Pig Pickin’ Cake Recipe {Pineapple Mandarin Cake}

Growing up we called this Mom’s Pineapple Mandarin Cake but I’ve since learned most others call it a pig pickin’ cake recipe! Either way, it’s made with vanilla pudding, cool whip and mandarin oranges has been served at hundreds of family get togethers and church picnics!

Some call this pig pickin’ cake, others call it pineapple sunshine cake. Any way you look at it, you can bet on one thing – this mandarin dessert is delicious!

My Mom is the baker, I’m the cook.

Well, quite honestly she’s a good cook, too. She can whip up desserts, breads, and pastries from scratch like it’s nothing.

And then there’s me.

Give me a cake recipe using a box mix any day of the week. I will add a few things to it and make it extra delicious, and I will proudly turn around and serve that bad boy.

No guilt here. Because has anyone ever turned down one of my desserts?

Nope. That’s what I thought…

So we’re good, friends. Don’t feel one bit a shame making a shortcut recipe. People will eat it, I promise.

Note: I may use referral or affiliate links for the products I love.

How to make pig pickin’ cake

The players here are simple.

• Yellow cake mix
• Cool Whip
• Eggs
• Vanilla pudding
• Crushed Pineapple
• Mandarin Oranges

And see that cake below? It’s gonna get alllll covered out so I’m not worried about how that looks for a minute. We’re good.

I love that this cake only has a handful ingredients, one of them being yellow cake mix.

Hey, we take the short cuts where we can get them!

The frosting is super light and airy and not heavy at all. And the longer the cake sits, the moister the cake gets. But honestly, it won’t be around that long.

Because it’s goooooood.

You can see all the easy instructions in my recipe below. Basically, it goes like this:

Mix four things. Bake.

Mix 3 things. Frost.

Eat!!

Other vintage dessert recipes to try:

• Orange Fluff Salad
• Pineapple Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Scotcheroos
• Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Note: I may use referral or affiliate links for the products I love.

Mom’s Best Pineapple Mandarin Cake (Pig Pickin’ Cake)

Mom's Pineapple Mandarin Cake with vanilla pudding, cool whip and mandarin oranges has been served at hundreds of family get togethers and church picnics!

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pig pickin’ cake, pineapple mandarin cake

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Deanne Frieders

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 small can mandarin oranges with juice

FOR THE FROSTING

• 8 oz Cool Whip Whipped Topping
• 1 large can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 3 oz package instant vanilla pudding

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CAKE

• Mix together oil, cake mix and eggs until combined. Stir in mandarin oranges. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool

TO MAKE THE FROSTING

• Sprinkle dry pudding into Cool Whip and beat until blended. Add pineapple and fold in. Frost cake and refrigerate. Cut into squares to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal

Love this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest at @ifeedfarmers or save this recipe for later by using the Pin button at the top of this recipe!

If you’d like more easy recipes, join my newsletter! I’m always sending out delicious tips and recipes!

See on Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck