Delight your family and friends with a Southern soul food pig pickin cake – the only citrusy orange-infused cake with pineapple frosting!
If you’ve ever had a pig pickin cake, then you know it’s a unique homemade cake that’s as light and fresh as it gets!
What is a pig pickin cake?
Not to be confused with a pig birthday cake, a Peppa The Pig cake, or pig cupcakes.
A Southern soul food pig pickin cake is a moist yellow cake with sweet mandarin oranges baked into the cake. It’s then covered with a fluffy whipped cream frosting full of crushed pineapples.
Pig pickin cake is a simple dump cake recipe with a hint of vanilla extract and mellow sweetness.
The pineapple in the frosting gives it a sweet citrusy flavor, and the whipped cream makes it light and fluffy. The cake is then topped with mandarin oranges to garnish.
Why is it called pig pickin cake?
Not because it’s made with pork or anything from the pig!
So what is pig pickin cake, and where did it come from?
The unique name for this cake originated from the Southern barbecue tradition called “pig pickin.”
What is a Southern pig pickin?
At a pig pickin, a whole pig is cooked and served as guests gather and “pick” the tender meat from the roasted pig.
Folks also bring their favorite pot luck dishes and desserts to pig pickin events.
Pig pickin cake was singled out as the favorite dessert amongst all the potluck cake testers from all the potluck dessert dishes.
The same as potato salad is donned as the official side dish for any Black folks’ cookout menu.
Southern pig pickin cake is the official dessert of pig roasts and pig pickins!
Although the cake, itself, is a vegetarian dish, it’s named after the iconic Southern-style BBQ event it belongs to.
What is pig pickin cake made of?
Yellow cake with a fruit-filled whipped topping, pineapple, vanilla pudding, and mandarin oranges creates a one-of-a-kind cake that’s just as unique as its name.
What kind of instant pudding do you use?
The pudding in Southern soul food pig pickin cake is an instant vanilla pudding. Kind of a kitchen hack – you won’t need to pre-mix it or even make the pudding.
Easier than that – you simply add the powdered instant pudding to the Cool Whip frosting mix for firmness and flavor!
Can you add fruit to a cake mix?
Southern soul food pig pickin cake is the perfect example of a delicious dump cake made by adding fruit directly to the cake batter and icing!
It’s perfect for any summertime BBQ, party, or celebration.
How do you make pig pickin cake?
A time-honored classic and iconic soul food recipe. The best part about soul food pig pickin cake is how easy it is to make this Southern dessert at home!
Top it off with a Cool Whip pineapple-frosting and peeled mandarin slices to decorate. You’ve got a playful finishing touch to make this easy dump cake recipe stand out.
Check out the instructions below to make this original pig pickin cake recipe from scratch!
Easy pig pickin cake recipe
Kitchen equipment for the soul food pig pickin cake mix
- Flour sifter
- Handheld electric mixer or electric stand mixer
- Bundt cake pan
- Instant Pot Omni Plus oven (optional)
Shop my kitchenware!
The Pioneer Woman flour sifter | Kitchenaid stand mixer | The Pioneer Woman similar dessert bowls | Tupperware batter bowl pitcher | Amazon similar heart shaped spoon rest | Amazon rubber spatula | Wilton Bundt cake pan | Amazon cooling rack | Courtly Check charger plate | Corelle similar dessert/salad plate |
Ingredients for a Southern soul food original pig pickin cake recipe
- 2 ½ cups of sifted flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ cup of cold butter
- 4 eggs
- 14 oz. of canned mandarin oranges (1 can)
- ½ a cup of mandarin orange juice from the canned oranges
- 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Ingredients for the soul food pig pickin cake frosting
- 20 oz. of crushed pineapple and the pineapple juice (1 can)
- 4 oz. of instant vanilla pudding
- ½ a cup of powdered sugar
- 8 oz. of whipped cream (1 tub)
Instructions for Southern soul food pig pickin cake
- Sift the flour and add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix well until blended.
- Then cut the butter into small pats and use and use an electric mixer to combine it with the flour mixture. Mix until the texture is very fine, like sand, and the butter is completely and evenly distributed.
