Sunshine Cake
This sunshine cake is ridiculously easy to make! It looks so fancy and complicated but it is actually made from a box mix and only takes minutes to get in the oven!
The cake is super moist and the frosting is decadent!
This cake is one of my husband’s favorite desserts! He can easily eat the whole thing by himself (thankfully, he never gets a chance because everyone else devours it too!). In the past few years, my husband has discovered that he has gluten intolerance. So I’ve taken our traditional Sunshine Cake recipe and made it gluten-free. Turns out it is just as simple and easy as the normal recipe.
Whether you are following a gluten-free diet or not you can enjoy this simple, yet elegant cake!
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I really can’t stress how simple, easy, and fast this cake is to make!
Cake ingredients:
- 1 yellow cake mix* (see note below)
- 1 cup mandarin oranges (plus juice)
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
* If you are gluten-free use a gluten-free yellow cake mix. NOTE: A normal cake mix box makes a 9×13 cake. The gluten-free cake mix that I used only made an 8×8 cake so I used two boxes, be sure to read your box and see what size it makes first.
Directions:
- Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Grease and flour four 9-inch cake pans. (*For a gluten-free version be sure to dust your pans with gluten-free rice flour or another gluten-free flour.)
- Divide the batter evenly between the four cake pans. I divided mine by weight. I used a food scale and weighed out 14 ounces per pan. Your batter may differ in weight. You could also easily just eye-ball it or use a measuring cup.
- Bake at 325° F (162 C) for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
- Once the cakes are finished cooking, run a butter knife around the outside edge to loosen the cake from the pans. Immediately flip the pans upside down on a cooling rack to remove the cake from the pans. Repeat for all cakes. Let cool completely.
Icing:
Ingredients:
- 8-ounce tub whip topping
- 20-ounce can crushed pineapple (plus juice)
- 3-ounce box instant vanilla pudding (read the package to make sure it is gluten-free if necessary)
Directions:
Combine all in a mixing bowl and stir until completely mixed.
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand. Add approximately 1/4 of icing and spread evenly over top of the cake. Repeat for remaining layers.
The nice thing about this icing is that it’s chunky so you don’t have to worry about trying to make your icing look smooth! Another reason why this cake is so EASY to make!
Unknown
15 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 yellow cake mix*
- 1 cup mandarin oranges plus juice
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 (8-ounce) tub whip topping
- 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple plus juice
- 1 (3-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding (read the package to make sure it is gluten free if necessary)
Instructions
- For the cake: Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Grease and flour four** 9-inch cake pans.
- Divide batter evenly between the four cake pans. I divided mine by weight. I used a food scale and weighed out 14 ounces per pan. Your batter may differ in weight. You could also easily just eye-ball it or use a measuring cup.
- Bake at 325° F (162 C) for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
- Once the cakes are finished cooking, run a butter knife around the outside edge to loosen cake from pan. Immediately flip pan upside down on a cooling rack to remove cake from pan. Repeat for all cakes. Let cool completely.
- Icing Directions:Combine all in a mixing bowl and stir until completely mixed.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand. Add approximately 1/4 of icing and spread evenly over top of the cake. Repeat for remaining layers.
Notes
* If you are gluten free use a gluten free yellow cake mix. A normal cake mix box makes a 9×13 cake. The gluten free cake mix that I used only made an 8×8 cake so I used two boxes, be sure to read your box and see what size it makes first. **For a gluten free version be sure to flour pans with rice flour or another gluten free flour.
It’s all about the presentation! Whenever you spend time cooking you want your food to look appetizing.
Thankfully, cakes are easy to present! Simply place it on a pretty cake stand and you are all finished!
Don’t forget to pin it!
Sunshine cake is a simple, delicious, and very pretty dessert! It’s a fabulous dessert for any occasion such as Easter, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Birthday Party, or any other time where dessert is eaten (A.K.A. every day!!).
Enjoy!
Anna
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