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Bursting with sweet bits of orange and pineapple, this tender and moist Pig Pickin Cake is a dessert that tastes like a ray of sunshine. I love sharing this cake with friends. It’s a huge crowd pleaser that tastes even better after a night in the fridge.
I clearly have a soft spot for cakes with fruit, and this pig pickin cake slid right into the heart of that obsession. It has the same effortless style you’ll find in my pineapple angel food cake and strawberry shortcake icebox cake. It proves that you don’t need complicated steps or fancy ingredients to get big flavor.
Pig Pickin Cake
This recipe actually came from a reader, and I’m really glad she shared it with me. It was one of those cakes that was almost surprising in how easy it was to make. After I tested it once, I already knew I’d be making it again for Sean’s birthday. Everyone loved it, and it disappeared fast.
What I really like about this cake is how realistic it is for everyday life. It’s not fussy, it doesn’t need decorating, and I usually already have most of what it calls for in my pantry. I can make it ahead of time, stick it in the fridge, and move on to the next thing on my list. Stress free baking is my favorite kind of baking!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Cake Mix – I use a yellow box mix as the base of this cake.
Eggs – This recipe requires 4 eggs. Some people swap these out for unsweetened applesauce, but I’ve never tried it that way.
Oil – I usually go with ¼ cup of vegetable oil since it keeps the cake nice and moist. If I’m out, melted butter works too.
Fruit – I use one can of mandarin oranges and save some of the juice for the batter. I also use a can of crushed pineapple, but I make sure it’s well drained before adding it to the frosting.
Pudding Mix – I add a 3.5-ounce box of instant vanilla pudding. It adds just a little extra sweetness and helps the frosting hold together.
Whipped Topping – I use 16 ounces of whipped topping in the frosting to keep everything light and fluffy.
Notes on Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- 8-inch round cake pans or 9×13 baking pan
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula or frosting knife
- Large plate or cake stand
How to Make a Pig Pickin Cake
Preheating the Oven: I start by turning the oven on to 350°F so it can heat up while I work on the batter.
Greasing the Pans: While that’s going, I butter the cake pans really well, especially around the edges. This cake is super soft, so I don’t want to risk anything sticking.
Prepping the Fruit: I drain the pineapple, and then the mandarin oranges. I save ½ cup of the orange juice to use in the batter to add more flavor than just water.
Mixing the Batter: In a big bowl, I crack in the eggs and add the cake mix, oil, mandarin oranges, and the reserved juice. I mix everything together just until it comes together and looks smooth. The oranges break down as you stir, which is exactly what you want.
Pouring the Batter: Once the batter is ready, I split it between the pans and tap them lightly on the counter to even everything out.
Baking: I bake the cakes for about 18 minutes, until they’re lightly golden. I usually stick a toothpick in the center, and if it comes out clean, they’re good to go.
Cooling: After they come out of the oven, I let the pans sit for about 15 minutes before flipping the cakes out onto a rack. Then I let them cool completely.
Making the Frosting: I start by mixing the drained crushed pineapple with the pudding mix, then gently fold in the whipped topping. I stop as soon as it’s mixed so it stays light.
Frosting the Cakes: When the cakes are cool, I stack them with frosting in between each layer, then spread the rest over the top and sides. I don’t worry about making it perfect. This cake doesn’t need to be fancy.
Serving: I finish by putting the cake in the fridge until I’m ready to serve it so it will set nicely.
Expert Tip
The trickiest part with most fruit cakes is getting the texture right. That starts with how the fruit is handled. The oranges and pineapple should be well drained, but not squeezed dry. The juice is needed to give this cake its signature flavor. But, too much liquid can make the cake and frosting lose their structure. I’ve found that letting the fruit drain naturally for a few minutes gives me the best results.
Don’t Overmix – If you stir too much, it will develop gluten and make the cake dense. So, the goal is not a silky smooth batter. The key is to stop mixing as soon as the dry streaks disappear and the ingredients are just combined, not perfectly uniform.
Be Patient – Frosting a warm cake is a miserable experience. So, I’ve learned the importance of waiting until the cake is completely cool. Otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide around.
Make It Early – I think this cake is actually better after spending a night in the fridge. The flavors mingle, and the frosting and crumb layers firm up as it chills. The not-so-secret trick is to keep it cold!
Serving Suggestions
If you are like me, then you no doubt grew up seeing desserts like this pig pickin cake at potlucks beside bowls of pineapple salad and cherry fluff.
This cake is already phenomenal. But, when I want to take it to the next level? The secret is in the sauce. Literally. I thaw a couple options from my freezer for people to drizzle on top of the cake, like my homemade rhubarb sauce or strawberry compote.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: This is an ideal cake to prepare the day before I plan to serve it. I actually prefer it this way, so that the flavors have time to meld in the fridge.
How to Store: I keep this cake loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Fruit Dessert Recipes
- Mock Apple Pie
- Old Fashioned Banana Pudding
- Apple Dumpling Bake
- Fruit Topped Cheesecake Bars with a Shortbread Crust
- Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler with Canned Peaches
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. While I prefer the pretty layers, I’ve made this in a 9×13 pan as well. Plan on about 28 minutes in the oven.
I find it ideal to make the cake about a day ahead of time. That gives it plenty of time to chill and for the flavors to develop, without risking anything drying out.
Assuming that you followed the directions and measured correctly, I think the likely culprit is that too much liquid was removed from the fruit. In my experience, letting the fruit drain naturally without squeezing yields the best texture and flavor.
Pig Pickin Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 15 ounces package yellow cake mix
- 14 ounces canned mandarin oranges drained, juice reserved
- ½ cup reserved mandarin orange juice
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Frosting Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned crushed pineapple drained
- 3.5 ounces package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 16 ounces whipped topping thawed
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease (3) 8-inch round pans or a 9×13 pan with butter. Set aside. Drain the mandarin oranges, reserving ½ cup of the juice from the can. Set aside 10-12 orange slices in a small bowl, for decoration if desired.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, mandarin oranges, ½ cup reserved juice, eggs, and oil. Stir to combine. Divide the batter into the prepared pans. (If using the round pans, the layers will be very thin.)
- Bake 18-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. (The round cakes will bake more quickly, about 18 minutes, and the 9×13 will require closer to 28 minutes.) Cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting Instructions
- Combine the crushed pineapple and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Fold in the whipped topping to mix throughout.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Stack the layers; frost top and sides. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Decorate with additional slices of mandarin orange before serving, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sounds wonderful, but what if one didn’t have access to the many prepacked ingredients?
Could you suggest where I could find guidance on making it from scratch?
Here’s what I have no access to here (Italy):
– Yellow cake mix
– Instant vanilla pudding mix
– Whipped topping (frozen??)
Thank you!
Happy to help, Marina! You can make your own yellow cake mix with this recipe: https://www.simplyscratch.com/homemade-yellow-cake-mix/. And make a homemade vanilla pudding mix with this recipe: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/diy-homemade-instant-vanilla-pudding-mix/ (You’ll use 1/2 cup of the pudding mix to make my cake recipe.) And you can use this stabilized whipped cream for the whipped topping: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/stabilized-whipped-cream/ Happy baking!