The foods and flavors I grew up with are as drilled into my memory as my mother's insistence that white was only worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This cake never fails to make me smile with each, sweet and gooey bite.
Table of Contents
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🗝️ Key takeaways
- This delicious Texas tornado cake recipe is easy to make, with minimal prep time, and ready in under an hour!
- One-bowl cake is the perfect easy dessert for a last-minute gathering or family feast.
- Unlike most cake recipes, you don’t let this one cool before topping it with the coconut frosting—it's key to the perfect texture!
Texas tornado cake—aka do-nothing cake—was a family favorite from my mother’s old recipe box when I was growing up.
This pineapple cake is soaked in a decadent topping with toasted pecans and coconut swirlin’ around like a Texas storm!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- I've heard canned fruit cocktail, peaches, or pears are tasty alternatives to crushed pineapple in Texas tornado cake! Mom never made them that way.
- You can skip the rum if you prefer. Just don't remove the tablespoon of pineapple juice from the can.
- Feel free to swap out the pecans with walnuts.
- You can use ⅔ cup evaporated milk instead of heavy cream for a lighter icing. It won’t be as creamy, though.
- You can substitute a portion of white sugar with brown sugar for a hint of caramel flavor. Replace up to ¼ cup white sugar with packed brown sugar in the cake batter, or use ¾ cup brown sugar in the topping.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
How to make the cake
Combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and white sugar in a large bowl.
Add the eggs, sour cream, crushed pineapple, and rum. Mix well.
Pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
Bake until golden brown, then poke holes all over the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
How to make the coconut pecan topping
Add the butter, cream, and sugar to a medium saucepan.
Cook the mixture over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the coconut flakes and toasted pecans.
Let the coconut pecan icing cool for 5 minutes before pouring it over the hot cake.
How to toast pecans
There are a couple of ways to toast pecans. Use whichever you prefer.
In the oven
- Spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a 350-degree F oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring them halfway through. Keep an eye on ‘em so they don’t burn.
- Let the toasted pecans cool slightly before using.
In the microwave
- Place pecans in a thin layer on a glass pie pan.
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute.
- Stir and check to see if the pecans are toasted enough. If not continue microwaving on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.
🍴 Equipment
- 13x9-inch pan
- large
mixing bowl - medium
mixing bowl - saucepan
- wooden spoon
- whisk
🎥 Video
Hey y'all! Don't forget to check out my latest video where I guide you through each step of this delicious recipe. It's always great to have a visual guide, right? And as always, my cooking show, Restless Chipotle Kitchen, has got your back. If you're looking for more yummy ideas, dive into our full recipe collection on YouTube. You're gonna love it!
🥫 How to store leftover Texas Tornado Cake
It’ll be a miracle if your guests don’t devour this entire cake in one sitting!
But if you have leftovers, store ‘em in the baking dish covered with plastic wrap or an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to five days.
Zap a slice in the microwave for a few seconds so it’s warm and gooey again. I don’t recommend freezing Texas tornado cake. It can get a little soggy when it thaws.
Marye's Tip:
Don’t drain the crushed pineapple! You only want to remove one tablespoon of the juice to compensate for the added moisture from the rum. The rest of the juice makes the cake nice 'n gooey!
💭 Things to know
- Grease your casserole dish with cooking spray so the batter doesn’t stick and burn.
- In this one-bowl cake, there’s no need to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately. Toss it all in and stir—it's easy, peasy!
- You don’t need special equipment like an electric beater or a stand mixer to combine the cake ingredients—just a bowl and a whisk will do.
- Stir the icing mixture constantly as it cooks and thickens. Otherwise, it might stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Make sure you use sweetened coconut flakes. The unsweetened kind won't be as tasty—save 'em for your morning oatmeal, instead.
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden dowel to poke holes all over the cake as soon as you take it out of the oven. Then, immediately pour the hot icing on top so it soaks into the cake. That's what makes this a "poke cake" and let's the texture get all soft and gooey.
👩🍳 FAQs
Part poke cake and part dump cake, Texas tornado cake is an easy recipe packed with a whirlwind of flavors, just like a wild Texas storm rollin’ through.
This warm cake is made with canned fruit, a buttery coconut icing, and a pecan topping. It’s a popular dessert at Southern potlucks, get-togethers, and family events.
Nope! It's a super moist cake, even without vegetable oil or butter in the batter, so don't be tempted to add any!
The best way to tell that your Texas tornado cake is ready is if the edges turn a golden color and start to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean, and the top will spring back when you lightly touch it. An instant-read thermometer will show 190F to 205F when pushed into the center.
Yep! You can make this cake up to five days in advance. Store it at room temperature covered in plastic wrap.
📚 Related recipes
- Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake is an easier version of the classic, vintage recipe baked in a pan or cast iron skillet.
- White Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake is a quick scratch-made cake that’s extra moist with a hint of coconut and a fudgy white icing studded with toasted pecans. It's got all the good stuff!
- Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, Lime White Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a tangy lime cake topped with rum and white chocolate whipped cream!
More easy poke cakes you'll love!
📞 The last word
I don't know if it's the economy, my upcoming birthday, or just a touch of bittersweet nostalgia, but I've been going through my Mom's old recipe box more than usual and hungrily stirring up the flavors of my childhood.
This cake is full of laughter and memories in each sweet bite. I hope you'll give it a try and see if it doesn't encourage smiles all around the table. I know it always did for us.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Texas Tornado Cake
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon rum, or use 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple, undrained; if you're not using rum remove 1 tablespoon of juice and discard the rest
Topping
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 1 cup coconut, sweetened flaked
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, eggs, sour cream, rum, and pineapple in a large bowl and mix well.
- Pour into the baking pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cake is golden and when a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Topping
- About 10 minutes before the cake comes out of the oven, make the frosting.
- Cook the butter, cream, and sugar in a heavy saucepan until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir constantly.
- Add in the pecans and coconut.
Assembly
- Remove the finished cake from the oven.
- Poke holes over the cake with the end of a wooden spoon or a dowel.
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake.
- Let stand for at least 5 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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Missy White says
Hello. Do I keep just the tablespoon or pineapple juice? Or discard that? Thank you
Marye says
I've clarified the instructions - sorry. The 1 tablespoon of pineapple juice is only saved if you are NOT using rum. Otherwise use all the pineapple juice for something else or throw it out.