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Pig Pickin' Cake!



I love the name of this cake!  Only in the South will you find a cake called "Pig Pickin' Cake" and only in the South will you find folks that know what "Pig Pickin'" means to begin with!   I have seen this recipe on various food sites and such and sometimes even if they get the name right, they still don't know why it's called "Pig Pickin' Cake".  

 I have seen a few attribute the name to how people 'pig out' when they get a taste of the cake or that they make pigs out of themselves over it.  

So, for those of you who are wondering about the name,  a 'pig pickin' is a pig roast or when a whole pig is barbequed for a bunch of people.  The guests all usually bring side dishes and desserts and that sort of thing and this cake became very popular as a perfect cool ending to such a meal. 

 Most think it gained popularity back in the seventies or around that time.  It seems like so many of the good recipes came about back in the seventies for some reason.  

Now there are several variations and even names for this cake, but this is the recipe my Aunt Vel uses and if I do say so myself, hers is one of the best.  

Here is what her recipe calls for:

 1 butter cake mix 
4 eggs
1/2/ cup vegetable oil
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can Mandarin oranges, chopped and drained (reserve juice)
Frosting
1 (5 oz.) box of  instant vanilla pudding
1 (8oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 (16 oz.) large frozen whipped topping


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, juice from the oranges and oil.  Fold in the Mandarin oranges and pecans.  

Prepare three 9 inch round cake pans.  Cut a circle of parchment or wax paper and place in the bottom of each pan.  Spray the pans and paper with nonstick baking spray.    Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. 

To prepare the frosting, mix the pudding mix, whipped topping and pineapple.  Be sure to buy "instant" pudding and not cook and serve.  Every time I post a recipe like this, someone will post a comment that  the frosting was runny and would not set up and when I question what kind of pudding they used, we will discover they did not use instant or left the pudding out completely.  That just won't work...lol.    Place the frosting in the fridge and allow it to chill for about 30 minutes before frosting the cake layers.   

Place the cake layers on a cake plate and frost between each layer and over the sides and top.   Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pig Pickin' Cake!






73 comments:

  1. Been making this for years, under the Missouri name of Mandarin Orange Cake.......LOL.... don't really know if it's a Missouri thing, just know its a crowd pleaser!

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    1. That is the Name I havr in my Recipe box. wow.

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    2. The original name is correct, but t goes back to the 1950s, not the 1970s. I believe it became popular around 1957-58 when "Dream Whip" first came out. Dream Whip was much easier to prepare than old fashioned whipped cream and was the fore-runner of Cool Whip. My recipe was saved by my grandmother and I was baking it in the 1960's after I married. Sadly, I lost the original recipe years ago.

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  2. Just made this today but in a 9x13. It was yummy! Definitely a keeper!

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    1. A lot less trouble than making the layers...

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    2. I would make it in a 9x 13 also

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  3. I am in the South and we call it "Pea Picking Cake"............

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    1. I am in the South also. I've always heard it called Pea Picken. My recipe calls for the juice of the oranges to be put in the cake mixture. It makes 2-9in layers. 3 makes the layers too thin.

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    2. When I was introduced to this cake it was Pea Pickin Cake. It needs to stay in refrigerate. It is sooo delicious!!!

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    3. same here ,I have always called it pea pickin but my recipe book says pineapple lau.never heard it called pig pickin.

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    4. OK have a question since ive seen post about frosting being runny and etc. Do you prepare the vanilla pudding then add it to the cool whip and pinapple or put the pudding mix in dry ?

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    5. Put the pudding in dry.

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  4. Does this cake taste like ambrosia salad?? Trying to imagine the taste...really want to make this..

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    1. Especially if you put coconut in the icing, it will taste like ambrosia with cake!!!

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  5. looks & sounds fabulously deliciouso! happy Memorial DaY! GOD BLESS! <3

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  6. In our family, this is 3 Day Cake, called that because it sits in the fridge for 3 days before eating- Not a easy thing to do, but it's well worth the wait!

