This easy Southern recipe has been a favorite for taking to barbecues (Pig Pickin’s), potlucks, and church suppers for decades. One bite of this vintage favorite and you'll know why we love this tradition!
Please note: Measurements for recipe ingredients have been adjusted to show current (2024) weights where they are different from the original because of downsizing.
Table of Contents
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🗝️ Key takeaways
- This recipe is so easy. You basically just mix, blend, or beat everything together then bake!
- This is a rich citrus-flavored cake with a light, creamy, totally addictive pineapple whipped topping so the 13x9-inch pan feeds a crowd. It's my favorite for potlucks and summer parties!
- Be sure to let it chill overnight.
This easy pig pickin' cake tastes unique and nostalgic all at the same time.
Some people call it "sunshine cake" because it's full of bright citrus flavor. It's the perfect, easy summertime dessert—it's guaranteed to brighten your day!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Instead of rum in the recipe, you can use bourbon for a different, yet equally yummy flavor.
- Try a yellow cake mix instead of white.
- For more orange taste, add a teaspoon of frozen orange juice concentrate or a teaspoon of orange extract to the reserved mandarin juice.
- You can substitute white chocolate instant pudding for vanilla.
- For a more tropical taste, stir about ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes into the whipped topping.
- Drizzle a little leftover pineapple juice over the cake while it's cooling to make it extra moist and yummy!
- This cake recipe works really well with a homemade cake mix if you don't want to use a boxed cake mix.
- You can use about ⅔ of a container Cool Whip (about two cups) instead of making your own whipped cream. You can also use my homemade whipped topping instead of whipped cream. It holds up great if you are making it ahead of time or if the cake will be outside in warm weather.
- Instead of using one 9"x13" pan, you can make this recipe in two 8" cake pans (use the round cake pans.) Stack the cake layers and spread the pineapple frosting in between and on top of the cake. Garnish with mandarin orange slices and a sprig of mint for a rustic, eye-catching layered cake. It's not my favorite way to make it because it doesn't travel as well as the 13x9-inch version.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Mix together the cake ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour batter into prepared pan, bake, and cool.
Fold the instant pudding mixture and pineapple into the whipped cream.
Spread whipped cream mixture on top of cake.
🤫 Cook's secrets -
Drain the pineapple well and gently but thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. If too much moisture remains, it will make the topping watery when you fold it in.
🍴 Equipment
- large
mixing bowl - medium
mixing bowl - hand or stand mixer
- mixing cups and spoons
- 13x9-inch pan
🥫 How to store leftover pig pickin' cak
I think that the Pig Pickin cake works best if you let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. It actually tastes best the next day because the flavors meld and mix.
So, if you happen to have any leftovers (shocking!) put them right back in the refrigerator.
Just make sure to cover them with some plastic wrap, or seal them in an airtight container. They'll stay good for a few days... but don't be surprised if they've disappeared before the next morning!
This does not freeze real well once the topping is put on it - it gets soggy. If you need to freeze it do so before frosting it. It will be fine for 2-3 months.
Marye's Tip
Don't leave this out in the heat - the topping could melt off. Try to keep it cold until close to serving time.
💭 Things to know
- When making whipped cream, your tools need to be extra cold! Place a metal bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), the cream, and beaters (or whisk attachment) into the freezer for a few minutes before beating to make the best whipped cream ever!
- However, make sure the rest of your cake ingredients are at room temperature before starting to bake. This way, they'll blend together more evenly.
- You can use either a handheld or stand mixer to make Pig Pickin' cake.
- When I started making this in the late 1970s Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix was what everyone used. Ya know, in case you want to be authentic.
- As you know, boxed cake mixes have become smaller over the years. As of 2024, this recipe still works with boxed mixes, but if they get any skimpier, I may need to come back in and make adjustments.
👩🍳 FAQs
The answer is sort of. The unfrosted cake portion freezes quite well. Wrap it tightly in plastic and freeze for up to three months. Let thaw in the refrigerator. However, the topping does not freeze well, so I'd make that after thawing your cake, a day or so before serving.
This easy cake was a traditional favorite at pig roasts, where guests would "pick" the meat off of a roasted pig. Even though there's no bacon in the cake, the name stuck around.
From what I know, it is! Depending on where you grew up, this mandarin orange cake had quite a few nicknames: some call it pig picking cake, sunshine cake, others even say it's pea pickin' cake. We just call it delicious.
You can swap white cake mix or orange cake mix in a pinch, and I bet your family won't notice the difference. However, for the best, most moist orange cake, follow the instructions to the letter. It's MeMaw's recipe, after all!
You sure can. Just leave it out and use all the liquid from the mandarin oranges.
📚 Related recipes
These are all proven winners are potlucks, family reunions, church picnics, and summer parties!
📞 The last word
Pig Pickin' Cake is a southern recipe that's a favorite for taking to barbecues, potlucks, and church suppers.
Bright mandarin oranges and sweet pineapple combine with boxed butter cake mix for an easy summertime dessert that goes together quickly and just couldn't be easier.
Don't wait too long to make this cake! Invite some friends over for coffee and put this on the table - you'll definitely win the good neighbor award!
Try this red, white, and blue Jello poke cake, next! It's perfect for all of your summer celebrations from Memorial Day and 4th of July to Labor Day!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Pig Pickin' Cake
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
For the Cake:
- 15.25 ounces yellow butter cake mix
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 15 ounces mandarin oranges, drained, ½ cup juice reserved
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum, optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 3.4 ounces French vanilla instant pudding mix, dry - just use the powder
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple, juice reserved
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup Confectioner's sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 13x9-inch pan - set aside.
- Remove 2 tablespoons of the mandarin orange liquid and replace with 2 tablespoons of spiced rum (optional).
- Add the cake mix, butter, vanilla and eggs to the bowl of an electric mixer and blend on low for about 1 minute.
- Add the oranges and the reserved juice to the bowl. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
- Spoon into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake at 350F for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Frosting
- Blend the instant pudding mix, ½ cup Confectioner's, and reserved pineapple juice - set aside.
- Whip the cream with the remaining ¼ cup Confectioner's sugar until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold into the pudding mixture. Pat any remaining moisture off the pineapple with paper towel - fold into the topping.
- Spoon on the top of the cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours - overnight is better. Be sure to keep leftovers in the fridge!
Notes
- ALWAYS use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise noted in the recipe... except whipped cream, of course - that should be ice cold.
- You can freeze this cake without the topping.
- You can make this cake into 2 8-inch layers and fill and frost it with the topping.
- Drizzle some of the pineapple juice over the warm cake for a moister cake with more pineapple flavor.
- This cake is better the second day.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published March 17, 2018. Last updated May 25, 2024, with more helpful tips and information. Measurements for recipe ingredients have been adjusted to show current (2024) weights where they are different from the original.
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Pig Pickin' Cake
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Susie Williamson says
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Terry says
Hi Marye! Firstly, I hope you have a GREAT trip! Secondly, I have questions. Several, in fact. I've never seen yellow butter cake mix. Is there anything I can add to a regular yellow cake mix to get the same flavor? Same with the pudding mixes. I've never seen either French vanilla, or white chocolate. Granted I live in (almost) central Alberta, Canada 🍁 🇨🇦 - but we do have a Walmart Supercenter & 3 other large grocery chain stores. Any suggestions as to what I could add to a regular vanilla pudding mix to amp up the flavor? Maybe vanilla extract? Shaved white chocolate? I REALLY want to make this to share with friends & neighbors, but don't want to sacrifice flavor, just for the sake of sharing. Any & all words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated! Many thanks!
Marye says
Just use melted butter in place of the oil in the mix - that should do it. Add an extra teaspoon of vanilla to the mixture you're adding pudding mix to... I think you'll be fine! Sorry - I've been on vacay.
Maggie Boyle says
I made this for a potluck and so many made a special trip to find me and tell me how wonderful it was. A few asked for the recipe and I gave them a link to your page. This is really the second time I made it and both times it was amazing but I got busy and forgot to reply to your comments. A friend asked me to make one for his birthday and as I dislike cake mixes and won't have kool-whip in my home, I searched for hours to find your recipe from scratch among those others.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this with us.
Debe Van Auken says
This cake is awesome! I make it often because my family loves it and I think my roommate would eat the whole thing given the opportunity!
Debbie says
BEST CAKE EVER!!! First time making it and it was awesome! This one gets a gazillion stars!!
Lana Drake says
It's called Pea Pickin' Cake, I've known it as this for a while, all my life 🥰
Marye says
There are a lot of names for it. 🙂 Here it's pig pickin' cake. A friend knows it as pig cake... LOL!
Renee says
Awesome recipe! I hate cool whip, so I appreciate using natural whipped cream instead.
In both the Carolinas, we call it pig pickin cake. It’s interesting that there are different name variations!
Barbara Tignor says
Never heard of the Holy Cow Cake. Want to try it too !!!
MARYE AUDET-WHITE says
It is SO good! Let me know what you think!
Laila Soubra says
Can't wait to try this cake, looks addictive.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
I don't think I'd be able to resist it either. And only an Italian mamma would say I need to put some meat on my bones -- although I was very thin at one time. Now, I'm waiting for the Holy Cow cake.
Marye Audet says
LOL! She was not Italian - I think ALL southern mama's have some Italian genes
Lea Ann (Cooking on The Ranch) says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It's one I need to try soon. Pinning.
Marye Audet says
Thanks! It's one of my favorites