Eating from the Pantry: Pig Pickin' Cake

I'll admit it's an odd name for a cake, but I only bake them not name them. Two summers ago we ate a local BBQ place that served Pig Pickin' Cake for dessert and when I got home I immediately googled it finding hundreds of different recipes.

After narrowing it down to one I decided to make it as a sheet cake so that it's easier to transport. It was delicious and moist - perfect for a hot summer day or an Easter picnic like this past weekend.

Pig Pickin' Cake
(adapted from this recipe)




1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter
11 oz can mandarin oranges
1 3.4 oz package of instant vanilla pudding
15 oz can of crushed pineapple including juice
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1 8 oz cool whip, thawed


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease & flour a 9 x 13 pan. Mix the cake mix, eggs, butter and mandarin oranges in a large bowl for 3 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes cool completely before icing.


For the icing mix the pudding and pineapple; add pecans & coconut. Then carefully fold the cool whip into the pudding mixture. Spread onto layers and refrigerate.