Never heard of the pig pickin’ cake? Don’t worry. I just recently discovered it myself.
The pig pickin’ cake is a Southern classic often appearing at pig roasts. (Hence, the name.)
It’s cool, creamy, and delightfully refreshing. Perfect for summer potlucks and backyard BBQs.
It combines layers of moist cake with whipped topping, pineapples, pudding, and juicy mandarin oranges. It’s terrifically tropical and totally tasty.
Everyone who tries it will want another slice.
Why You’ll Love This Pig Pickin’ Cake
Hilarious Name: Let’s be honest. Most of us are still kids at heart, myself very much included. And the joy I get from telling people I’m bringing a “pig pickin’ cake” to the BBQ is abundant. It’s one of my favorite things about this cake.
Tropical Delight: You’ll love the cake’s refreshing and exotic taste. There’s just something about the sweetness of mandarin oranges against the tangy zest of pineapples.
Time-Saving Convenience: Like many summer cakes, this one tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a while. So it’s perfect for making ahead.
Visual Appeal: It may not have the prettiest name but the pig pickin’ cake is gorgeous. In fact, it looks as good as it tastes.
Ingredients
- Yellow Cake Mix: Save time with a store-bought box of yellow cake mix. It’ll provide a moist, fluffy base for the fruity flavors without the hassle of baking from scratch.
- Mandarin Oranges with Juice: These add a burst of citrusy sweetness while keeping the cake supremely moist.
- Large Eggs: For binding the ingredients together and making the cake tender.
- Vegetable Oil & Sour Cream: Add extra moisture and richness.
- Frozen Whipped Topping: This light and airy store-bought ingredient is another time-saver. It’s already the perfect cool and creamy frosting for your cake.
- Crushed Pineapple: Add them to the whipped topping for an extra layer of tropical tang.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Believe it or not, you’ll add this to the whipped topping to help stabilize it and give it a rich vanilla flavor.
- Orange Slices: For a final touch of beauty to the already lovely cake.
How to Make Pig Pickin’ Cake
You’ll save a ton of time and recipe steps by using store-bought cake mix and Cool Whip.
As a result, this recipe is about as simple as it gets when it comes to baking.
1. PREP: Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. MIX: Combine the cake mix, mandarin oranges (with juice), eggs, oil, and sour cream in a large bowl. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and tap to settle.
3. BAKE: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool.
4. WHISK: Whisk half of the whipped topping with the dry pudding mix until smooth. Fold in the remaining whipped topping and crushed pineapple.
5. ASSEMBLE: Spread the frosting between each cake layer, then frost the top and sides.
6. GARNISH: Add orange slices and chill until serving. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Pig Pickin’ Cake
This cake has been bringing smiles to faces for generations, and I can see why. It’s light, fruity, and screams summer.
And while it may be easy, I still have a few tips to keep in mind:
- To drain or not to drain. Do NOT drain the canned mandarin oranges. You want the juice to help make the cake moist. But DO drain the pineapples thoroughly before adding them to the frosting. If you don’t, it’ll be far too runny.
- Want more texture? Whisk half of the mandarins with the other batter ingredients. Then, fold the rest in so they keep some of their shape.
- Make it a sheet cake. Bake the cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan for 25-30 minutes. Cut the frosting recipe in half and spread it over the top.
- Garnish creatively. The standard garnishes for this cake are mandarin orange slices, but I love the pop of color from the whole orange slices. However, you could also add pineapple chunks, toasted coconut, or chopped nuts. Anything to make the cake look and taste better.
- Add crunch. Add chopped nuts or shredded coconut to the cake batter for more texture.
- Variations. For a stronger citrus flavor, use pineapple or orange-flavored cake mix. You can also substitute other pudding flavors for the frosting. I’ve not tried it with coconut cream pudding, but I bet it would taste amazing.
How to Store
Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or just craving a taste of Southern sunshine, this Pig Pickin’ Cake is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
It’s a slice of Southern charm that’s perfect for any occasion – no pig roast required!
And since this cake tastes best chilled, storing your leftovers is a snap.
To Store: Refrigerate leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Only freeze the cake if it isn’t frosted. (The frosting won’t hold up after freezing and thawing.) YWrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then add frosting.
More Southern Desserts You Have to Try
Southern Caramel Cake
Butter Pecan Pound Cake
Pecan Pralines
White Texas Sheet Cake
Pig Pickin’ Cake
12
servings15
minutes30
minutes375
kcalPig Pickin’ Cake is a light, fruity dessert made with yellow cake, mandarin oranges, and whipped pineapple frosting. It’s moist, sweet, and refreshing!
Ingredients
- For the Cake
1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream
- For the Frosting
1 (16-ounce) tub whipped topping, thawed (see note)
1 (3.5-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
orange slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Make the cakes: In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, the entire can of mandarin oranges (including the juice), eggs, vegetable oil, and sour cream with an electric mixer until well combined. The oranges will break down into small pieces.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl, whisk half of the thawed whipped topping with the dry pudding mix until smooth. Fold in the rest of the whipped topping and crushed pineapple.
- When the cake layers are cool, spread a generous amount of the frosting between each layer as you stack them. Then, frost the top and sides of the assembled cake.
- Garnish with orange slices, if desired, and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Skip the cool whip and whisk 3 cups cold heavy cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. When thickened, add the dry pudding mix and beat until stiff. Then, fold in the crushed pineapple.
- If you like chunks, only whisk half of the fruit into the cake. Stir the rest in at the end.
