The Easy Retro Cake Anyone Can Make

Even though I started my professional career on the pastry side of the kitchen, I’m not much of a baker these days. I have a few go-to cookie and brownie recipes, but I rarely dabble in cakes. But when I came across a 1940s-era recipe for something called “Do Nothing Cake,” I was intrigued. It sounded like something I could probably handle, and the combined flavors of coconut, pineapple, and pecans were a perfect fit for me.

What Is Do Nothing Cake (aka Texas Tornado Cake)?

Do nothing cake is an easy-to-make, one-bowl cake that doesn’t require a mixer but still comes out tender, moist, and delicious. Think of it as the predecessor to dump cakes and poke cakes.

The original recipe combines eggs, sugar, flour, and baking soda with canned crushed pineapple. The topping is not an icing or frosting in the traditional sense, but a boiled mixture of evaporated milk, butter, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans. If you use a canned fruit cocktail instead of the pineapple, the cake is sometimes called “Texas Tornado Cake.”

The first time I tried the cake, I loved it, but I saw a few opportunities for improvement. First and foremost, it’s a very sweet cake. I cut the amount of sugar in half, and the cake still turned out perfectly sweet. I also added a pinch of salt to both the cake and the topping to wake up the flavors a bit.

Finally, I gave the shredded coconut and pecans a toast in the oven before adding them to the topping. This really helped bring in a nice nuttiness that contrasted perfectly with the sweet pineapple. I left this step optional, but I recommend it if you have the time.

The do nothing cake I came up with is pretty close to the original, at least in terms of do-nothing-ness, but it’s got a little more intrigue in each bite than just one sugary note. It was a hit with all of my immediate family (a coup for my kids who normally avoid coconut). This will definitely become my go-to cake recipe, given how easy to make and well-loved it is.

Quick Tips for Making Do Nothing Cake

• Don’t drain the crushed pineapple. The liquid helps to keep the cake moist.
• For more depth of flavor, toast the shredded coconut and pecans before adding them to the topping.
• Substitute walnuts for pecans if you prefer.
  

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Make the cake batter:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, pineapple (with juices), sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and stir until well combined.

Bake:

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Make the topping:

Meanwhile, make the topping. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, evaporated milk, and sugar. Cook over medium heat and stir until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and salt.

Poke and top the cake:

Once the cake comes out of the oven, use a chopstick to poke holes all over the cake. While the cake is still warm, pour the topping over the cake and use a spoon to spread it evenly over the top. Allow to cool or serve warm.

Store leftover cake, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

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