Easy-to-make Texas Tornado Cake

October 20, 2009|By ELLEN FOLKMAN / St. Petersburg Times

Vickie Nichols of Largo, Fla., was seeking a restaurant's recipe for Texas Tornado Cake, noting that the dessert had crushed pineapple in it and a coconut topping.

Anne Bryant of Sun City Center, Fla., sent a recipe -- but not the restaurant recipe.

This is a very easy recipe to make, suited to any skill level. When I first read this recipe, I realized there's no fat in it, meaning no butter or oil, and there's no vanilla. Well, the lack of butter or oil didn't affect the taste, but I did miss the vanilla. Next time I would add a teaspoon.

Also, Bryant's version uses fruit cocktail to moisten the cake, but you could substitute the same amount of pineapple (though I suggest holding back some of the juice if using crushed pineapple). This recipe does not reflect the addition of vanilla. It is just as Bryant sent it.

TEXAS TORNADO CAKE

For the cake:

1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups fruit cocktail, including syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup chopped nuts

For the icing:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix sugar, eggs, fruit cocktail, baking soda and flour together in a mixing bowl. Pour into a greased and floured 9- by 13-inch cake pan. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar and nuts; sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

While the cake is cooking, make the icing. Combine butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk and coconut in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook, boiling, for 2 minutes. Spoon over cake while hot. Let cake cool before serving.

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