Don’t let the quirky name fool you. This simple, fall-inspired rustic “ugly duckling cake” bakes up into a sweet, buttery, incredibly moist, unforgettable cake. Infused with cozy fall flavors like pear and warm cinnamon, plus a delightful crunch from unsweetened shredded coconut and roasted salted pepitas or pumpkin seeds, this amped-up cake mix recipe is about to become your new favorite autumn obsession. Who knew a can of pears and a box of store-bought cake mix could become something almost magical?
What exactly is an Ugly Duckling Cake? For most people, it’s probably about 99% of the cakes they bake. Meaning it’s a cake that might taste absolutely amazing, but is probably not all that much to look at. Just kidding. Kind of. An Ugly Duckling Cake is a simple sheet cake made with a boxed, store-bought cake mix, usually combined with a can of fruit cocktail in heavy syrup and a few eggs. After baking, it’s topped with a mixture of melted butter, evaporated milk, sugar, sweetened coconut, and occasionally walnuts or pecans.
But honestly, the above description varies from recipe to recipe. Some recipes call for sprinkling sugar over the cake batter before baking. Some recipes use traditional milk instead of evaporated milk, and most recipes seem to disagree on the flavor and size of boxed cake mix used. So really, an Ugly Duckling Cake is whatever you really want it to be. My version uses canned pears, a touch of cinnamon, half and half instead of evaporated milk, roasted salted pepitas for a salty crunch, and unsweetened shredded coconut to cut down on the sweetness.
Now, is my recipe better than the traditional version? No clue. I’ve never had it before. But I can say with 100% confidence that this simple cake mix recipe is freaking fantastic. It’s buttery, tender, super-moist, and has just the right amount of texture to balance things out. And while it is on the sweet side, it’s not sickeningly sweet. When compared with a piece of frosted or icing-covered cake, I would choose a square of this deliciousness any ol’ day of the week. And honestly, I might not even wait until fall to make this cake again.
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 1/2 Teaspoon Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 1 (15.25-oz.) Can Sliced Pears in Heavy Syrup
- 1 (15.25-oz.) Box Vanilla Cake Mix
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Topping:
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1/2 Cup Half and Half
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1/2 Cup Roasted Salted Pepitas or Pumpkin Seeds
Directions:
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Liberally grease a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish or metal cake pan with butter, then set aside.
- Strain the heavy syrup from the pears into a large mixing bowl using a colander or strainer. Cut the sliced pears into small bite-size pieces and add them to the mixing bowl along with the cake mix, eggs, and cinnamon. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared glass baking dish or metal cake pan. Spread the batter out evenly with a silicone spatula.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Topping:
- While the cake bakes, combine the brown sugar and half and half in a medium nonstick saucepan. Cut the butter into pats and add it to the saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, continue to cook ir for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the coconut and pepitas or pumpkin seeds.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the cake when it comes out of the oven.
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Suggestions:
- Shiny metal or glass pans may take a little longer to bake than nonstick metal pans. I used a 9 x 13-inch nonstick metal pan to bake this cake.
- I suggest checking the cake after 28 minutes of baking to test for doneness. Every oven bakes differently.
- For this cake, I used a 15.25-oz. box of Pillsbury Moist Supreme Creamy Vanilla Cake Mix. You can swap in any other cake mix flavor you prefer. I suggest butter, yellow, or spice cake mix as a substitution.
- Box Size Difference: This recipe calls for a 15.25-oz. box of cake mix. Unfortunately, many cake mix sizes have decreased to 13.25-oz. over the past few years. You can buy an extra box of cake mix, add 4 tablespoons of it to the 13.25-oz. box, and then store the remaining cake mix in a tightly sealed glass jar for future use. Or, you can make a “cake mix upsizer” by whisking together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. Add 4 tablespoons of this mixture to the 13.25-oz. boxed cake mix and then store the remaining “cake mix upsizer” in a tightly sealed glass jar for future use.
- Since this cake is so moist, I suggest refrigerating it if you don’t plan on serving all of it within two days.
Improvements:
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Replace the ground cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the cake batter, or 1/2 teaspoon to the cake topping, when you remove it from the heat.
- Replace the roasted salted pepitas or pumpkin seeds with chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Serve this ugly duckling cake with this Classic Vanilla Ice Cream (Easy No Egg Recipe) or this Buttery Apple Cider Tea-Infused Ice Cream.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Teaspoon Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 1 (15.25-oz.) Can Sliced Pears in Heavy Syrup
- 1 (15.25-oz.) Box Vanilla Cake Mix
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1/2 Cup Half and Half
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1/2 Cup Roasted Salted Pepitas or Pumpkin Seeds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Liberally grease a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish or metal cake pan with butter, then set aside.
- Strain the heavy syrup from the pears into a large mixing bowl using a colander or strainer. Cut the sliced pears into small bite-size pieces and add them to the mixing bowl along with the cake mix, eggs, and cinnamon. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared glass baking dish or metal cake pan. Spread the batter out evenly with a silicone spatula.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, combine the brown sugar and half and half in a medium nonstick saucepan. Cut the butter into pats and add it to the saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, continue to cook ir for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the coconut and pepitas or pumpkin seeds.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the cake when it comes out of the oven.
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
Butter Cake Mix Summer Peach Shortcake
Butter Cake with Chunky Cinnamon Apples
Peach Crumble Pound Cake (Cake Mix Recipe)
In 2024, we cooked and baked our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, we shared a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December. CLICK HERE to find all of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge recipes.
In 2025, we cooked and baked our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, we shared a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December. CLICK HERE to find all of the 2025 Alphabet Challenge recipes.
Unsweetened Coconut Oatmeal Peach Crisp
You just can’t beat a warm, comforting, bubbly oatmeal peach crisp fresh out of the oven, especially if it’s topped with a crunchy buttery topping made with quick-cooking oats, unsweetened shredded coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and vanilla. And, since you can use either fresh or frozen peaches for this fruity dessert, this is one simple and easy recipe that you’ll be able to enjoy year-round.
Chunky Pumpkin Ancho Unsweetened Cocoa Chili
Forget everything you thought you knew about chili. Because this chili isn’t just good, it’s potentially award-winning. The secret? Diced pumpkin and unsweetened cocoa powder. Yes, you read that right. And if you’re thinking, “Pumpkin and unsweetened cocoa in chili?” You’re just going to have to trust us on this one. This recipe, featuring rehydrated dried ancho chili peppers, a rich low-sodium beef broth, ground beef, and a bit of unsweetened cocoa for extra depth, is the kind of chili that makes you question everything. Get ready to unlock a whole new level of chili deliciousness. Your taste buds and your potential chili cookoff rivals are going to be seriously impressed.
In 2026, we’ll be cooking and baking our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, for the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, we’ll be sharing a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December.
“A” – Homemade Apple & Whiskey Barbecue Sauce
“B” – Small-Batch Blue Cheese Dip with Dried Herbs
“C” – Dill Pickle & Mustard Seed Cream Cheese Spread
“D” – Parmesan & Cheddar Pimento Corn Chip Dip
“E” – Whipped Feta Lemon Zest & Basil Deviled Eggs
“F” – Lemony Potato & Fennel Rotisserie Chicken Soup
“G” – Chunky Garlic Stuffed Olive Deviled Eggs
“H” – Creamy Cilantro Herb Caribbean Potato Salad
“I” – Sun Dried Tomato Italian Dipping Oil for Bread
“J” – Jerk Seasoned Caribbean Honey Mustard Sauce
“K” – Spicy Cheddar Krispies Crackers (Rice Krispies)
“L” – Deviled Eggs with Lemon Caper Remoulade
“M” – Mexican Green Chile Pimento Cheese Dip
“N” – Smoky Southwestern Seasoning (No-Salt)
“O” – BBQ Deviled Eggs with Crispy Fried Onions
“P” – Southwestern Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
“Q” – Fresh Summer Corn & Zucchini Sausage Quiche
“R” – Mild Curry Chicken Salad with Diced Red Apples
“S” – Buttery Deviled Eggs with Celery & Shrimp
“T” – Butternut Squash, Thyme, Ham, & Wild Rice Soup
“U” – Fall Pear Ugly Duckling Cake (Cake Mix Recipe)
Please make sure to check out the other great “U” recipes below. A huge thanks to A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this 2026 Alphabet Challenge event.
- Fall Pear Ugly Duckling Cake (Cake Mix Recipe) by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Sourdough Discard Walnut Ginger Cookies by A Messy Kitchen
- Ugali – Savory Maize Meal Porridge by Food Lust People Love
- Unicorn Popcorn by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Unicorn Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies by Blogghetti
- Upvasacha Cake by Sneha’s Recipe
- Urchin Butter by Culinary Cam
- Uzbek Rice with Beef and Carrots (Plov) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- White Urad Dal by Mayuri’s Jikoni
