This retro snack cake takes little effortjust one bowl!but offers big rewards.

Thats my kind of person, and lazy daisy cake is my kind of cake.

Its a simple affair that you might pull off using one bowl and precious little active time.

Lazy daisy cake slice on a spatula leaning up against more cake in the baking pan

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

This charming midcentury snacking cake is ripe for a comeback.

What Is Lazy Daisy Cake?

Lazy daisy cake appears in a 1949 community cookbook I love,The Good Shepherd Cook Book.

Lazy daisy cake slice on a spatula in a pan with more cake

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

It had somehow traveled from midcentury Brooklyn to millennial Sonoma County.

This cookbook is pure gold, offering up such delights as stewed horseradish and crab Marnay.

Like most community cookbooks, desserts rightfully take up over half of its pages.

Slice of cake in a small plate with a fork, and in the surroundings, another slice on top of a stack of plates, a glass of cream, a mug of coffee, and a baking pan with more cake

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Its what Id call a busy day cake.

The cake itself is plain; the topping is intensely sweet.

On your plate, the two come together to create perfect harmony.

Buttered baking pan for lazy daisy cake recipe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Theyre springy cakes without much fat; their structure comes mostly from eggs.

I love cakes like this because their spongy texture holds up to fillings and toppings.

Plus theyre hard to screw up.

Butter and milk heated in a small pot for lazy daisy cake recipe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Heck, Ivebeenthat wife, only Id be doing those things in the precious hours between shifts at work.

And sometimes you have to bake it yourself.

But baking is a privilege worth making a little time for (nowadays we call it self-care).

Egg, sugar, and vanilla extract whisked together in a bowl for lazy daisy cake recipe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

While the cake bakes, you mix up brown sugar, cream, coconut, and melted butter.

When the cake cools, you have a brittle layer on top thats almost like candy.

Lazy Daisy Cake Variations

The various lazy daisy cake recipes Ive seen around are mostly the same.

Dry ingredients folded in using a spatula for lazy daisy cake recipe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Why mess with perfection?

you’re free to personalize it a bit if you like.

Mrs. Johnson says that the oven can be anywhere from 350F to 375 F for this cake.

Milk and butter mixture poured into the bowl with the rest of the lazy daisy cake ingredients

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

I agree with her.

Lazy daisy is a very forgiving cake.

Start by making the cake.

Lazy daisy cake batter in a bowl with a spatula

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt.

Beat out your aggressions, its fun!

Add the flour to the bowl.

Lazy daisy cake batter poured into the buttered square baking pan

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Measure the baking powder into your palm and sprinkle it over the flour.

If there are any lumps in the baking powder, crush them against your palm with your fingers.

Switch from a whisk to a spatula and fold the dry ingredients in until combined.

Baked lazy daisy cake on a cooling rack (still in the baking pan)

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Pour the warm milk and butter mixture over top and fold it in to make a slightly liquidy batter.

Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in the same saucepan you used to warm the milk.

The topping will be a bit thick, but itll thin out once it hits the cake.

Shredded coconut topping ingredients mixed together in a bowl using a spatula

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Scrape the topping over the hot cake and spread it around evenly with a spatula.

Slide the pan onto the rack and broil until the topping bubbles rapidly, about 3 minutes.

Check on the cake every minute or so, for even broiling.

Lazy daisy cake topped with coconut topping

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

You may need to rotate the pan after every minute.

Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely, then slice and enjoy!

For leftovers, cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil.

Lazy daisy cake (with coconut topping) cooling on a wire rack after broiled

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Its best to polish this cake off within 3 days.

Leave us stars and a comment below!

Slice of cake in a small plate with a fork, and in the surroundings, another slice on top of a stack of plates, a glass of cream, a mug of coffee, and a baking pan with more cake

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe