For His Master's Veneration: Pig Pickin’ Cake

Pig Pickin' is a funny name for a truly delicious cake! This Southern classic features a mandarin orange cake and a unique, refreshing pineapple frosting. In the Midwest when we roast a whole pig, we refer to it as a pig roast. In North and South Carolina pig roasts are known as Pig Pickin’s! This sweet fruit filled cake is just the perfect ending.

This was chosen for the birthday party of a great friend, Ellen. Most here have never heard of it so it will be a great surprise.

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine (softened)*
1 can(14 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained, ½ cup juice reserved
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 (4 oz.) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 can (20 oz. can) crushed pineapple, juice reserved
4 oz. whipped topping (half a regular tub)
extra mandarin orange slices, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Note this is using a dark pan! Lighter pans use 350.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Set aside.

NOTE: to soften the butter: On a microwave safe plate, set a bowl with a cup of water in it. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Carefully empty the water out of the bowl. Place stick on that plate and invert the bowl on top. Let sit for about 5 minutes. This properly softens any cold stick of butter without melting it.

Open the mandarin oranges and drain juice into a ½ cup measure. Thoroughly drain the rest. Set aside.

For the cake, combine cake mix, butter, ½ cup juice from the mandarin oranges, eggs, and vanilla. Set a timer and beat for four minutes on medium-high.

NOTE always crack eggs into a bowl first before adding to mixer – that way no shells in batter!

Scrape down the sides of bowl and add the drained oranges. Beat again until pieces are broken up and small, about 1 minute, no more. Pour batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Smooth out the batter with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Basically you want the cake to be lightly golden brown and set. Remove from oven and cool completely.

As an aside: a good Master will let you lick the beaters. A kind Master will turn off the mixer first!

Once cake is cool, blend juice from drained pineapples with the vanilla pudding mix.

Fold in the whipped topping. Stir in the drained crushed pineapple.

Spread on cooled cake.

For this cake, slave chose to add a fancy decoration. Ellen loves butterflies.

So down-loaded a picture of one. Took out the color and printed as large as would fit on a sheet of paper.

Taped it face side down to a sheet of waxed paper.

Turned it over and cut out the butterfly. This is easier if you cut the template down the middle in half and tape it back after the cut.

Now you have a great stencil.

Lay this carefully wax paper side down on top of the frosting. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Carefully remove the stencil and there you have a beautiful butterfly appearing on your cake.