How The Sweet Southern Pig Pickin' Cake Got Its Uncanny Name
Would you say yes to a slice of Pig Pickin' Cake? The answer may depend on where you're from, as this unique dish is almost exclusively made in the southern United States, particularly North Carolina, where it is a beloved regional specialty. If you're an outsider though, you're probably wondering what the heck a Pig Pickin' Cake even is. The words "pig" and "cake" are an unexpected combination, to say the least, but this is not a cake made with pork if that's what you're thinking. Pig Pickin' Cake is a sweet dessert, and its name actually refers to a type of outdoor cookout colloquially known as a pig pickin'.
Pig Pickin' Cake has a number of other names, including pig cake, sunshine cake, summer cake, and the most common alternative, mandarin orange cake. That title isn't nearly as catchy as Pig Pickin' Cake, but it is certainly a more accurate descriptor. Pig Pickin' Cake is made by combining a boxed yellow cake mix with canned mandarin oranges, eggs, and butter or oil.
You bake that off (yes, it's really that simple), then top it with a frosting made from whipped topping, vanilla pudding, and canned crushed pineapple. It is exceptionally sweet, bearing the essence of tropical fruit punch, and it exudes a summer cookout vibe. Of course, outsiders must still be confused here, as the pig pickin' is a regional specialty in its own right.
Pig pickin' is a North Carolina tradition
A pig pickin' (also spelled "pig pick'n") is a communal meal that features a whole roasted pig as the main course. As far a cry as one can find from a stuffy dinner party, pig pickins are laid-back affairs, typically hosted outside using disposable plates and silverware. They might be held to celebrate special events, or just because the weather's good and you're craving some pork.
Depending on the occasion, the guest list is bound to include some combination of family, friends, and neighbors. Everyone can bring something to the table, potluck-style, but the centerpiece is always pork. If you're invited to a pig pickin', you'd better bring an appetite because they'll be roasting a whole pig. When it's done, guests pluck tender morsels of pork right off the bone, hence the name "pig pickin'".
As important as the main course is, no pig pickin' is complete without side dishes, drinks, and dessert. Traditional accompaniments include baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, hushpuppies, and bread rolls. Thirst-quenching sweet tea and lemonade must be on hand, and when it comes to dessert, there are two traditional offerings: banana pudding and, of course, Pig Pickin' Cake. Such cookouts are popular throughout the American South, but especially in North Carolina. The state, whose governor in 1972 declared it the "Pig Pickin' Capital of the World," is credited with inventing this cake.
The world of dump cakes
If you've never heard of a dump cake before, don't worry, it's much better than it sounds. When we went over the basic preparation of a Pig Pickin' Cake at the beginning, we noted how simple it is, and that's what dump cakes are all about. They consist of canned fruit or pie filling that you dump into a baking dish along with boxed cake mix ... and that's about it. Some varieties add ingredients like butter, oil, and eggs, and some recipes don't even bother with stirring the batter, instead letting the cake mix turn into a crumbly cobbler-like topping. You could use just about any kind of canned fruit you want, like in this Tart Cherry Dump Cake, which uses ready-made cherry pie filling.
Pig Pickin' Cake earned an entry in "The Absolute Best Dump Cake Cookbook: More Than 60 Tasty Dump Cakes" from Rockridge Press, which notes that it is more complicated than most dump cakes. The addition of frosting is a particularly notable difference. However, it is still a breeze to prepare compared to many other, more laborious, types of cake. It is worth noting that Pig Pickin' Cake is not always made in the dump cake style. Some versions are made completely from scratch, ditching the boxed cake mix, and depending on the baker, some versions may add vanilla extract for flavor. Walnuts, pecans, and even shredded coconut may also end up in the dish, depending on who's baking it.