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    1. Why does it have to sit in fridge for 3 days?

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    2. It gets really moist the longer it sets. I love the Fresh Coconut cake that stays in the frige for 3 days.

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  7. My family's love this cake, my mother in law taught me to fix this cake, she call it PEA PICKING CAKE, I put the instant pudding in dry on the cool whip. I use the extra pineapple juice in my batter.

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  8. In rural eastern Kentucky, we call that a Pig Lickin' cake! No matter what you call it, it is a super delicious cake.

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    1. We call it Pig Lickin' cake too. Everyone's favorite. Whenever I have any type of gathering, they always tell me to make this cake. YUMMY!!! I can't imagine anyone not liking it!

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  9. Gonna try this one with sugar and then sugar free. When I get results from sugar free one, I will come back and post. My husband is a recovering diabetic, not on meds anymore, but still watching sugar intake. He loves sweets and I know he would LOVE this cake.

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    1. no difference in the sugar free, just as good.

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    2. Nice to know there is no difference with sugar free cake, sugar free instant pudding too would be ideal for us diabetics! Moderation too!

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  10. In my neck of the woods it's a "Pig Lickin' Cake". :)

    Mary

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  11. I know what a pig pickin' is! And I love this cake - it's great!

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  12. G'day! Am American born and bred, but never head of this cake, TRUE!
    I WAS curious initially how you combined pig meat into a cake too! lol
    Cheers! Joanne
    What's On The List
    http://www.whatsonthelist.net

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  13. I am also in the South and we call it a Mandarin Orange Cake. My husband is diabetic and I use sugar free jello pudding and it turns out great. Cool Whip doesn't have sugar grams and when you cut 16 slices each slice comes out to be about 8 sugar grams. We all enjoy this and don't miss the sugar.

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    1. they have a sugar free cool whip you wont know the difference

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    2. I buy a sugar free cool whip no difference in the taste

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    3. The cake mix has sugar in it....way to much I'm sure :)

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  14. A schoolmate's mother introduced my family to this cake 20 years ago, and it's been a family favorite ever since! We are in Kansas and always called it "mandarin orange cake" but my Aunt Margie always made it for our annual family-reunion pig roast and called it "pig pickin cake" which I thought was so weird. Thank you for explaining what it meant-now it makes total sense! :D

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  15. This is my husband's favorite cake. When we had been married only a few weeks he was getting ready to leave for the USAF and I made one for him. It turned out beautifully and the night before he was to leave my parents cooked a special meal and the cake was to be our dessert. I proudly carried the cake to the table and sat it down... not seeing the knife that was just under the edge of the cake plate... PLOP! The cake fell into my lap. My sister in law laughed so hard she snorted and to this day (30 years later) she still laughs and calls it my "dump cake."

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  16. A dear aunt, Juanita, who I learned so much from, she is my husband's aunt...told me the very same thing you said, it was a cake brought to the gatherings when they had a pig roast...and I have made it several times. Juanita was a wonderful NC Southern woman, who taught me so much about sewing, cooking, baking, crochet, plants, anything Country...she passed away a couple of years ago...she was the BEST! Kris

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  17. I was born and bred in the 'Deep South', but have lived all over. I have heard this cake called many things, but believe 'Pig Pickin' is the original name....even though it is called ' Pea Pickin' in the South, which comes from a southern slang: anytime something taste really, really good it is refered to as 'pea pickin good.'

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    1. For those of you who remember Tennessee Ernie Ford, he used to always use the phrase "bless your pea pickin heart."

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    2. In North Carolina it was a pig pickin' cake because it was always taken to a pig pickin'. They were real popular there as were Chicken Stews.

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  18. I make the same cake but I call it Ambrose Cake. just had it for Memorial Day. No matter what its called its good.

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    1. I am from the deep south and we call it Ambrosia Cake.. Very good!!

