Back in the South, folks love this Pig Pickin Cake. I make mine a little different as a sheet cake instead of a layer cake. I grab a yellow cake mix box and doctor it up with mandarin oranges and pineapple before baking it up and topping with a fluffy pineapple whipped cream. Once you make this easy cake, you will see why folks whip it up for everything from Southern pig roasts to church picnics.
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Ingredients To Make Pig Pickin’ Cake
- Yellow Cake Mix: Grab your fave brand from the store.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted is fine.
- Eggs: Room temp, please!
- Vanilla Extract: Use real and not artificial.
- Mandarin Oranges in Light Syrup: Drain them but don’t toss that syrup! We’re saving ¼ cup of it for the cake mix. Also save a few for the top as a garnish.
- Crushed Pineapple in Juice: Just like the mandarins, we’re draining it but keeping ¼ cup of the juice for the cake.
- Whipped Topping: I’m a fan of Cool Whip! You’ll find it in the frozen dessert aisle. Make sure to thaw it in the fridge before you get to mixing so it’s spreadable.
- Vanilla Instant Pudding: Grab a box of the instant variety, not the cook-and-serve kind.
How To Make Pig Pickin’ Cake
Step 1: Mix The Cake Batter And Bake It
- Add cake mix and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Mix on medium speed until butter has broken down into small bits. Lower the speed and add the eggs one at a time until smooth and evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla, the ¼ cup of mandarin liquid, and the ¼ cup of pineapple liquid and mix until smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in the mandarins with a spatula.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Then, let it cool completely in the pan.
Step 2: Mix The Topping and Spread It Onto The Cake
- Add whipped topping and instant pudding mix to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until evenly mixed.
- Add in crushed pineapple.
- Mix until incorporated, scraping down as needed.
- Spread the topping evenly onto the cooled cake and garnish with additional mandarins. Serve immediately.
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Pig Pickin’ Cake
Pig Pickin' Cake… yep, that's the name!! This cake is so good, y'all! Made with mandarin oranges and pineapple with puddin' and whipped cream icing!!
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Servings: 24 servings
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix 1 box
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 15 oz canned mandarins in light syrup, drained, ¼ c liquid reserved
- ¼ cup pineapple juice liquid reserved from 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, pineapples reserved
For the Topping:
- 4 ounces cool whip topping thawed
- 3.4 ounce vanilla instant pudding 1 small box
- 20 ounce crushed pineapple with juice 1 large can
- canned mandarins drained, for garnish
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place rack in the middle position. Prepare 9×13 pan by spraying with nonstick baking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add cake mix and butter. Mix on medium speed, for about 1 ½ minutes, until butter has broken down into small bits. Lower the speed and add eggs one at a time until smooth and evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla, ¼ cup mandarin liquid, and ¼ cup pineapple liquid and mix until smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in mandarins with a spatula.
- Pour cake into prepared pan and bake for about 23-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pan. Invert onto serving platter.
For the Topping:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add whipped topping, instant pudding mix, and mix on medium until evenly mixed.
- Add in crushed pineapple and mix for about 30 seconds, scraping down as needed.
- Spread topping evenly onto cooled cake and garnish with additional mandarins. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Be Gentle on the Mixing: Overmixing can lead to a tough cake, and we’re all about that soft, tender crumb. So mix just until the ingredients are combined for the best texture!
- Don’t Skip the Crushed Pineapple: When I say crushed pineapple, I mean it. Those chunks might look tempting to use, but trust me, they won’t blend into your frosting the way crushed pineapple does.
- Chill the Cool Whip: Keep that Cool Whip tucked away in the fridge right up until you’re ready to use it. This keeps it nice and firm, making sure your topping is the right consistency to spread smoothly over your cake.
- Let the Cake Cool: After your Southern pig pickin cake has baked, give it some time to cool down completely before you even think about adding that whipped topping. Why? Well, unless you’re going for a melted mess, letting it cool ensures the topping stays fluffy and perfect!
How To Store Pig Pickin’ Cake
This pig pickin’ cake has a whipped topping and delicate mandarin garnish, so it’s best kept cool. Simply cover the cake with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and place it inside the fridge. If you find yourself with extra frosting, you can keep it in a separate airtight container inside the fridge as well.How Long Will Pig Pickin’ Cake Last In The Fridge?
Your pretty cake will stay fresh and delicious in the fridge for up to 5 days, boo. The key is keeping it covered to protect it from absorbing any odors and to prevent the frosting from drying out!Can I Freeze Pig Cake?
You def can, but I suggest you freeze the cake without the frosting – that way you’ll avoid a soggy cake once you thaw it. Wrap individual slices or the entire cake securely in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil to guard against freezer burn. Stored this way, your cake will stay yummy for up to 3 months in the freezer.Nutrition
Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
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Recipe Tips
- Be Gentle on the Mixing: Overmixing can lead to a tough cake so mix just until the ingredients are combined for the best soft texture!
- Chill the Cool Whip: Keep it in the fridge right up until you’re ready to use it. This keeps it nice and firm so you can easily spread it.
- Let the Cake Cool: After your Southern pig pickin cake has baked, give it some time to cool down completely before you even think about adding that whipped topping.
Recipe help
Can I use whipped cream instead of whipped topping?
Yup, you can use homemade whipped cream instead of store-bought whipped topping. However, keep in mind that whipped cream is less stable and may not hold up as well in the fridge.
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
No worries. You can use a hand mixer or even a whisk for the cake batter. For the frosting, a hand mixer works well, but make sure to whip until you achieve the right consistency.
More Fruit Cake Recipes
- Lemon Loaf Cake
- Pineapple Coconut Cake Recipe
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
- Key Lime Cake Recipe
- Pineapple Cake (Lighter And Full Fat Version)
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Good recipe. Powdered sugar not needed and will use the entire 8 oz container of cool whip.
I actually hadn’t heard of this cake before I came across your recipe but I’m so glad I tried it! I took it to a picnic we went to this evening and it was a huge hit – everyone loved it and people even took a second helping!
Light, moist, and refreshing cake recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Perfect for next weeks bbq. Thank you for sharing.
I love cakes with crushed pineapples in general but this one is truly amazing!!! Thanks for sharing the story about the name of the recipe, so cool!!
Such a light and refreshing dessert. Great recipe, thanks!