges, Cool Whip, instant vanilla pudding mix, crushed pineapple, pineapple rings, Maraschino cherries
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, perfect for potlucks!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Made with Cake Mix: Using a store-bought mix offers an easy but delicious shortcut for this amazing crushed pineapple cake.
Packed with Fresh Flavor: Using multiple kinds of fruit creates a tropical and refreshing blend of fruity goodness.
Perfectly Moist: Thanks to juicy fruits, this cake turns out amazingly moist and tender every single time.
For even more fruity dessert options, make my Strawberry Icebox Cake or my Lemon Icebox Cake!
Ingredients Needed
- White Cake Mix: Choose your favorite brand of cake mix for this recipe.
- Canned Mandarin Oranges: You'll need both the oranges and their juice to add natural sweetness to this cake.
- Cool Whip: Store-bought or my Homemade Cool Whip Recipe.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Makes the cake extra moist and tender while adding vanilla flavor.
- Crushed Pineapple: Gives the topping its signature tropical pineapple flavor.
- Maraschino Cherries: Adds a pop of bright red color and some additional sweetness.
How to Make this Sunshine Cake
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine cake mix with oil and eggs.
- Step 2: Add mandarin oranges with their liquid and mix until combined.
- Step 3: Spread the batter into a prepared 9x13 baking pan.
- Step 4: While the cake cools, strain the crushed pineapple using a cheesecloth.
- Step 5: In another bowl, combine whipped topping with pudding and pineapple.
- Step 6: Mix until fully combined.
- Step 7: Spread the pineapple topping over the top of the cake and spread evenly.
- Step 8: Top with slices of pineapple ring and Maraschino cherries, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to give the cake enough time to cool before adding the pineapple frosting. If it's still warm, the frosting might seep into the cake or slide down the sides.
- This cake tastes even better the next day, making it a great make-ahead dessert for parties and potlucks.
- Properly drain the crushed pineapple to keep the topping light and fluffy. You can use the pineapple juice for other recipes, so don't get rid of it!
- Add the pineapple pieces and cherries just before serving for the best results. The cherries, especially, can leak color onto the cake if they sit for too long.
Recipe FAQ's
This recipe was traditionally served in the South at events where hogs were roasted, which often involved people picking meat off the bones. Because of the sweet flavor, it paired well with the hearty and savory pork meat!
Because of the topping, this cake has to be refrigerated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you know you'll need to keep the cake for a long time, I recommend baking and freezing just the cake. Hold off on preparing the topping until just before serving the thawed cake.
More Easy Cake Recipes
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Sunshine Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (15.5 oz) package white cake mix
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges in juice
- 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip thawed
- 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix not cook and serve
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed pineapple strained/drained
- 1 (8oz) can pineapple rings, cut into pieces for garnish
- 16 stemless Maraschino cherries rinsed and patted dry*
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9”x13” baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or your favorite pan release.
- In a large bowl using a spatula mix the cake mix, egg and vegetable oil together until almost combined. Add the mandarin oranges with their liquid and slowly mix until fully combined.
- a. Tip: Mixing by hand ensures the mandarin oranges stay intact and don’t fall apart or break into the cake mix. Don’t drain the mandarin oranges since the juice is needed in place of water, and adds free flavor!
- Pour the batter into the 9”x13” pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking place the crushed pineapple into a strainer
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl add the whipped topping, vanilla instant pudding and drained crushed pineapple. Using a spatula gently fold until it is fully combined. Spread the topping over the cooled cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
- Garnish as desired with pineapple and maraschino cherries then serve.
