Description
Texas Tornado Cake is a classic Southern dessert featuring a moist, pineapple-infused cake topped with a buttery brown sugar glaze and chopped pecans. The cake is ultra-easy to make, requiring no mixer and minimal prep. Once baked, the decadent hot topping is poured directly over the warm cake, resulting in a sweet, sticky, irresistible treat perfect for potlucks and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
Topping
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs. Blend until well mixed. Sift in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in the entire can of crushed pineapple (including the juice) until the batter is fully incorporated.
- Add to Pan: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly on top of the batter.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden.
- Make the Topping: While the cake bakes, combine brown sugar, unsalted butter, and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Let it boil for 3-5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Finish with Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Glaze the Cake: As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, pour the hot topping evenly over the surface. Let the cake cool completely in the pan so that the glaze soaks in before slicing and serving.
Notes
- No need to drain the pineapple; the juice keeps the cake moist.
- For a nut-free version, simply omit the pecans.
- The cake tastes even better after sitting for a few hours as the glaze penetrates the crumb.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with vanilla ice cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American (Southern)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cake)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 44g
- Sodium: 270mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg