Pig Pickin' Cake

Traditional dessert served at a Southeastern North Carolina Pig Pickin...right up there with banana pudding!

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 9X13 cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) box  yellow cake mix (or your favorite recipe)
• 3  eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1⁄3 cup  oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1 1⁄3 cups water (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1 (16 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 (3 1/2ounce) box vanilla pudding mix (or your favorite pudding recipe)
• 2  cups milk
• 1  banana (optional)
• 12  ounces Cool Whip or 12  ounces  fresh  sweetened whipped cream
• 1⁄2 cup  toasted coconut

Directions

1. Prepare the yellow cake mix as directed for a 9 X 13 pan.
2. (I sometimes use the liquid reserved from the crushed pineapple as part of the liquid in the cake).
3. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
4. Spread the crushed pineapple evenly over the cake (use good judgement, you don’t want to oversoak the cake).
5. Prepare the pudding mix as directed with the 2 cups of milk, or prepare your own recipe for vanilla pudding.
6. If using a cooked pudding, prepare it ahead and allow it to cool completely before adding to the cake.
7. Spread the pudding evenly over the cake and pineapple.
8. If using, slice the banana and arrange slices evenly over the pudding.
9. Spread the Cool Whip or whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake to frost.
10. Sprinkle with toasted coconut to taste.
11. Keep in the refrigerator.
12. The longer it sets, the better it tastes.