Texas Tornado Cake (Do Nothing Cake)
This Texas Tornado Cake, also known as Do Nothing Cake, is a one-bowl pineapple sheet cake topped with a hot cooked coconut pecan topping that soaks into the cake for a classic Southern dessert.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 530kcal
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
For the Tornado Cake
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 oz canned crushed pineapple (with juice, do not drain)
For the Coconut Pecan Topping
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ⅔ cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup coconut sweetened, shredded or flakes
Instructions
For the Do Nothing Tornado Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan with non stick spray, oil, or butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.PRO TIP: You can replace these four ingredients with a packaged yellow cake mix.2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and crushed pineapple to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix together until combined.2 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 20 oz canned crushed pineapple
- Pour cake batter into your prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and set the pan on a rack. While the cake is still hot, use the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick to poke holes across the top about 1 inch apart.
For the Coconut Pecan Topping
- While the cake is baking, prepare the coconut pecan topping. Heat the butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla in a saucepan until it begins to boil.½ cup salted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, ⅔ cup evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the pecans and coconut.1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup coconut
- Pour the hot topping over the hot, poked cake and spread evenly. Let the cake rest 20 to 30 minutes before slicing so the topping can soak in.
Notes
- Don't drain the pineapple, the pineapple juice is part of your liquids.
- Don't Overmix the Batter: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cake tough and dry instead of light and moist.
- Don't Rush the Frosting Cook: When making the coconut pecan frosting, cook it gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to the consistency of a pourable custard. Rushing this step can lead to a thin, runny frosting or a burnt one.
- Poke while hot: Poke the cake while it is still hot so the topping can soak in.
- Stir constantly: Stir the topping the entire time it boils to prevent scorching and keep it smooth.
- Use a medium saucepan: The topping bubbles up quickly once it hits a boil.
- Optional browned butter: For deeper flavor, brown the butter before adding the sugar and milk.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg
