Picture Perfect Cooking

This recipe is June’s edition of the Southern Plate-Picture Perfect Cooking project and I have to admit that I had my doubts about this one.  I used to love fruit cocktail when I was a kid, but had not eaten it in years.  When I read this recipe I was intrigued, but I wasn’t sure how putting these ingredients together could come out as a delicious cake.  Well, it does! 

You don’t really know there is fruit cocktail in the cake because all of the fruit just seems to bake into the batter and makes this so moist.  Oh, then there is the business of the sauce that goes on top.  Oh. My. Goodness.  The sauce is amazing!  I may try to make the sauce with brown sugar instead of white sugar and see if it comes out like a praline sauce.  Yum!  Try this and you will not be disappointed!

There was one little change I made.  I do not like flaked coconut and the sauce recipe calls for it.  I just left it out and the sauce was still delicious.  Below is the original recipe, but the photos included will not show the coconut.

For The Cake:

2 cups self-rising flour

one 15oz can fruit cocktail

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 13×9” baking dish.  With an electric mixer, combine all of the cake ingredients and beat at low speed for about 2 minutes.  Pour into the pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the sauce:

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

While the cake is in the oven, make the sauce.  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar.  Boil for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is completely incorporated. 

Using a toothpick, poke many small holes in the top of the hot cake and pour the sauce over.  Let it set for about an hour and enjoy!

I am linking this recipe to Lady Behind The Curtain’s Cast Party Wednesday!