You may also know this moist and buttery cake by another name: Texas Tornado Cake.

We promise, there’s nothing like this cake.

A recipe for Do Nothing Cake originated in the 1940s, before boxed cake mix existed.

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake sliced and ready to serve

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Back then, most cake recipes were complicated, contained lots of ingredients, and required a mixer.

This takes the topping from just nutty and sweet to nutty, sweet, and caramel-rich.

Is This A Texas Tornado Cake?

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake ingredients

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Maybe it’s because the topping ingredients are all swirled together, much like a tornado.

Ingredients

Cake:

2cupsall-purpose flour(about 8 1/2 oz.)

2cupssugar

1 1/4tsp.baking soda

3/4tsp.tablesalt

2largeeggs

2tsp.vanilla extract

1(20-oz.

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake lining the pan with parchment

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a 13 x 9inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.

To prepare cake, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake mixing the dry ingredients together

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Make a well in center of mixture and crack in eggs; whisk eggs until lightly beaten.

Add vanilla and pineapple and stir until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake adding the eggs to the dry ingredients

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Bake at 350F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 33 to 36 minutes.

Immediately poke holes all over cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.

To prepare topping, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake adding the pineapple to the cake batter

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Stir in sugar and evaporated milk; bring to a boil.

Remove pan from heat and stir in pecans, coconut, and vanilla.

Pour hot topping over cake, spreading evenly.

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake pouring the batter into the prepared pan

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Serve cake warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Recipe Tips For Do Nothing Cake

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake after baking the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake poking holes in the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake topping after mixing

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Texas Tornado Cake pouring the topping over the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox