The Ultimate Pig Pickin’ Cake Recipe: A Southern Mandarin Orange Delight

The very name, Pig Pickin’ Cake, evokes images of sunny Southern gatherings, lively barbecues, and the kind of relaxed hospitality that North Carolina is famous for. While the “Pig Pickin'” itself refers to a traditional hog roast where guests literally “pick” meat from the slow-cooked hog, the dessert bearing its name offers a delightful contrast. This iconic Southern dessert, made with a moist yellow cake base infused with mandarin oranges and topped with a luscious pineapple and whipped cream frosting, is renowned for its surprising lightness. This refreshing quality makes it the perfect partner to the richer, heartier fare often served at a traditional barbecue or hog roast. Though its roots are deep in the Carolinas, you don’t need to attend a grand Southern feast to enjoy this sweet treat; it’s a simple pleasure you can bake and savor right in your own kitchen.

While the Pig Pickin’ Cake holds a revered place in North Carolina’s culinary landscape, its presence wasn’t as common at the Texas-style barbecues I recall. In Texas, you’d more often find other beloved classics like a rich Texas Sheet Cake, the decadent German Chocolate Cake, or a vibrant Red Velvet Cake. Brownies were an absolute staple, always making an appearance, and perhaps a warm Peach Cobbler or, if you were particularly fortunate, a slice of Millionaire Pie. Yet, the refreshing Pig Pickin’ Cake, with its unique citrusy tang, always piqued my interest, and I always meant to give it a try.

For quite some time, one of the main reasons I hesitated to bake this cake was my apprehension about the texture of mandarin oranges in a baked good. While I enjoy fresh mandarins, I wasn’t sure how their segments would hold up in a cake. To my pleasant surprise, this concern turned out to be a complete non-issue! The little mandarin oranges practically dissolve into the cake batter during baking, infusing it with their sweet, subtle citrus flavor without leaving behind any large, undesirable chunks. What you get are delicate flecks of orange, contributing to the cake’s tender, moist crumb, rather than an overpowering pulpy texture. It’s truly a game-changer for anyone who might share this initial reservation.

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Essential Ingredients for Your Pig Pickin’ Cake: Simplicity Meets Flavor

Crafting this beloved North Carolina dessert is remarkably straightforward, thanks to a clever combination of readily available ingredients. My recipe embraces convenience without sacrificing flavor, resulting in a cake that tastes delightfully homemade. To get started, you’ll need a good quality yellow cake mix – I personally recommend the Baker’s Corner brand from Aldi for its consistent results and value, but any standard 15.25 oz mix will work beautifully. For the moistness and tender crumb, vegetable oil and eggs are key. The secret to the cake’s unique flavor and texture lies in a 15 oz can of undrained mandarin oranges, which blend seamlessly into the batter. For the luscious, airy frosting, you’ll combine crushed pineapple (also undrained, as the juice is crucial for flavor and consistency), instant vanilla pudding mix (white chocolate flavor is also a fantastic alternative), and light, fluffy Cool Whip. A touch of vanilla extract rounds out both the cake and the frosting, enhancing all the sweet notes.

Core Ingredients List:

• Yellow Cake Mix (preferably 15.25 oz)
• Mandarin Oranges (canned, undrained)
• Large Eggs
• Vegetable Oil (like Wesson)
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Instant Pudding Mix (Vanilla or White Chocolate flavor)
• Whipped Topping (such as Cool Whip)
• Crushed Pineapples (canned, undrained)

For precise quantities and a detailed breakdown, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card below.

Baking Your Own Pig Pickin’ Cake: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

This cake is wonderfully straightforward to prepare, making it a perfect choice for bakers of all skill levels. If you own a stand mixer, the process becomes even easier, but a handheld mixer works just as well. Let’s get baking!

Step 1: Pan Preparation. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, meticulously grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. This crucial step ensures your beautiful cakes release easily once baked, maintaining their perfect shape. If you only have 9-inch pans, you might get slightly thinner layers, but they will still bake wonderfully.

Step 2: Mixing and Baking the Cake. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the entire undrained can of mandarin oranges. Beat these ingredients together at medium speed for about 2 to 2.5 minutes, ensuring everything is well incorporated and the mandarin oranges are mostly broken down. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 5 minutes before carefully inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. This full cooling is essential before frosting.

