Pig Pickin’ Cake

Round out your summer feast with a dessert that’s as fun as its name. A pig pickin’ cake is a southern staple at outdoor gatherings. Fluffy and moist, this beloved dessert features yellow cake dotted with bright, citrusy orange segments and topped with a pineapple-pudding whipped topping. It’s a summery cake that tastes like a bite of sunshine, and with a name so unique, it’s bound to be a conversation starter.

What is pig pickin’ cake?

Pig pickin’ cake is a single-layer yellow cake that contains mandarin orange segments. It’s topped with a pineapple-studded whipped topping. Pig pickin’ cake is a traditional southern dessert that shows up at outdoor gatherings like picnics, barbecues and, of course, pig roasts, sometimes referred to as “pig pickin’s.” Many credit North Carolina as the pig pickin’ cake’s birth state.

What other names does pig pickin’ cake have?

While pig pickin’ cake is maybe the best cake name ever, this dessert has a few other common names, including mandarin orange cake, mandarin pineapple cake, pea pickin’ cake, summer cake, sunshine cake and, simply, pig cake.

Ingredients for Pig Pickin’ Cake

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• Yellow cake mix: Take a peek at our Test Kitchen’s vote for the best yellow cake mix you can find at stores.
• Mandarin oranges: Mandarin oranges add a beautiful, bright, citrusy taste. The segments also add moisture to the cake for a fluffy, tender bite.
• Egg whites: Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature. It’s important to bake with room-temperature eggs so they blend into the batter better for the best texture possible!
• Unsweetened applesauce: Applesauce is a substitute for the oil or butter that’s normally called for in a boxed cake mix.
• Crushed pineapple: Don’t drain the pineapple—the extra juice kickstarts the vanilla pudding mix!
• Sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix: You don’t have to use sugar-free for the recipe, but feel free to if you wish!
• Reduced-fat whipped topping: Feel free to go with regular whipped topping if that’s calling to you. Regular and reduced-fat options are both perfectly great for this pig pickin’ cake.

Directions

Step 1: Create the batter

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cake mix, oranges, egg whites and applesauce on low speed for two minutes.

Step 2: Pour into the baking dish

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Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in the batter. Using a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon, evenly spread the cake batter in the dish.

Step 3: Bake

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cake completely to room temperature on a wire rack.

Step 4: Make the topping

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In a bowl, whisk together the pineapple and pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping just until blended.

Step 5: Assemble and chill

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Spread the topping over the cooled cake. Using the back of a spoon or a mini offset spatula, create swoops in the topping to add more dimension. Refrigerate the cake for at least one hour before serving.

Recipe Variations

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• Create a layer cake: Assemble this cake sky high! Instead of baking the cake in a 13×9-inch baking dish, follow the cake mix box instructions for baking the batter in cake pans. Let the cakes cool completely to room temperature, then level the cake layers by cutting off any cake domes. Refrigerate or freeze the cake layers for a few hours. Assemble with the topping, and serve!
• Make a trifle: Who doesn’t love a gorgeous trifle? Cut the cake into cubes, and make the whipped topping, but leave out the pineapples. Instead, layer the pineapples in the trifle with the cake and whipped topping. Some nuts and additional orange segments would also add lovely layers to this trifle.
• Add a garnish: Sprinkle crushed almonds or walnuts on top to add a finished look to this pig pickin’ cake. Or go the extra mile, and make it almost too pretty to eat with a cake garnish of edible flowers.

How to Store Pig Pickin’ Cake

To store pig pickin’ cake, cover the cake tightly with storage wrap, and keep it in the fridge for up to four days.

Can you freeze pig pickin’ cake?

Yes, the pig pickin’ cake layer can be frozen, but we don’t recommend freezing the whipped topping. Allow the cake layer to cool completely to room temperature, then wrap it in a few layers of storage wrap, and freeze for up to three months.

To thaw, place the wrapped cake in the fridge overnight, then unwrap the cake. Decorate the cake with the whipped topping either the day of or the day before serving.

Pig Pickin’ Cake Tips

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Can I use an orange cake mix instead?

Yes, you can use an orange cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix. This will give you an uber orange-tasting pig pickin’ cake with a beautiful orange hue. A word of warning: Sometimes boxed orange cake mix can be hard to find, so don’t fret if the store doesn’t have it.

Can I make pig pickin’ cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can make pig pickin’ cake ahead of time! Make the entire cake the day before serving, and store it in the fridge. The flavors will meld together nicely. It may even convince you that this should be a necessary recipe step!