Lazy Daisy Cake

Lazy Daisy Cake is a buttery vintage cake recipe with a unique broiled topping that can be made from start to finish in under one hour!

5 from 4 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

Lazy Daisy Cake is a buttery, caramelly simple homemade vintage cake recipe. This lovely cake with a unique broiled topping features common ingredients and can be made from start to finish in under an hour!

Packed with tantalizing, nostalgic flavors like brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and coconut, this Lazy Daisy Cake is a beloved old recipe.

For many people, this cake was a childhood staple. It was a sweet treat that our mothers could mix together quickly with ingredients that were usually on hand. Even young, first-time bakers remember starting out with this recipe and could manage it with little-to-no help.

But, even if you didn’t grow up enjoying this fluffy, moist yellow cake, it’s not too late to fall in love with it now! Who wouldn’t like having warm slices of a rich, tasty cake ready to eat in under an hour? 

The deliciously moist layer is definitely incredible, but the star of this dessert is the broiled coconut topping. There’s no need to fuss with icing when using this gooey, chewy layer of caramel and coconut!

Whether this recipe is an old favorite or completely new to you, you’re sure to fall for this delicious vintage cake recipe!

• It’s an easy, time-tested vintage recipe.
• The flavors will remind you of a lighter, more buttery German chocolate cake.
• The decadent caramel coconut topping takes the place of messy frosting.
• It’s a quick-to-make, tasty any-time treat.

• Milk – I recommend whole milk for the best results.
• Light Brown Sugar – When measuring brown sugar, make sure to firmly pack it into the measuring cup to get an accurate measurement.
• Evaporated Milk – Remember that canned evaporated milk and condensed milk are two very different things. You need evaporated for this recipe. I always recommend Carnation brand.
• Shredded Coconut – Look for coconut in the baking aisle. My preferred brand is Baker’s Angel Flake.

1. Place an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or glass baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Heat together the butter and milk just until the butter has completely melted. Remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla. Set aside.
4. Use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
5. Alternately fold the flour and warm milk mixture into the egg mixture until completely incorporated.

Must Have Baking Dish

Clear, nonporous Pyrex glass won’t stain or absorb odors; Safe for oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher; made in USA.

Check it out >

Pyrex 9×13 Baking Dish

6. Transfer the finished batter to the prepared baking dish or pan.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes).

8. While the cake is cooling, make the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and coconut.
9. Spread the topping evenly over the baked layer.
10. Turn on the oven broiler element; transfer the pan to the oven and broil until brown and bubbly.
11. Remove from the oven. Let cool briefly. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

• Not a huge fan of coconut? Try making the topping with nuts instead. Chopped pecans or walnuts would be delicious!
• Vary this recipe to make a shortcut German chocolate cake by adding Dutch process cocoa powder and some melted chocolate chips to the batter.
• Turn it into an on-the-go snack by baking the batter as cupcakes! Simply pour the batter into lined cupcake cups and bake for 15-20 minutes. Add the topping and broil briefly.

• If you’re in a hurry, you can use a boxed yellow cake mix instead of making the batter from scratch. It won’t taste exactly the same as the from-scratch recipe, but the homemade coconut topping will still add loads of flavor and texture.
• Don’t forget to both grease and flour the pan or baking dish! The combination of these two anti-stick ingredients will ensure that your dessert slides out of the pan with ease.

I recommend slicing leftovers into individual serving-sized pieces and wrapping them with plastic wrap before storing in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

You may choose to serve the cake either warm or at room temperature. To reheat individual servings, simply pop them in the microwave and heat in 30-second increments until warmed through.

This dessert can easily be made entirely ahead of time! Bake and top as directed in the recipe, but wait to broil it until just before you’re ready to serve.

• Red Velvet Cake
• Never Fail Pound Cake
• Lemon Pudding Cake with Cherry Coulis
• Mississippi Mud Cake
• Honey Bun Cake

📖 Recipe

Lazy Daisy Cake

Lazy Daisy Cake is a buttery vintage cake recipe with a unique broiled topping that can be made from start to finish in under one hour!

5 from 4 votes

Print It Rate It Save Saved! Text It

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 15 servings

Calories: 373kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 cup milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 4 eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups sugar

Topping:

• ▢ 9 tablespoons butter melted
• ▢ ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 6 tablespoons evaporated milk (recommended: Carnation)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups shredded coconut (recommended: Baker's Angel Flake)

Instructions

Make the Layer:

• Place an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or glass baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Heat together the butter and milk just until the butter has completely melted. Remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla. Set aside.
• Use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Alternately fold the flour and warm milk mixture into the egg mixture until completely incorporated.
• Transfer the finished batter to the prepared baking dish or pan.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes).

Make the Topping:

• While the cake is cooling, make the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and coconut.
• Spread the topping evenly over the baked layer.
• Turn on the oven broiler element; transfer the pan to the oven and broil until brown and bubbly.
• Remove from the oven. Let cool briefly. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

• Be sure to both grease and flour the pan or baking dish to ensure your dessert slides out of the pan with ease.
• To make ahead, bake and top as directed in the recipe, but wait to broil it until just before you’re ready to serve.
• To store, slice into individual serving-sized pieces and wrap with plastic wrap before storing in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Serve either warm or at room temperature. To reheat individual servings, simply pop them in the microwave and heat in 30-second increments until warmed through.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 373kcal | Carbohydrates 56g | Protein 5g | Fat 15g | Saturated Fat 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat 1g | Monounsaturated Fat 3g | Trans Fat 0.4g | Cholesterol 73mg | Sodium 269mg | Potassium 126mg | Fiber 1g | Sugar 43g | Vitamin A 407IU | Vitamin C 0.2mg | Calcium 90mg | Iron 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

Share on Facebook Pin Recipe

Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Follow @LanasCookingBlog or tag #LanasCooking!

— This was post was originally published on September 19, 2012. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.