If It’s Good Enough For Connie Chung …

If Connie Chung were coming to your house, what would you serve? While you think about it, here’s the recipe for “Pig-Lickin’ Good Cake” that Newt Gingrich’s father, Robert, made for the CBS newswoman during her now-infamous interview. Proceed at your own risk.

Pig-Lickin’ Good Cake

Solid vegetable shortening to grease pans

Flour to dust pans

1 Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Yellow Cake Mix

11-ounce can mandarin orange slices, drained, syrup reserved

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

For the frosting:

20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

12 ounces Cool Whip, or equivalent

3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for metal or glass pans, 325 degrees for dark or coated pans. Grease sides and bottoms of two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans. Flour the pans lightly.

Place the dry cake mix in a large bowl. Add the syrup from the orange slices, plus however much water is required to equal 1 cups of liquid. Add the eggs and oil and beat mixture at low speed until moistened.

Add the drained orange slices. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into pans and bake immediately, 33 to 36 minutes for 8-inch pans, 28 to 31 minutes for 9-inchers, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake withdraws cleanly.

Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes, remove from pan, then cool completely before frosting.

“The big thing is the frosting,” the senior Gingrich said through a spokesman. Mix together the pineapple and Cool Whip, then slowly add the instant vanilla-pudding-mix powder. “Then beat it in,” Gingrich explained, adding, “If you put the frosting between the layers, it’s extra sinful.”

Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 499 calories, 3 grams protein, 72 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams fat, 53 milligrams cholesterol, 616 milligrams sodium.