Do Nothing Cake (Texas Tornado Cake)

By: Diana Posted: 6/21/24

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This easy old fashioned Do Nothing Cake Recipe might be a blast from the past, but it is just as delicious now, 80 years later!

You can make this pineapple cake with coconut frosting from scratch with simple ingredients and minimal effort and equipment.

A slice of Do Nothing Cake on a small plate, topped with a pecan half.

Do Nothing Cake, also known as Texas Tornado Cake, is a ridiculously easy poke cake recipe.

It’s made with crushed pineapple, so it’s perfectly moist, and then topped with a gooey, buttery frosting filled with coconut and pecans.

This recipe was created in the 1940s, before box cake mix existed, and at a time where many cake recipes were complicated and could be difficult for home bakers.

This cake is called “do nothing cake” because of the simplicity of the recipe! There is no whipping eggs, no creaming butter and sugar, and no special equipment involved.

In fact, there is no butter or oil in this cake at all, and you won’t miss it. You can also make this entire cake and the frosting with just a whisk and/or a spoon!

a spatula lifting a slice of Do Nothing Cake from a pan to show the tender pineapple cake topped with coconut pecan frosting.

Do Nothing Cake Recipe Highlights

Old-Fashioned Recipe – Do Nothing Cake was created in the 1940s, and it has stood the test of time! The flavors are perfect, the recipe is super simple, and everyone loves it.
Made From Scratch – This vintage cake recipe was created even before cake mixes existed, although you may see similar recipes out there with yellow cake mix.
Poke Cake – I love this style of cake! All you need to do is poke some holes in your cake while it’s still warm. Then you pour the frosting on and let it soak in. This creates a a gooey, moist texture that is just divine. You’ll find the same method used in my Better Than Sex Cake and Banana Pudding Poke Cake.
Delicious Flavors – Pineapple is the key flavor ingredient in the cake layer, while flaky coconut and chopped pecans make up the gooey sweet topping. The tropical flavors combine to make the most amazing dessert.

Ingredients In Do Nothing Cake

Here’s what you need to make this easy and delicious dessert:

The ingredients for Do Nothing Cake, measured into small bowls, arranged on a marble counter.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is perfect here.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds the right amount of sweetness to the cake.
Crushed Pineapple: Look for crushed pineapple in juice, rather than the kind packed in syrup. Pineapple in syrup can make the cake a bit too sweet.
Eggs and Baking Soda: Together with the acidity from the pineapple, these give the cake rise and make it tender and fluffy.
Unsalted Butter: I know that I said that the cake was butter-free, but we will need some to make the frosting!
Evaporated Milk: A common time-saving ingredient in vintage recipes, evaporated milk is less expensive than heavy cream, and gives the frosting a delicious richness.
Shredded Coconut: Sweetened coconut is the key ingredient for the frosting! I’ve reduced the sugar a bit in the cake recipe already so that it’s not excessively sweet, but you can also consider using unsweetened coconut.
Pecans: these add a nutty, toasty crunch to the topping.

How To Make Do Nothing Cake

a glass mixing bowl holding crushed pineapple, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. — 1. **Combine Wet Ingredients:** Add eggs, undrained crushed pineapple, sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.

Pineapple combined with sugar and vanilla in a glass bowl. — 2. **Stir:** Whisk until well combined.

Dry Ingredients added to wet ingredients with a whisk in a glass mixing bowl. — 3. **Add Dry Ingredients:** Now add the flour, baking soda and salt.

Cake batter for Do Nothing Cake, bubbly in a glass mixing bowl. — 4. **Stir Again:** You’ll see bubbles in the cake batter! This is from a reaction of the pineapple with the baking soda.

Do Nothing Cake Batter poured into a 9x13-inch baking pan. — 5. **Bake:** Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan that you’ve greased. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

melted butter with sugar in a saucepan. — 6. **Combine Frosting Ingredients:** After the cake has baked, add butter, sugar, and evaporated milk to a saucepan.

Butter, sugar, and evaporated milk, boiling in a saucepan. — 7. **Boil:** Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pecans and shredded coconut added to melted butter and sugar in a saucepan. — 8. **Add Nuts and Coconut:** Remove the frosting from the heat and stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla extract.

A small saucepan cooking together butter, sugar, coconut, pecans, and evaporated milk to make a frosting for Do Nothing Cake. — 9. **Briefly Cool:** Let the frosting cool for just a few minutes while you get the cake ready for it.

A chopstick poking holes into a baked cake. — 10. **Poke Holes:** Use a chopstick, handle of a spoon, or similar tool to poke holes all over the top of the warm cake.

Coconut frosting poured over a still warm cake with holes poked in it. — 11. **Add Frosting to Warm Cake:** While the cake is still warm, pour the warm frosting over it, spreading it out evenly.

Do nothing cake in a pan, covered in sticky coconut pecan frosting. — 12: **Cool:** Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before cutting and serving.

Tip!

Don’t forget to poke holes in the cake before adding the frosting! This step keeps this cake amazingly moist.

Recipe Tips

Let the eggs come to room temperature so that the batter mixes smoothly.
Avoid overmixing: You only need to stir in the dry ingredients until you can no longer see them. Overmixed cake batter leads to tough, dry cakes!
Add warm frosting to warm cake for the best ooey gooey results.

A square slice of do nothing cake on a plate, topped with coconut frosting and toasted pecans.

Storing Tips

Store leftover do nothing cake in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3 or 4 days.

Let it sit out at room temperature for a while before serving.

More Vintage Recipes to Try!

Take a trip back in time with some of these Retro recipes. They’re classics!

Recipe FAQs

Why is this called a Texas Tornado Cake?

I haven’t been able to figure out exactly why this recipe is sometimes called a Texas Tornado Cake, but I do know that Texas has added its name to some pretty great desserts. Check out my recipe for Texas Sheet Cake next!

Does Do Nothing Cake need to be refrigerated?

If it doesn’t disappear right away, you should store this cake in the fridge in an airtight container to keep it fresh. You can store it for up to 3 days or so.

It’s best to let it sit at room temperature for a bit before serving so that the frosting softens.

Can I make this without coconut?

You can leave the coconut or the pecans out of the frosting if you like. The frosting will be thinner and runnier without the mix-ins, but it will still be delicious!