Classic Southern pig pickin’ cake

by Jessica | January 25, 2026 11:58 am

alright, so I have to tell you about this pig pickin’ cake my aunt used to bring to every single family reunion in North Carolina and how I never appreciated it until I moved away.

seriously this cake was always just there on the dessert table next to the banana pudding and I’d skip it for something chocolate. then I moved to Colorado and got hit with this random craving for it like 5 years later. called my aunt and she was like “oh honey it’s so easy you just need a box mix and some canned stuff” which felt anticlimactic but also perfect.

first time I made it I used the wrong size pan and it overflowed everywhere in my oven. smoke alarm going off at 9pm on a Tuesday. not my finest moment lol. second attempt I forgot the cake had to cool completely before adding the topping and it all just melted into a goopy mess. third try I finally nailed it and understood why people lose their minds over this cake at potlucks.

now I make it for every barbecue and people always ask for the recipe like it’s some secret family treasure. it’s literally a box cake with canned mandarin oranges and cool whip but somehow tastes like summer in the South.

why this cake hits different

uses boxed cake mix so you can’t really mess it up even if you try

the mandarin oranges make it ridiculously moist and add this subtle citrus thing

cool whip frosting means no complicated buttercream or anything fancy

gets better after sitting overnight when the flavors soak in

feels retro and nostalgic in that church potluck kind of way that’s weirdly comforting

what you need

here’s the stuff and it’s all pretty basic:

how to make it

 

Preheat your oven to whatever temperature the cake mix box says. mine is usually 350 but check yours.

 

Grease and flour a 9×13 pan. I use cooking spray with flour in it because I’m lazy and it works fine.

 

Mix the cake mix with eggs, oil, and one can of drained mandarin oranges in a big bowl. I use my stand mixer but a hand mixer or even a whisk works.

 

Beat it for like 2 minutes until the oranges are broken up and everything is combined. some chunks are fine and actually good.

 

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. doesn’t have to be perfect mine never is.

 

Bake according to the box directions. usually like 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. my oven runs hot so I check at 23 minutes.

 

Let it cool completely in the pan. this is the hard part because it smells amazing and you want to dive in but seriously wait or the topping will melt.

okay so while that’s cooling—mix the pudding powder with the can of crushed pineapple and its juice. don’t add milk just the pineapple and juice.

 

Fold in the cool whip gently. I use a rubber spatula for this and try not to deflate it too much.

 

Add the other can of mandarin oranges that you didn’t drain. just fold them in carefully so they don’t totally fall apart.

 

Spread the topping all over the cooled cake. I usually do this with an offset spatula but a regular spoon works too.

 

Sprinkle coconut on top if you’re into that. my family is divided on the coconut issue so I leave it off.

 

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. it needs time for everything to set and meld together.

 

Cut into squares and serve cold. I use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts to keep the squares clean.

tips and random thoughts

• Use fresh whipped cream instead of Cool Whip if you want to be fancy. I did this once for a dinner party and it was really good but way more work.
• Add a little orange zest to the cake batter for extra citrus flavor. saw someone do this on Instagram and it looked amazing.
• Make it in a bundt pan for a fancier presentation. my friend does this and pokes holes in it and pours the topping over. haven’t tried it myself yet.
• Use lemon[1] pudding instead of vanilla for a more citrusy version. my cousin swears by this but I’m a vanilla pudding purist.

storage situation

keeps in the fridge for like 5 days covered. the cake gets more moist as it sits which some people love and some people think is weird.

doesn’t freeze well because of the cool whip topping. I tried once and it got all icy and separated when I thawed it.

I always cover mine with plastic wrap or foil. sometimes I forget which container has what in my fridge and I’ll open something expecting leftover lasagna and find cake instead.

found a container of this in my fridge last month that I think was from my kid’s birthday party 2 weeks prior. smelled fine, tasted fine, no regrets. probably shouldn’t admit that publicly but whatever we’ve all been there.

nutrition per serving

for 12 servings:

these numbers are super rough because I found them on some random website. depends on what brand of cake mix you use and how much cool whip you pile on. not exactly health food but it’s a special occasion dessert so don’t worry about it.

questions people ask

 

can I use fresh mandarin oranges instead of canned

I mean probably but the canned ones are already peeled and in juice which keeps the cake moist. fresh would work but you’d need to segment them and maybe add some orange juice. sounds like more work than necessary

 

what if I can’t find mandarin[2] oranges

regular canned oranges work fine. I’ve even done it with those fruit cocktail cups in a pinch and it was still good just different. wouldn’t recommend fresh oranges though they’re too acidic

 

do I have to use cool whip or can I use real whipped cream

you can use real whipped cream but it won’t hold up as long and might get watery. cool whip is more stable and stays fluffy. I know it’s not fancy but sometimes the artificial stuff just works better

 

why is it called pig pickin’ cake

honestly no idea. I’ve heard it’s because people used to serve it at pig roasts in the South. or because you pick at it with your fingers. or because it’s so good you eat it like a pig. nobody really knows and everyone has a different story

Source URL: https://ladysuniverse.com/classic-southern-pig-pickin-cake/

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