On a slow, sticky afternoon in the South, the scene for a Father's Day cookout is set. Magnolias fall, country music blasts away and the smell of a roasting pig fills the air.
Friends and family have been partying, tending the fire, and roasting the pig for anywhere from 10 to 16 hours. As a result, the meat is so tender that it can be picked off the bone, hence the name "pig pickin'." And the crown jewel of summer desserts, pig pickin' cake, sits on a table laden with heavy Southern sides such as boiled peanuts, butter beans, baked mac' n' cheese, biscuits, fried green tomatoes or okra and collard greens.
Pig pickin' gatherings are popular all over the South, but are most concentrated in the lower regions in North Carolina and South Carolina, where the cake is most popular.
The cake and its name have evolved as it spread throughout the Southeast. While it is always known as pig pickin' cake in North Carolina, it is sometimes called mandarin-orange cake, pig cake, pig eatin' cake or pea pickin' cake (picking the garden peas can be long and arduous, and so always worth celebrating) elsewhere.
Considered to be lighter than its counterparts - cobblers, pies and heavier cakes such as red velvet or jam - the pig pickin' cake is usually a simple three-layer yellow cake with mandarin oranges in the batter to keep it light and moist, and topped with a crushed pineapple whipped cream frosting.
The cake doesn't have to be made from scratch, and boxed yellow cake mixes work just as well. Traditional recipes call for just canned mandarin oranges but I used canned mangoes along with oranges in the batter. I also used the oranges to pretty up the top layer.
While crushed pineapple whipped cream frosting is traditionally used, I followed the tradition of Southern church ladies and topped the cake with buttercream frosting and added coconut shavings and crushed pineapple for texture and a hint of complexity.
Cakes don't get easier than this and the pig pickin' cake can be served for a planned birthday celebration or an impromptu potluck gathering.
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PIG PICKIN' CAKE
This cake batter recipe first appeared on the website Seriouseats, as many Southern recipes use boxed cake mix, or charming details such as "two fistfuls of flour". Instead of a three-layered cake, I baked one with two thick layers. The cake tastes better when it is frosted and left in the refrigerator for a couple of hours as the fruit flavors come to the forefront and the cake is more moist.
For the cake
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces, plus more for greasing pans
4 eggs, room temperature
2 yolks, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 (11-ounces) can mandarin oranges, drained, saving 15 slices for garnish
1 (11-ounces) can diced mango
2 tablespoons zest from one orange
For buttercream frosting
1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups (1 pound) sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 1/3 cup coconut flakes
Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two cake pans and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter together on high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Reduce mixer speed to medium, and add eggs and yolks, one at a time, mixing well between each addition until incorporated and scraping down sides with a rubber spatula as needed.
Mix in vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk a third at a time on low speed, mixing until just incorporated. Add mandarin oranges, mangos and zest. Beat on high speed until the fruit is crushed and well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Divide batter equally among cake pans and bake until golden brown and springy to the touch and cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25-27 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
Cool cakes in the pan for 15 minutes then carefully release from the pan onto cooling racks to cool completely. Do not assemble cake until it has completely cooled.
For frosting, beat shortening and butter with a hand-mixer on medium speed. Add sugar, one cup at a time, until mixture is fully incorporated.
Add vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Then add pineapple and coconut flakes, until it is just mixed.
To assemble the cake, spread frosting on bottom layer. Top with second layer and spread frosting on top and sides.
Garnish cake with reserved mandarin oranges.
- Adapted from Seriouseats.com