- Add the eggs, mandarin orange juice, and vanilla extract.
- Mix again on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until the cake batter is smooth and silky.
- Next, add the mandarin oranges to the cake and hand stir them into the cake batter.
- Pour the mixture into a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes in the conventional oven or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If using the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (I used a Bundt pan when making this pig pickin cake recipe.)
- Remove the baked pig pickin cake from the oven and set the cake pan on a baking rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and onto a baker’s cooling rack.
- Allow the cake to cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before frosting.
Instructions for the Southern soul food pig pickin cake frosting
- Drain the pineapple juice from the crushed pineapples and set the crushed pineapple aside.
- Add the instant pudding to the pineapple juice, and either by hand or on low speed with an electric mixer, whisk until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and whisk again until smooth.
- Then stir in the whipped cream until the mixture is combined and smooth.
- Now gently mix the set aside drained pineapple into the whipped cream frosting.
- Next, spread the pineapple mixture onto the cooled cake.
- Cover and refrigerate the frosted cake for about two hours to let the icing set.
- Slice and serve this Southern soul food pig pickin cake and enjoy!
What do you serve with Southern soul food pig pickin cake?
An excellent choice for an outdoor event with a crowd. Pig pickin cake was made for BBQ events and pairs well with any heavy meat main dish because it’s a zesty and refreshing dessert!
Southern soul food pig pickin cake FAQs
What’s the difference between pig pickin’ cake and hummingbird cake?
Pig pickin’ cake vs. hummingbird cake – There are two main differences between a pig pickin cake and a hummingbird cake.
Pig pickin cake is a homemade citrusy yellow cake of Southern tradition.
In contrast, hummingbird cake is a banana-pineapple spice cake originating from Jamaica.
Pig pickin cake is made with mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple, while hummingbird cake is made with bananas and pineapple.
What are other names for this cake?
There are many other names for pig pickin cake (pig picking cake), like dump cake, mandarin orange cake, pea pickin cake, pig eatin cake, pig cake, sunshine cake, orange pineapple cake, orange pineapple layer cake, summer cake, and celestial snow cake.
What is the difference between a dump cake and a cobbler?
Both are usually made with fruit. But a dump cake uses homemade cake batter or a cake mix, while a cobbler is made with biscuit or pie crust.
What is another name for a dump cake?
A dump cake or lazy cake is a cake prepared with little to no stirring.
How does dump cake work?
Dumping ingredients (typically canned fruit or pie filling, usually followed by a boxed cake mix) into a cake pan without mixing.
Where did dump cake originate?
A 1980 Duncan Hines holiday recipe is credited with the origination of dump cakes.
What are some other variations of pig pickin cake?
While this Southern soul food pig pickin cake recipe is made from scratch. Many variations of this cake call for yellow cake mix.
You can make this recipe sugar-free by using a sugar-free vanilla pudding mix, sugar-free whipped cream, and a sugar-free substitute like bananas or apple sauce in the cake mix.
Wondering if fresh peaches would work also?
Peaches would also work in this recipe, but I’d suggest canned peaches because the softer texture will yield a moister cake.
What other toppings do people add to pig pickin cake?
Other topping variations include chopped pecans or walnuts. Shaved coconut sprinkled on top for texture.
Or powdered sugar or cream cheese is added to the cake frosting.
What is pig pickin style?
The pig pickin’, also known as the pig roast, pig picking, or hog calling, is a traditional Southern barbecue where a pig is roasted outside.
People gather to enjoy the tender roasted meat and bring their favorite pot luck side dishes to pair. This is also known as pig pickin style!
Can you make this in a Bundt pan?
People often ask, would this work in a Bundt pan?
The answer is yes! This specific recipe uses a Bundt pan, and you can make any cake in a Bundt pan.
It will work as long as the recipe has enough room to bake the cake and allow it to spread out.
Can this cake be made as a sheet cake? Can you make this cake round? Or can this be made in a 9×13″ pan instead?
There are a variety of cake pans. So you can male soul food pig pickin cake in any shape you choose!
