Ugly Duckling Cake {Vintage!} | The Best Cake Recipes (2024)

Use a box cake mix to make this vintage Ugly Duckling Cake recipe with fruit co*cktail! With its moist texture, coconut and pecans, it is sure to be a favorite.

My grandma passed away just a few weeks ago. She was just 4 months shy of 100 years old and had moved by me recently. She’s moved many times in life and was so excited to move, even at 99 years old!

In moving, my mom came across her old handwritten cookbook. Grandma said I could have it as long as I baked for her. Unfortunately she passed away just a few days after I got the cookbook so I never got to do that. One of the recipes in the book was this Ugly Duckling Cake. I had never heard of it and just had to make it. And let me tell you, it’s a keeper.

Why you’ll love this ugly cake:

• It’s a conversation starter. Really! This cake has such a fun name.
• Starts with a box cake mix…but no one will know it!
• Rich and buttery taste.
• Pecans and coconut.
• Sweet, but not overly so.
• Moist texture from fruit co*cktail.

Why is it called Ugly Duckling Cake?

It is thought that this cake has the “ugly duckling” name because it isn’t pretty. The brown sugar and nuts kind of bakes into the top of the cake making the top kind of lumpy. And the coconut syrup isn’t perfectly swirled dollops of buttercream.

But you know what? I think for an “ugly” cake, this cake is quite stunning.

How to Make Ugly Duckling Cake

There are 3 parts to this old cake recipe:

1. Cake base.
2. Brown sugar nut topping.
3. Coconut syrup.

Here’s how to do it:

• Prepare. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
• Mix. In a large bowl, mix together all of the cake ingredients. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, then mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

• Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the brown sugar and nuts evenly on top of the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake tests done.

• Boil. Prepare the coconut frosting by melting the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir and bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Then mix in the shredded coconut.

• Top. Spread the topping on the cake.

How to Serve Ugly Duckling Cake

This cake is best served warm. We serve with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream. It’s honestly very good on it’s own though too!

Should this cake be refrigerated?

This cake should be safe to sit at room temperature for 24 hours, but after that, we store any leftovers in the refrigerator. It will also freeze well! Just make sure it is in an airtight container.

Looking for a cake like this that doesn’t use a box mix? Try our fruit co*cktail cake!

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