A vintage favorite, this lazy daisy cake has a soft sponge crumb topped with a sweet coconut glaze that’s broiled until golden. It’s an easy yellow cake recipe that stays moist for days!
This lazy daisy cake comes from an old recipe my mom had tucked away, the kind you might find handwritten on a card or clipped from a well-used cookbook. I decided to make it because my husband loves coconut, and the simple sponge cake topped with a sweet coconut glaze felt like a recipe worth bringing back.
This retro snack cake is less decadent than my coconut cake and more cake-like than my easy pineapple coconut squares, making it perfect for an everyday dessert. You’ll often find variations of lazy dazy cake tucked away in old community or church cookbooks, many dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, when simple pantry cakes like this were perfect for busy days.
Why You’ll Love this Moist Cake Recipe
- Egg-based sponge batter: Beating the eggs until thick creates structure and lift, giving the cake a soft, spongy crumb without needing much butter.
- Hot milk method: Adding warm milk and butter to the batter helps keep the cake tender and moist as it bakes.
- Broiled coconut topping: The warm coconut glaze melts slightly into the cake, adding additional moisture and flavor without making it heavy.
Ingredient Notes
- Cake or pastry flour: Using cake or pastry flour gives this cake its light, soft crumb, which works especially well with the sponge-style batter.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure and lift in this cake, helping create the light, sponge-like texture that keeps it tender rather than dense.
- Milk: Whole or 2% milk works best. Heating the milk with the butter helps keep the cake tender and evenly moist as it bakes.
- Butter: The cake itself is fairly plain, which is typical for this style of sponge cake, while the coconut topping is what adds most of the richness and flavor.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar adds sweetness and a gentle caramel flavor to the coconut topping without overpowering it.
- Coconut: Unsweetened shredded coconut toasts beautifully under the broiler and balances the sweetness of the glaze.
- Cream: Heavy cream or whole cream both work well, helping the coconut topping melt smoothly and spread easily over the warm cake.
How to Make Lazy Daisy Cake
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set it aside.
Then warm the milk and butter just until the butter melts. You don’t want it boiling, just nice and warm. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until they look thick and pale, then slowly add the sugar and mix in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the warm milk mixture, and stir just until everything comes together.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until the cake is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven and switch the oven to broil.
Spread the coconut topping over the hot cake, then place it under the broiler just until the topping is golden and lightly caramelized. Let the cake cool slightly, then serve warm or at room temperature.
lazy daisy cake recipe tips
- Watch the topping closely: Keep a close eye on the cake while it’s under the broiler, as the coconut topping can brown quickly.
- Pan options: This cake can be baked in an 8-inch round or an 8-inch square cake pan. Baking time will be similar, but start checking a few minutes early. I prefer to use a metal pan for even heat distribution but a glass pan works too.
- Cool the milk slightly: After heating the milk and butter, let it cool for a minute or two before adding it to the batter so it doesn’t cook the eggs.
- Double the recipe: The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch pan. This hasn’t been tested, so watch the baking time closely and check for doneness.
- Checking for doneness: The cake is ready when the top looks set and lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs..
Variations
You’ll often find this old-fashioned lazy daisy cake made a little differently depending on the cookbook, region or family recipe. These simple variations let you adapt the cake to your taste!
- Toasted coconut topping: Lightly toast the coconut before mixing it into the topping for a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Sweeter topping: If you love sweeter desserts, you can double the coconut topping for a thicker, more indulgent layer.
- Extra vanilla: Increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons for a more pronounced vanilla flavor in the cake.
- Add nuts: Stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the topping for topping similiar German chocolate cake.
This lazy daisy cake is a true classic, with its soft, tender crumb and rich coconut topping that adds the perfect touch of sweetness and texture. Simple to make yet full of comforting flavor, it’s the kind of old-fashioned dessert that’s perfect for sharing and sure to become a favorite for any occasion.
- 1 cup cake/pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup milk (2% or whole milk)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR THE TOPPING
- ½ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ¼ cup butter (melted and cooled)
- ¼ cup cream (heavy or whole cream)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
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Pre-heat oven to 350F/ 180C. Grease and flour or spray and 8 inch / 20 cm round cake pan.
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In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
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Heat the milk and butter until the butter has melted, remove from heat.
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Beat the eggs until thick approximately 3 minutes, gradually add the sugar while beating, add the vanilla, flour mixture and hot milk.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set the oven to broil. Spread the topping on the cake. Broil until caramelized and golden on top. Watch carefully. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
FOR THE TOPPING
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Mix together in a bowl, the brown sugar, melted butter, cream and coconut.
Storage: Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing: The cake freezes well for up to 1 month. For best results, freeze the cake without the coconut topping and add it fresh after thawing. If freezing with the topping, wrap the cake well and note that the topping may soften slightly once thawed.
Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 423IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg | Phosphorus: 121mg
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