Tinker Bell's Magic

Several years ago I was talking to a friend about a dinner party I was hosting and she said, "I'll make dessert for you." I told her that wasn't neccessary, because she wasn't invited to this particular dinner party, but she insisted. Tinker Bell, as I sometimes call her, is a very good friend and also a very good cook. She told me that she had cut some cake recipes out of her local newspaper (hopefully, you do remember what a newspaper is) and that she wanted to try one of them. Orange/Pineapple Cake was the chosen recipe and it proved to be a scrumpteous choice! Needless to say, my guests were impressed and asked for seconds. This cake has now become an Easter tradition; it is the grand finale to our Easter feast.

Pineapple/Orange Cake

Cake:

1 pkg yellow cake mix (I always use Duncan Hines)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

2 (8 oz) cans crushed pineapple with juice
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding mix (3 oz pkg)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three round 9 inch cake pans. Combine cake ingredients in bowl and mix with hand mixer for one minute on low and then three minutes on medium. Mixture should be smooth with small bits of mandarin orange. Pour equally into three pans. Bake for 25 minutes until cake is spongy to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes IN PANS on wire rack. Then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

While the cake is cooling, make frosting. Drain pineapple juice, adding it to pudding mix and combining well. Add pineapple, powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold in cool whip.

To assemble cake, frost between each layer, then the outside of the cake.

You can add some toasted coconut to the top for decor purposes if desired.

This cake tastes best if you assemble it several hours ahead of time and then of course, keep it REFRIGERATED!

I like to decorate with pansies and blue vinca flowers for Easter another lovely option is orange slices and toasted coconut like the one Samantha made.

Oh, you high altitude folks may need to make some adjustments to the cake part of this recipe.

Enjoy! You'll lick the plate clean; I know I will on Sunday!