Description
This old fashioned Texas tornado cake is a quick, comforting dessert made with pineapple, sugar, and eggs, then finished with a buttery coconut and pecan topping. Simple to prepare yet full of flavor, it’s the perfect treat for gatherings or an easy family dessert.
Ingredients
Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple (with juice)
Topping:
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and crushed pineapple with its juice. Stir until just blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven and place on a cooling rack. Poke holes across the surface with the handle of a wooden spoon.
In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Cook over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Stir in pecans and coconut, then pour mixture evenly over the hot cake. Allow topping to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
This cake can be served warm for a gooey topping or cooled for a firmer, candy-like layer. You can swap pecans for walnuts or almonds, add citrus zest to the batter, or drizzle chocolate on top for your own twist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg