Lazy Daisy Cake

This easy Lazy Daisy Cake pairs a tender hot milk cake with a buttery brown sugar coconut topping that turns golden under the broiler. An old-fashioned treat made for sharing!

Some cakes remind you of your grandma’s kitchen. This Lazy Daisy Cake reminds me of my sweet friend Angie, who has a habit of leaving bouquets of homegrown daisies on my doorstep just because she knows they are my favorite flowers. Yep, she’s a keeper.

So when I discovered this old-fashioned cake, I knew it was my kind of baking. A simple, tender cake with a buttery coconut topping, and a name that makes me think of someone I love. Bake it, cut it into squares and share it with someone who brightens your day. Flowers optional. 💛

And if you love an easy cake with no fancy frosting required, my honeybun cake has a cinnamon-pecan middle and a sweet vanilla glaze. Put the tea kettle on!

Jump to:

• 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
• ⭐️ Why this recipe works
• 🤔 Why is it called Lazy Daisy Cake?
• 🍅 Ingredients you need
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Lazy Daisy Cake
• 🤔 Recipe FAQs
• Lazy Daisy Cake
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Variations on this recipe
• 😍 Other cake recipes we love!
• ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
• 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!

🔎 A quick look at this recipe

⭐️ Why this recipe works

• 🥛 A tender cake: Hot milk and butter help create a soft cake that’s lovely underneath that golden topping.
• 🥥 A topping worth swooning over: Brown sugar, butter and coconut turn golden and bubbly under the broiler.
• 🧈 Simple ingredients: Everyday baking staples come together in one sweet, old-fashioned treat.
• 🍰 No fancy frosting needed: Just stir the topping together, spread it over the warm cake and let the broiler do its thing!
• 💛 Made for sharing: This little square cake is just right for a family dessert or an afternoon treat with a friend.

🤔 Why is it called Lazy Daisy Cake?

The exact story behind the name is a little fuzzy, but a popular explanation is that this old-fashioned cake is easy enough to make on a lazy day!

Simple baking ingredients make up the cake, and the coconut topping gets stirred together, spread over the warm cake and popped under the broiler. No fancy frosting or decorating required. And “Lazy Daisy” is a pretty adorable name for such a sweet little treat, don’t you think?

🍅 Ingredients you need

📝 Ingredient notes

• Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is what you need here. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off so you don’t pack in too much.
• Baking powder: This gives the cake its lift. Make sure yours is fresh, and use baking powder rather than baking soda.
• Milk: I like whole milk for this cake. You’ll use some in the hot milk mixture and a little more in the coconut topping.
• Butter: You’ll need a tablespoon for the cake and melted butter for the topping. Regular salted butter works nicely.
• Vanilla: A little vanilla adds that cozy, classic cake flavor. Pure vanilla extract is my favorite.
• Eggs: Beat the eggs lightly to blend the yolks and whites before mixing them with the sugar.
• Sugar: Use granulated sugar in the cake and light brown sugar in the topping. Pack the brown sugar into your measuring cup.
• Coconut: Sweetened coconut flakes give the topping its chewy texture and golden toasted edges. Look for them in the baking aisle.

💡 Ingredient substitution ideas

Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Lazy Daisy Cake

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch square metal baking pan that is safe to use under the broiler.

STEP 2: Whisk together 1 cup of flour and 1 tablespoon of baking powder.

STEP 3: Put 1 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat until the milk is almost boiling, then take the pan off the heat.

STEP 4: Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until thick, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour mixture just until smooth, then gradually stir in the hot milk mixture until combined.

STEP 5: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes while you make the topping.

STEP 6: Stir together ¼ cup of melted butter, ½ cup of packed brown sugar, ¼ cup of milk and 1 cup of sweetened coconut flakes. Spread the topping over the warm cake, covering it all the way to the edges.

STEP 7: Turn on your broiler and place the cake underneath it. Broil until the topping is golden, about 2 minutes. Watch it the entire time, because coconut can go from golden to burned in a hurry!

STEP 8: Let the cake cool in the pan, then cut it into squares and share with someone sweet!

🤔 Recipe FAQs

Let’s bake up a little old-fashioned sweetness with this Lazy Daisy Cake — and save a square for someone who brightens your day! 💛

👩🏻‍🍳 Variations on this recipe

• Add a little crunch: Stir ¼ cup of chopped pecans into the coconut topping before spreading it over the cake.
• Try a warm spice twist: Whisk ½ teaspoon of cinnamon into the flour mixture for a cozy hint of spice.
• Give it a citrus touch: Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the batter. Orange and coconut make a lovely pair!
• Dress up each slice: Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream for an extra-special treat.

😍 Other cake recipes we love!

⭐️ We want to know what you think!

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Looking for more cake inspiration? We’ve got you covered! 🥳 Here is our complete collection of cake recipes.

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