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!