Okay, so it’s not really “my” cake. I wish I’d come up with it. I just found the recipe on the Internet. I was Googling “Sprite cake” – having just made a delicious Coca-Cola cake, I was eager to experiment further in the art of baking with soda – and I stumbled upon something that would change my life forever. Pineapple Sprite cake. Ever since I found it, it’s become known in my family and circle of friends as my cake recipe, but I need to give credit where credit is due (see original recipe here - I added commentary below).
It may not be my recipe, but it really is award-winning. I entered it into my local county fair and won first place. Now, I’d like to think I’m just that good a baker, but it’s the recipe. Anybody can do it. This cake is just amazing. It’s always a hit when I make it – it never, ever lasts more than a day.
So I thought I’d share the recipe here.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
1 box pineapple supreme cake mix (I used other methods when I entered it into the fair, but box mix is just as good, if not better…not to mention easier)
1 box instant vanilla or lemon pudding mix (I use vanilla…the lemon doesn’t really work well, in my opinion)
¾ cup vegetable oil
10 oz. Sprite
6 eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
11 oz. crushed pineapple
¾ stick margarine
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup coconut (optional, but in my opinion the coconut makes the cake)
First, in a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, vegetable oil, and Sprite.
Then, add four of the eggs, beating well after each egg. Use a hand mixer to get it nice and smooth.
Pour the batter into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes.
Next comes the tricky part. Tricky for me, at least. The topping. The cake itself is really moist and delicious, but in my opinion the most important part of the cake is the topping. No pressure.
Combine the sugar, remaining two eggs, margarine, undrained pineapple, and flour in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it thickens. Stir frequently. And COVER, unless you want hot topping hitting your skin. Don’t stress over the thickness – it will thicken upon standing (not to mention after you mix the coconut in). It’s really easy to burn the topping (I know from experience…and nothing pisses me off more than having to do the topping over again), so don’t leave it on the stove too long. It can be hard to tell when it’s thick enough to take it off the stove, but if it’s been on for a long time and you’re not sure, just take it off.
Once you remove the topping from the heat, mix in the coconut. Sometimes I even put in more than a cup, but then again, I love coconut. Let stand until the cake is done.
When the cake is done, spread the topping on while the cake is still hot. Voila! I know it will be tempting, but don’t eat it right away. Put it in the refrigerator and let it get cold. I like to make the cake at night and then refrigerate it overnight before I eat it. The colder the better!
If you make this, you’ll love it. Promise. Make sure you have more than yourself to feed, though – otherwise you might end up eating half the cake at once!