Ohhh, Pig Pickin’ Cake — that classic Southern favorite 🍰🍊
It’s light, fruity, and perfect for potlucks and cookouts. Here’s the traditional, foolproof version people expect when they hear the name.
Pig Pickin’ Cake (Classic Southern Recipe)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, undrained
Frosting
- 1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
- 1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Make cake batter:
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and mandarin oranges with the juice.
- Beat until oranges are mostly broken up.
- Bake:
- Pour into pan and bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely: This matters so the frosting sets properly.
- Make frosting:
- Stir dry pudding mix into crushed pineapple (with juice) until thick.
- Fold in whipped topping gently.
- Frost cake: Spread evenly over cooled cake.
- Chill: Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Why it’s called Pig Pickin’ Cake
Traditionally served at pig roasts (“pig pickin’s”) in the South — the light, citrusy cake balances heavy BBQ perfectly.
Tips & Variations
- 🍒 Add maraschino cherries on top for color
- 🥥 Sprinkle toasted coconut
- 🍰 Bake as two layers instead of a sheet cake
- 🍊 Use orange-flavored cake mix for extra citrus pop
Texture & flavor
- Moist, fluffy cake
- Cool, creamy frosting
- Bright citrus flavor — not heavy or overly sweet
If you want, I can also give you:
- a from-scratch version
- a no–Cool Whip version
- or a retro church-cookbook style variation
Just say the word 😄