This recipe uses a Bundt cake pan, but you can modify it into a sheet cake with a cake layer using a 9×13 pan. Or use a round cake pan.
Either way, as long as there is enough batter to spread out in your desired pan.
What is the difference between clementines and mandarin oranges?
The Gardening Channel tells us that clementines are a type of mandarin orange. A hybrid crossing mandarins with sweet oranges.
While mandarins are a group of several different fruits that include clementines, satsumas, tangerines, and other varieties.
Can you peel and freeze mandarin oranges?
Yes, and best if placed into freezer bags.
Do frozen mandarins taste good?
Yes, frozen mandarins hold their delicious taste. Also, they would work well in this recipe when thawed because they’re ideally less firm than fresh oranges.
Can you use fresh pineapple for this cake recipe?
Yes, fresh juicy pineapple is also excellent for the recipe. However, I prefer the pineapple to be canned, as it adds much more flavor and moisture to the cake!
How do you know the cake is done baking?
There are a few ways to ensure that the cake is baked.
The first way is by testing with a toothpick to see if the cake is cooked. The toothpick should come out clean with no cake batter or crumbs attached after it’s inserted into a middle area of the cake.
The second way is to gently press the top of the cake with your finger. If the cake bounces back, it’s done.
Do you need to keep the cake refrigerated?
Yes, keep the cake in the fridge due to the whipped topping used.
Whipped topping is made of heavy cream and shortening, plus the cream is pasteurized and refrigerated.
How do you stabilize your whipped topping?
You’ll want a firm mixture of whipped cream frosting for this cake.
Use the correct amount of whipped cream this recipe calls for, and refrigerate the cake before serving to firm up the topping.
How long can you keep this in the fridge?
For up to 5 days. Longer than that, I’d suggest freezing.
Can you freeze pig pickin cake (mandarin orange cake)?
You can freeze Southern soul food pig pickin cake for up to 3 months. However, I recommend slicing the cake before freezing so you can easily enjoy individual servings anytime!
What did you think about this Southern soul food pig pickin recipe?
Have you had it?
Would you make it?
Comment below and lemme know.
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Equipment
- Flour sifter
- Handheld or electric stand mixer
- Bundt cake pan
- Instant Pot Omni Plus oven (optional)
Ingredients
Ingredients for a Southern soul food original pig pickin cake recipe
- 2 ½ cups flour sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter cold
- 4 eggs
- 14 oz mandarin oranges 1 can
- ½ cup orange juice from the canned mandarin oranges
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients for the soul food pig pickin cake frosting
- 20 oz crushed pineapple and the canned pineapple juice (1 can)
- 4 oz instant vanilla pudding
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz. whipped cream 1 tub
Instructions
Instructions for Southern soul food pig pickin cake
- Sift the flour and add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix well until blended.
- Then cut the butter into small pats and use and use an electric mixer to combine it with the flour mixture. Mix until the texture is very fine, like sand, and the butter is completely and evenly distributed.
- Add the eggs, mandarin orange juice, and vanilla extract.
- Mix again on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until the cake batter is smooth and silky.
- Next, add the mandarin oranges to the cake and hand stir them into the cake batter.
- Pour the mixture into a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes in the conventional oven or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If using the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (I used a Bundt pan when making this pig pickin cake recipe.)
- Remove the baked pig pickin cake from the oven and set the cake pan on a baking rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and onto a baker’s cooling rack.
- Allow the cake to cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before frosting.
Instructions for the Southern soul food pig pickin cake frosting
- Drain the pineapple juice from the crushed pineapples and set the crushed pineapple aside.
- Add the instant pudding to the pineapple juice, and either by hand or on low speed with an electric mixer, whisk until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and whisk again until smooth.
- Then stir in the whipped cream until the mixture is combined and smooth.
- Now gently mix the set aside drained pineapple into the whipped cream frosting.
- Next, spread the pineapple mixture onto the cooled cake.
- Cover and refrigerate the frosted cake for about two hours to let the icing set.
- Slice and serve this Southern soul food pig pickin cake and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
A unique recipe that you must give a try. 😋