Description
This Classic Pig Pickin’ Cake is a delightful Southern dessert featuring a moist yellow cake layered with juicy mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, and a creamy whipped topping with instant vanilla pudding. Perfectly chilled, this cake offers a refreshing and fruity treat that’s ideal for warm weather gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup water
Fruit and Topping
- 2 (11 oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with juices
- 1 (16 oz) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to ensure the cake doesn’t stick after baking.
- Mixing the Batter: In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, vegetable or canola oil, and water. Stir until the batter is smooth and well blended.
- Baking: Pour the prepared batter evenly into the greased baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cooling the Cake: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent the topping from melting.
- Preparing the Topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the instant vanilla pudding mix with the crushed pineapple (including the juices) and stir well. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assembling: Spread the creamy pineapple pudding mixture evenly over the cooled cake. Top the entire cake with the drained mandarin oranges evenly to create a fresh fruity layer.
- Chilling: Refrigerate the assembled cake for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the topping to set beautifully.
Notes
- Ensure the cake is completely cooled before adding the topping to prevent it from melting.
- For extra flavor, reserve some pineapple juice to lightly brush on the cake before frosting.
- This cake is best served chilled but should be brought to room temperature for about 10 minutes for easier slicing.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Use fresh whipped topping if preferred, but thawed frozen whipped topping works best for texture.
