For many, this amazing "Lazy Daisy Cake" recipe, is a vintage cake, something they remember their grandmother making.

I got to sample this cake during the recent Amish bake-off at Chrisholm Amish Farmstead.
Man, this cake was delicious, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I suppose if you don't like coconut you won't like it, but I love coconut. Interestingly, there was a crowd of ladies in the room looking at the cakes and they were all like "oh, wonderful, a lazy daisy cake, how nice," as if they were seeing an old friend. Meanwhile, I was standing there sort of like "huh, I've never heard of a lazy daisy cake." Although I have now and I am glad to meet it! (and eat it). I think is a generational thing, the cake was probably much more popular a generation or two ago.
Lazy Dasiy Cake is just a classic cake that is easy to prepare and conjures up memories of simpler times.
This cake really does have wonderful flavor. Putting the cake to broil just enough to toast the coconut crumb topping is a super flavor enhancer. I love broiled coconut. This cake is popular in Amish homes, but you'll find wooden spoons and mixing bowl being used. You, on the other hand, can use an electric mixer for the cake batter. The mixer on a medium high speed, before turning it into a prepared pan. Some variations of this recipe call for pecans to be added, but I don't think that is necessary.
❓ FAQ About Lazy Daisy Cake
Coconut is the hallmark of this cake,but if you really don't like coconut but still want this cake you could use chopped macademia or walnuts. Both of those would add a nice nutty crunch under the broiler without the coconut flavor.
Now you may wonder how this cake got its name? According to Quaintcooking.com the recipe's genesis is this:
The earliest printing of the recipe is suggested to be 1914 but it was supposedly when Snowdrift shortening printed the recipe in a 1920s newspaper ad that it became part of many recipe boxes. In 1950, Quaker Oats created their own recipe to include in advertisements. The word lazy is in the title because it was considered an easy and quick cake.
A Lazy Daisy Cake is perfect as a carry-in dessert or for an Amish potluck. You can bake it in a disposal foil pan so you can just take it, the cake disappears, and toss the pan. The cake is usually a big hit at Amish gatherings. Coconut is surprisingly popular among the Amish, surprising because coconut does not have historical culinary roots in Pennsylvania Dutch country.
🎂 Lazy Daisy Cake Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 /4 cup unsalted butter
Icing
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 1 /2 cups coconut
📋 Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs and then add sugar and vanilla and beat until light in color, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder until just incorporated.
- In a medium saucepan, bring milk and butter to boil. Stir into flour mixture (don't beat, just stir in)
- Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes. While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. Remove cake from oven and turn off oven. Then turn on broiler. For icing bring brown sugar, butter, milk, and coconut to a boil. Pour ovenly oven hot cake and then put under the broiler until it begins to brown. Don't walk away from the oven, this will burn quickly.
🎂 More Popular Amish Cake Recipes
Cake For Company
🖨️ Full Recipe
Lazy Daisy Cake
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 /4 cup butter
Icing
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ cups coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs and then add sugar and vanilla and beat until light in color, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder until just incorporated.
- In a medium saucepan, bring milk and butter to boil.
- Stir into flour mixture (don't beat, just stir in)
- Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the icing.
- Remove cake from oven and turn off oven.
- Then turn on broiler.
ICING
- For icing bring brown sugar, butter, milk, and coconut to a boil.
- Pour ovenly oven hot cake and then put under the broiler until it begins to brown. Don't walk away from the oven, this will burn quickly.
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