Vintage Lazy Daisy Cake - a buttery yellow cake layer with a broiled coconut topping.
I just love old recipes. Making a recipe from years gone by is like a visit with an old friend. It just feels so comfortable and familiar.
That's exactly what this cake recipe is - old. And comfortable. And so familiar.
Lazy Daisy Cake is a dessert that originated during the 1940's before boxed mixes became widely available and people still cooked mainly from scratch. You might have even enjoyed this once or twice during your growing up years.
So easy to make, you could mix this cake up in a few minutes and pop it in the oven while you're cooking dinner. Homemade cake for dessert on a week night. Yes! And no ordinary cake, either.
The layer is wonderfully buttery but not too rich and the topping...oh, wow, that topping! The brown sugar and coconut topping is spread over the still warm cake and broiled until it's all melty, caramel-ly, and toasted. If you like coconut, you're going to love this.
I just can't explain how delicious this cake is. You'll have to make one and find out for yourself!
How to Make Lazy Daisy Cake
Start by preheating your oven and preparing a 9x13 pan. Then whisk together the dry ingredients in a little bowl. Warm the milk with the butter just until the butter melts and add the vanilla to the pan.
Using a mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until they're pale and thick. It takes about 6 minutes or so.
Now, use a spatula to mix in the dry ingredients and milk until just incorporated. The batter will surprise you. It's thinner than you might think.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes). Take the cake out and let it cool slightly while you mix together the topping ingredients.
Spread the topping over the cake and place it under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until nice and bubbly and the coconut begins to toast. Serve warm.
The cake can be stored at room temperature for at least 4 days. You'll want to reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Enjoy!
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Lazy Daisy Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons tblsp. 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
- 1 ½ cups shredded coconut
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Heat the butter and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Stir in the vanilla.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick, about 6 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture and milk mixture alternately until just incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cool slightly in the pan, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the broiler.
For the topping:
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and coconut in a medium bowl.
- Spread the topping evenly over cake.
- Broil until topping bubbles and just begins to brown, 3-4 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
More Old Fashioned Cake Recipes ...
- One-Bowl Chocolate Mocha Cream Cake from MyRecipes.com
- Vintage Cake Recipes from Gram's Recipe Box
Lnclaunc says
This was my favorite cake growing up. I even requested it for birthdays (that was 75 years ago). My mom’s recipe called for cake flour and added chopped pecans to the topping. My mouth waters at the memory. Glad to see the cake revived, and can’t wait to try yours.
Lana Stuart says
We just love this old recipe! Pecans in the topping sounds delicious.
Emma says
Thank you for the recipe....When I worked as dietary aide {known then as tray girls} at a large hospital, they always had Lazy Daisy cake on Fridays..Being from a poor family, the supervisor always made sure I had my big piece of the fresh cake. Guess they were easy to make and served so may people, many of whom were Veterans..Loved my job and the memories and will NEVER FORGET THAT SCRUMPTIOUS CAKE!
Lana Stuart says
I'm so glad I could bring back a happy memory for you! It really is a delicious cake :-)
Lindy Lu says
Thanks so much Lana for posting the Lazy Daisy Cake Recipe!! This was the first cake my grandmother helped me bake!! The memory and experience is one I hold dear to my heart!! I miss her and this recipe will be passed on to my daughter and grand-daughter. Thanks again!♥♥♥
Lana Stuart says
I'm so glad that you found the recipe! Hope you enjoy it.
Angela says
This cake sounds very similar to one my mom made when I was growing up. She just called it "Coffee Cake". Since I can't find her recipe anywhere, I'll try making this one. Hopefully, it will be close to the one she made. It was delicious! I know that we won't be able to eat the entire cake in 4 days, so do you think this cake would come out ok if I cut all of the ingredients in half, and baked the cake in a 9"x9" cake pan? If so, how long should I bake it? Also, would the entire cake store longer in the fridge, or should I freeze half of it for another day? I too love old recipes, so please keep them coming!
Beth Wils says
Just found your blog. See that you enjoy old recipes. Had one that I made regularly in the 50's/60's, but have lost in moving over the years. Maybe you or a friend could up-date my collection. It sounds similar to your Lazy Daisy Cake with a few exceptions. The original recipe was on the Ballard Obelisk Self Rising Flour box and it was called Daisy Cake. I do not remember the correct amounts, but it had sugar, shortening, eggs, flour, vanilla, and milk. Baked for 50 minutes in a tube pan. It was my husbands favorite eaten warm with no icing. If it was cold he would butter a slice and put under the broiler. I would love anyone's help with this. Thanks BW
Helene Powers says
My family can't stand Coconut, what can I substitute ?
Thank you
Lana Stuart says
Hmmm...I really don't know of a substitute for coconut, Helene. You might try some kind of nut topping instead. A crumble like you'd use on a coffee cake would probably work (butter, flour, sugar, nuts). If you give that a try, please let me know how it works out!
Helene Powers says
Thank you for your prompt reply
Could you give me please the quantity of flour,butter, sugar ,nuts ??
Thanks and I will let you know how it turns out
Have a happy day
Lana Stuart says
I've never tried this recipe with a crumble topping, Helene, so I don't have measurements for you. It was just a suggestion of something you could try. Here's a link to a pretty standard crumble recipe if you want to try it on your own: http://www.food.com/recipe/crumble-topping-142738
B says
Sometimes my mum would mix sugar with cholate chips, sprinkle on top and bake. If you did not mix the chips and sugar well, the chips would sink.
Lana Stuart says
Love that idea of adding chocolate chips on top! I'll try that myself next time.
Patricia Sauve says
My Mom, grandmom and neighbors used to make this cake for special get-togethers and they are delicious (I'm talking about the cakes here) I have made it from scratch many times myself. The last time I made it I switched the homemade cake batter for a butter pecan cake mix, and it was delicious. By the way, my family recipe calls for half and half instead of evaporated milk.
Lana Stuart says
The butter pecan mix sounds delicious, Patricia!