Step 3: Preparing the Pineapple Frosting. While your cake layers are cooling, it’s time to whip up the signature pineapple frosting. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the instant vanilla pudding mix, the entire undrained can of crushed pineapple, the whipped topping, and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir everything together until it’s smooth and well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the frosting for at least an hour. This chilling time helps the pudding mix set, creating a firmer, more stable frosting that’s easier to spread.

Step 4: Assembling and Frosting Your Masterpiece. Once your cake layers are completely cool and your frosting is adequately chilled, it’s time for the grand finale. Carefully spread a generous layer of frosting on top of the first cake layer, then gently place the second layer on top. Proceed to frost the entire cake – the top and all sides. The pudding mix in the frosting makes it incredibly easy to work with, gliding smoothly over the cake. For an authentic touch, don’t forget to garnish your cake! A pro tip: before you mix the mandarins into the batter, set aside a few whole pieces to use for decoration. I confess, I sometimes forget this step and have to improvise with a cherry or other fruit, but the mandarin slices truly complete the look!

Helpful Hints for a Flawless Pig Pickin’ Cake:

• Easy Frosting: The instant pudding mix is your best friend here! It gives the frosting a wonderful, spreadable consistency. While chilling for an hour is ideal, even a slightly shorter chill time will still yield a smooth application.
• Garnish Game: Remember to reserve those mandarin orange slices! They not only add a pop of color but also hint at the delicious citrus flavor within the cake.
• Cake Mix Size: With many cake mixes now coming in smaller 13.25 oz boxes, if you can find a 15.25 oz box, it’s ideal for this recipe to ensure thicker, more robust layers. However, the smaller boxes will still work, just adjust baking time slightly if needed.

Creative Twists: Substitutions and Variations for Your Pig Pickin’ Cake

While my Pig Pickin’ Cake recipe offers a deliciously classic approach, this beloved Southern dessert is wonderfully versatile. There are several popular variations that allow you to customize the flavor profile and texture to your liking, transforming the traditional North Carolina style into something uniquely yours.

• Enhanced Citrus Flavor (Sunshine Cake): If you crave an even more pronounced citrus kick, consider adding a ¼ teaspoon of orange oil or 1 teaspoon of orange extract to the cake batter along with the other liquid ingredients. This delightful enhancement often leads to the cake being affectionately called “Sunshine Cake.” Some Sunshine Cake versions further amplify the lemon-orange brightness by substituting lemon-flavored instant pudding mix for the vanilla in the frosting, creating a truly zesty experience.
• Nutty Addition (Celestial Snow Cake): For those who appreciate a delightful crunch and added richness, the inclusion of pecans or other chopped nuts (such as walnuts) is a fantastic variation. Simply fold about ½ to ¾ cup of chopped nuts into the batter along with the mandarin oranges. This nutty iteration of the Pig Pickin’ Cake is sometimes known by the charming name, Celestial Snow Cake, perhaps due to the contrast of the golden cake with the white frosting and snowy appearance of the nuts.
• White Chocolate Dream (Pudding Mix Swap): If you’re a fan of white chocolate, you’re in for a treat! If you can track down white chocolate flavored instant pudding mix, it makes a superb substitute for the vanilla pudding in the frosting. The result is a subtly richer, yet still light and airy frosting, that pairs exceptionally well with the sweet tang of pineapple. The frosting will also maintain a beautiful light color, just like in my original recipe, creating an elegant presentation.

These are just a few simple ways to personalize your Pig Pickin’ Cake. When it comes to substitutions, I generally recommend trying the recipe as written for your first attempt to truly appreciate the classic flavor profile. However, feel free to experiment with different brands of yellow cake mix. As mentioned, many brands now come in 13.25 oz boxes instead of the traditional 15.25 oz. While I’ve only personally tested this recipe with the Aldi 15.25 oz cake mix, the smaller boxes should still yield excellent results, though your cake layers might be slightly thinner. If using a smaller box, monitor baking times closely as they may vary slightly.

Essential Equipment for a Perfect Pig Pickin’ Cake

Baking this delightful Southern cake doesn’t require a kitchen full of specialty gadgets, but a few key pieces of equipment will make the process much smoother and more enjoyable. A stand mixer is incredibly helpful for combining the cake batter and ensuring the mandarin oranges are properly broken down and incorporated. Its powerful motor makes quick work of mixing, leaving you with a perfectly smooth batter. However, if you don’t have a stand mixer, a handheld electric mixer is a perfectly suitable alternative and will achieve excellent results. I generally don’t recommend mixing this batter by hand with just a spoon, as you really want to ensure those delicate mandarin segments are well-distributed and somewhat broken up to release their flavor and moisture into the cake.

For baking the cake layers, you’ll need two 8-inch round cake pans. It’s important to note that due to the shrinking size of standard cake mixes (many are now 13.25 oz instead of the traditional 15.25 oz), 8-inch pans are typically ideal for achieving appropriately thick and substantial cake layers. If you use 9-inch pans with a smaller cake mix, your layers might come out a bit thinner. Aside from these, the frosting itself requires minimal equipment – a simple spoon or a silicone scraper is all you’ll need to mix the ingredients together into a creamy, dreamy topping. A wire cooling rack is also essential for allowing your cake layers to cool completely and evenly after baking, preventing them from becoming soggy.

Storing Your Southern Delight: Keeping Pig Pickin’ Cake Fresh

To ensure your Pig Pickin’ Cake remains fresh and absolutely delicious, proper storage is key. Due to its light, whipped topping frosting, this cake absolutely requires refrigeration. Make sure to clear out enough space in your refrigerator for the entire cake or its individual slices. The cake should be kept chilled until just before serving. Once brought out, it can comfortably sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, and possibly a little longer if your environment isn’t too warm. This excellent stability is precisely why whipped topping (like Cool Whip) is traditionally favored over a more delicate cream cheese frosting or pure whipped cream for this recipe. Whipped topping holds its shape beautifully and remains stable even when the cake is served outdoors at events like a barbecue or picnic, making it the perfect choice for a crowd-plepleasing dessert.

Recipe: Classic Southern Pig Pickin’ Cake

Pig Pickin’ Cake

Anna

A light and flavorful yellow cake, infused with sweet mandarin oranges and vanilla, generously covered in an airy frosting made with crushed pineapple, whipped topping, and instant pudding.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Cooling Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 18 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Southern

Servings 12

Ingredients

 

• 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 ounces is ideal for thicker layers)
• 15 oz can mandarin oranges, undrained
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use

For the Pineapple Whipped Topping Frosting

• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces, or white chocolate flavor for variation)
• 2 8 oz cans crushed pineapple, undrained (see note about using a 20 oz can)
• 1 container whipped topping (8 ounces, e.g., Cool Whip)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Carefully grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, ensuring all surfaces are covered to prevent sticking.
• Optional but Recommended: Before mixing, gently remove about 4-6 whole mandarin orange pieces from the can to reserve for decorating the finished cake. This simple garnish provides a visual clue to the cake’s delightful citrus flavor.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining mandarin oranges (with their liquid), the yellow cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract. Beat these ingredients at medium speed for about 2 ½ minutes until the batter is smooth and the oranges are mostly broken down.
• Pour the cake batter evenly into your prepared 8-inch cake pans. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for approximately 5 minutes before carefully inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. This full cooling is crucial before applying frosting.
• Once cooled, you may briefly chill the cake layers in the refrigerator while preparing the frosting to ensure they are firm.

Frosting Preparation

• In a separate mixing bowl, combine the instant pudding mix, the entire undrained crushed pineapple, the whipped topping, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir gently until all ingredients are well blended and smooth. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the cake layers are completely cool and the frosting has slightly firmed up.
• Once both the cake and frosting are thoroughly chilled, spread a generous amount of frosting over the first cake layer. Gently place the second cake layer on top, then proceed to frost the top and sides of the entire cake until evenly covered. Finally, decorate your beautiful cake with the reserved mandarin orange slices (or a cherry, if you forgot to reserve the oranges!).

Notes

If you prefer to buy a single 20 oz can of crushed pineapple instead of two 8 oz cans, that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure to hold back about ½ cup of the undrained pineapple to prevent the frosting from becoming too thin or runny. The goal is a thick, spreadable consistency.

Keyword Mandarin Orange Cake, Pig Pickin’ Cake, Southern Dessert, Pineapple Cake

Tried this delightful Southern recipe?We’d love to hear how it was in the comments below!