mandarin orange cake - from scratch

How To Make mandarin orange cake - from scratch

• Step 1
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
• Step 2
  In a small bowl, whisk flour and baking powder. Set aside.
• 
  Step 3
  Cream butter and 2 cups of sugar. Add eggs one at a time until all combined.
• 
  Step 4
  Add entire can of mandarin oranges. Beat into batter, slightly crushing up oranges.
• 
  Step 5
  Slowly add flour mixture until well mixed. Divide batter between 2 pans. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until pick comes out clean.
• 
  Step 6
  While cakes are baking, make the frosting. Whip cream with remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and pudding mix until stiff peaks form. Hand stir-in pineapple and juice. ( I had a few mandarin oranges left and threw them in along with the pineapple for color). Refrigerate till ready to use.
• 
  Step 7
  When cakes are baked; cool in pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans and completely cool on wire rack.
• 
  Step 8
  I place 3 sheets of waxed paper on serving platter, to have a mess free plate after frosting. Just pull the sheets out from under the cake when frosting is finished.
• 
  Step 9
  Place first cooled cake, bottom side up. Frost the top, add the second layer frost the top and sides. I sprinkled some toasted coconut on the top. Completely optional. Should refrigerate 1 hour prior to serving. My kids wouldn't wait till the cake had a chance to set up...so as to why filling looks a little soft..lol
• 
  Step 10
  Enjoy!
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