Dairy-Free Lazy Daisy Cake

Happy Birthday Uncle Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim!!!!!!!

My sister called the other day to tell me Rosie wants to grow up to be "a chef like Grandma and Uncle Jim".  Now I know she's only 4 and her career plans are hardly set in stone, but I have to admit, it made me a more than a little happy when she told me this.  So when I went home last weekend, one of the things I looked forward to most was being Chef Rosie's sous chef while she made my birthday cake. 

We decided on one of my favorites, and one my mother and grandmother have made for years; Lazy Daisy Cake.  Originally published in Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking School Cookbook, back in 1937, it's also the cake I won my first cooking contest with.  Dad and I made this when we entered the Boy Scout's Father/Son Bake-Off.  I can still remember Dad and I measuring out ingredients while mom watched us from the dining room, gently offering advice when we deviated from the recipe. 

30-some-odd-years later, Rosie and I are in the same kitchen, with Grandma  watching us make it, with a few modifications to eliminate the dairy that is. I think we have another winner here! 

Lazy Daisy Cake

Cake:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot almond milk
1 tablespoon dairy-free margarine or vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar

Topping:

4 1/2 tablespoons melted dairy-free margarine
4 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons almond milk
3/4 cup chopped pecans (untoasted)
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Combine flour, baking powder and salt and sift onto a piece of waxed paper, or place in a small bowl and whisk to combine; set aside. Combine milk and margarine and stir until margarine melts.

Beat eggs and vanilla until frothy.  Slowly add sugar and beat until well combined.

Alternately add flour and milk mixtures, starting with flour, and mix on low just until combined.

Pour into an 8- x 8-inch baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

When the cake is almost done, stir together all topping ingredients until well combined.  Remove cake from oven and turn on broiler to high.  Move oven rack to top position. Spread topping evenly over surface of cake.  Broil cake, turning occasionally, until well browned, about 4 minutes.

Comments

[Mary]

I remember having this cake when I was growing up. It was fantastic.

I assume it will work just fine with butter instead of the margarine won't it?

[James]

Hi Mary,

You can easily substitute butter and milk for the margarine and almond milk.

Let me know how you like it!

James

[Jennifer]

She is so cute! It looks like she was really focused on making it.

Thanks for sharing this special moment.

[Dave]

This sounds great. Does it make one or two layers? The recipe says 1 8x8 pan but there are two pans in one of the photos.

[James]

Hi Dave,

I should have mentioned that. The recipe is set to make 1 layer. Rosie and I doubled the recipe and put it in two pans since we needed to feed a bunch of people.

James

[Shelly]

The cake looks yummy. I love pecans and coconut together. Rosie looks like a "natural" in the kitchen.

[Adam]

That's awesome. I bet she does grow up to be like her Uncle Jim.

[Keri]

I've recently had to eliminate dairy because of the baby's reflux, so I'm really excited about this site. I made this tonight, and it got a big thumbs up from everyone (including the little guy, who "hates" nuts). Thanks for the recipes!