Southern Pig Pickin Cake Recipe with Mandarin OrangesPig Pickin' Cake Recipe - Restless Chipotle (2024)

This easy southern recipe is a favorite for taking to barbecues (Pig Pickin’s), potlucks, and church suppers. One bite and you'll know why we love this tradition!

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❤️ Why you'll love it

• Easy recipe—you basically just mix, blend, or beat everything together!
• Starts with a simple boxed cake mix (or swap in homemade) and sweet mandarin oranges!
• The frosting is a light, creamy, totally addictive pineapple whipped topping.

This easy pig pickin' cake tastes unique and nostalgic all at the same time.

Some people call it "sunshine cake" because it is 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 satisfying flavor.
• Try a yellow cake mix instead of white.
• For more orange taste, add a teaspoon offrozen orange juice concentrateor a teaspoon of orange extract to the reserved mandarin juice.
• You can substitutewhite chocolate instant puddingfor vanilla.
• For a more tropical taste, stir somesweetened coconut flakes into the whipped topping.
• Drizzle 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 box.
• 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.

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Mix together the cake ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Pour batter into prepared pan, bake, and cool.
3. Fold the instant pudding mixture and pineapple into the whipped cream.
4. Spread frosting on top of cake and add (optional) orange segments.

🥫 Storage

Just like your grandma would recommend, Pig Pickin cake recipes usually advise letting the cake chill in the refrigerator overnight for the best result. It actually tastes best the next day!

So, if you happen to have any leftovers (shocking!) put them 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 - it gets soggy.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: Drain the pineapple well and thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. If too much moisture remains, it will make the topping watery when you fold it in.

• 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.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

• Southern Peach Dump Cake is the easiest treat you'll ever make—thankfully so, because your friends will beg for this one over and over!
• Another favorite for Southern barbecues, this Texas Sheet Cake is dense, rich, and oh-so fudgy!
• When you crave a classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake, this is the easy recipe you need!
• Orange layer cake has ALL the citrus flavor in a classic triple layer cake.

🍽️ Serve with...

This cake is at its best at a big shindig like the church potluck. If you're serving it to a smaller crowd try it with grilled chicken breast, this tangy Texas-style BBQ macaroni salad and maybe some Dr. Pepper baked beans.

📞 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!

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. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

First publishedMarch 17, 2018. Last updated June 29, 2023 with more helpful tips and information.

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