Pina Colada or Hawaiian Cake

Special thanks to my friend Laura Guillette who shared this wonderful recipe.

1 yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 (10 oz) can mandarin oranges in their own juice.

Drain oranges, save juice and add enough water to make 1 cup.

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Bake at 350F in A 13X9-inch baking pan for 30 minutes. Let cool, frost.

Frosting

1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 (16 oz) crushed pineapple drained a little bit
1 large cool whip or 1 small container of whipping cream, whipped.
Stir pudding into pineapple; mix well. Add whipped cream and mix; spread on cake. Sprinkle with coconut if desired. Decorate with mandarin oranges in their own juice. I used the extra juice from the can to pour on top of the hot cake to make it extra moist. I use a fork to poke the cake in such a way that the cake absorbes the juice easily. Refrigerate the cake even the leftovers. The cake does not get dense, it keeps very fluffy!

Note: Some chopped macadamias could be added to the batter before baking or you can sprinkle toasted chopped macadamias and toasted coconut on top of the frosted cake.