Pig Cake Recipe with Mandarin Orange and PineappleABy Ashton · Updated August 24, 20264.518 reviews·Total 40 min·Serves 8-12Jump to Recipe Save Pin Add to Google posted by Ashton on August 24, 2026 Y’all, if you’ve never made this pig cake recipe, I am so excited for you right now — because your life is about to change! 🐷🎉 This is Grandma’s legendary Pig Pickin’ Cake: a moist, fluffy boxed yellow cake mix loaded with juicy mandarin oranges, topped with the dreamiest fluffy pineapple frosting made from cool whip, instant vanilla pudding mix, and drained crushed pineapple. It is the perfect dessert for family gatherings, church potluck spreads, and hot summer days when you need something cold and creamy and absolutely ah-mazing. What Is Pig Pickin’ Cake? So glad you asked! Pig pickin’ cake — also called pea pickin’ cake, mandarin orange cake, or sunshine cake — is a classic southern recipe with serious southern roots. It got its name because it’s traditionally served at pig roasts, whole hog cookouts, and backyard barbecues across southern states. It’s one of those favorite potluck desserts that disappears in minutes! The combination of mandarin oranges baked right into the cake batter gives it a bright citrus flavor and a bright orange flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy pineapple topping. This fruity cake is honestly one of my all-time favorite cakes — and once you taste it, you’ll get why it’s such a popular dessert and a true southern staple. What You Need to Make This Pig Cake Recipe The only thing you need to know before you start is that this is a super easy, totally foolproof cake recipe built on a box cake mix — no stress, no fuss! For the cake layers, grab a box of yellow cake mix (a boxed yellow cake mix, white cake mix, or even french vanilla works beautifully!), large eggs, vegetable oil, and a can of mandarin oranges — don’t drain them, we’re using that cup of the juice right in the cake batter! Reserve juice from the can for extra bright citrus flavor. For the fluffy pineapple frosting, you’ll need an instant pudding mix (instant vanilla pudding mix is classic), whipped topping like cool whip, and drained pineapple — specifically drained crushed pineapple. Optionally top with maraschino cherries for a little extra fun. Be sure your large eggs are at room temperature for best results! Recipe Tips & Notes This cake can easily be made ahead of time and kept chilled in the refrigerator. Just be sure to cover with plastic wrap so that the topping doesn’t form a skin. It actually tastes even better the next day!You could substitute drained pineapple for the mandarin oranges in the cake batter if you wanted to — hello, pineapple flavor! You could also swap the pineapple juice for cup juice from the mandarin orange can in the frosting.The pudding flavor could also be changed. Cheesecake and white chocolate flavored pudding mix taste similar to vanilla, or go wild with banana!Try making my easy stable whipped cream — basically homemade whipped cream — in place of the cool whip for an extra-dreamy topping!This works as a sheet cake baked in a 9×13 pan or as a layered cake using two 8-inch cake pans. Grease — f. grease and flour — your prepared pans well before pouring in batter. How to Make Grandma’s Pig Pickin’ Cake Making this traditional southern dessert is SO simple — I literally can’t even believe how easy it is every single time! In a large bowl, combine your box cake mix, large eggs, vegetable oil, and the full can of mandarin oranges with juice. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer (electric mixer, honestly, either works!) and mix until just combined — don’t overmix! Pour into your prepared pans. The cake cools completely on a wire rack before frosting — patience, friends! While the cooled cake waits, whip together your whipped topping, instant pudding mix, drained crushed pineapple, and a splash of vanilla extract for the frosting. Spread it generously over the top of the cake and the sides of the cake. You can find full instructions on the recipe card below! If you love fruity, layered desserts, check out this gorgeous Red Velvet, White, and Blueberry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe too — swoon! 😍 Why This Is One of the Best Southern Recipes Around Can we talk about why this pig pickin’ cake is genuinely one of the coolest, most beloved cool cakes in the whole southern tradition? It’s easy transport to family reunions — just cover and go. Cake tests don’t lie: every single person who tastes it asks for the recipe card. It’s a fruity flavor explosion with that bright citrus from the mandarin orange slice baked in, plus creamy pineapple on top — be still my heart. Whether you make it as a layer cake or a sheet cake, it truly is a classic. If you love big, showstopping cake recipes, you might also adore Grandma’s Famous 6-Layer Cake! And hey, if you need a fun summer side, my Frog Eye Salad Recipe is another family reunion all-star. Now go make this — you have to make this! ⭐ Drop a star rating below and let me know how it goes! Love Cool Whip Cakes? Me too! Check out some of my favorite chilled cake recipes below. Red Velvet Turtle Poke Cake Salted Caramel Poke Cake Reese’s Cup Poke Cake Pig Cake Yield: 8-12 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Save this recipe for later: Save Pin Add to Google Super moist yellow cake filled with mandarin oranges with a creamy vanilla pineapple whipped topping. This cake gets its name from its frequent and popular appearances at pig pickings. But, I think its name more aptly describes how "piggy" it will make you after the first bite! Print Ingredients Frosting: 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix (sugar free kind is okay too) 8 ounces Cool Whip 16 ounces canned crushed pineapple, with juice Cake: 1 Yellow Cake mix (ONLY the dry mix) 4 eggs 1/2 cup oil 15 ounces canned mandarin oranges, with juice Instructions Make the Whipped Topping: Whisk together the crushed pineapple (with juice) with the instant pudding mix until it begins to thicken. Fold in the Cool Whip. Cover and chill for about an hour (should be about the same amount of time it takes to make, bake, and cool the cakes). Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Prepare a 9x13 cake pan with by spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together the cake mix, eggs, oil, and canned oranges with juice until batter forms. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, just until it is golden on top. A toothpick inserted should come out clean. Let cool completely before topping. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