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  19. Love to go to an ole timey pig picking and especially love it when someone brings this cake. Since I am diabetic I always look for sugar free alternatives and this one is just as good (or almost) using a sugar free cake mix, sugar free pudding and sugar free cool whip!!! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Janet Wright in Easley SC

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  20. Nut allergies abound in my household...anyone made it without the nuts?

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    1. My mother always made her's without nuts....and it was always delicious.....

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    2. Yes....I have never put nuts in mine..... very delicious still!!!!!

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  21. A co-worker made this cake and called it Pig Picking Cake and it was so good I have made it several times. I've also heard it called Mandarin Orange Cake, the name isn't as important as a good cake and it is good.

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  22. I'd love to try it, but have never seen s butter cake mix. Would yellow work?

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    1. Duncan Hines has a butter recipe cake mix but I am sure the regular yellow mix would work just as well....

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    2. They have them in Duncan Hines brand cake mixes. Where you see the word "yellow" on the front of the box....it will have the word "butter"...the picture still shows both cakes as a yellow cake. Very delicious cake for sure!!!!! Especially on a hot day!!!!

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    3. Replace butter as your oil in yellow. Just soften the butter, works in a pinch

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  23. I'm from the South and this a "PIG PICKIN CAKE" for sure. We also make Million Dollar Pies with some of the same ingredients.

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  24. My Mother in-law called it "Better Than Sex Cake"

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    1. That would be from a woman's point of view :-)

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  25. I've been making one similar for years, only difference is the pecans and in the recipe book it's called a Sunshine Cake, love the addition of pecans tho. This is a keeper for sure!

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  26. Do you mix the pudding mix according to box directions or do you add it dry to the cool whip??

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    1. As I read the directions, it doesn't say to add the milk that you would normally to instant pudding. So, NO, I would say do not mix pudding according to the box

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    2. correct...do NOT make pudding...just add the dry pudding mix direct from the box.

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  27. Everybody is going to call it something different. Around here its a Pig Pickin Cake and anytime theres a bbq or a pig pickin you can bet money on it that there is at least two.

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  28. We have a lady at church that always makes this cake for every eating occasion there. Therefore we call it: "Ms Doycene's Cake"! We skip the regular and go straight to the dessert table to make sure we get a slice!

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  29. Have made this cake for MANY years and never heard it called a Pig Pickin Cake... one of my family's favorites...

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  30. Oh, my goodness! I was just talking about finding a "pig" cake this morning to my Alabama fan in the house....too funny!

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  31. I have been making it for at least 30 years and always knew it as Aunt Joy cake. Don't know why, but I never have an Aunt Joy either!

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  32. My mama made this but with cut up Marchino Cherries in the icing. :0

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  33. My aunt, from Georgia makes this cakeand I think she calls it "hummingbird cake". Go figure...
    It is delicious!

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    1. I have a hummingbird cake recipe and it is much different.

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  34. I'm a proud Arkansas Razorback :) but have never heard this cake called anything but "hummingbird cake". Cannot wait to make/serve at the next HOG ball partay!!! WPS!

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  35. The "Hummingbird cake" has bananas, pineapple and pecans in it. The Pea Picking cake does not have bananas or pecans. I make both cakes and the Pea Picking is a very light tasting cake and does not make you feel so full after a big Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. The Hummingbird cake is a much richer cake and seems a little too much after a large meal.

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  36. this same cake has different names in different states...mostly southern states = Alabama and Georgia call it the "Pea Picking Cake" for the family gatherings at harvest times of long ago....I know the North and South Carolinas call it " Pig Picking Cake" for the whole pig roasted in the ground and every one "picks" the meat off the pig when it's done........very yummy and sometimes I do it as a "punchbowl" cake and just spoon it up. ( I do it in alternating layers and
    no worries about frosting dripping then)

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  37. I use orange supreme cake mix it's yummy

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  38. The first time a co-worker brought this cake to work.....I thought she said it was a pig licking cake!.....everyone got a good laugh when I asked her to bring another one of her pig LICKING cakes!

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  39. Can you use real whip cream?

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  40. Could this cake be made ahead and frozen?

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