Recently I ran across a recipe for “Stranger” Cake. Apparently it’s been popular in Louisiana for decades, but many of us in different regions of the US have never heard of it. One of the unique things about this cake is its name, and I wanted to know why it is named Stranger Cake, which is a very strange name for a cake. Was the cake delivered on the doorstep by a “stranger”? Was the recipe obtained from a “Stranger”? Was it a cake delivered to new people (“Strangers”) that moved into new neighborhoods? Did the recipient think that there never was a “stranger” recipe for a cake?, or was the developer a novice cook who didn’t follow the directions and added the frosting to the cake ingredients and nothing was “stranger” than that the cake turned out so well? I guess we’ll never know, but I feel cheated that I never tasted this extremely moist cake before now. The following Stranger Cake is quick and easy to put together and is delicious.


While researching stranger cakes for this article, I learned that many people make it with other flavors of cake mix and accompanying cans of frosting. This one is so easy, I plan to try a few other flavors and see how they turn out. You will probably want to do the same.

12 Servings

1 cup pecans

1 13.25 ounce Butter Pecan Cake Mix
1 15 ounces container coconut pecan frosting
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup water

Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a standard Bundt pan liberally with non-stick spray containing flour (like Baker's Joy). Set aside.
2. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and place in the oven while it is heating up to toast them; they take about 10 minutes to toast. Remove from the oven; cool and chop.
3. Place the cake mix, frosting, vegetable oil, eggs, and water in a mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared Bundt pan. Tap the filled pan on the counter to settle the batter.
4. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake leaves the sides of the pan.
5. Remove from the oven and let it cool 5 minutes before inverting the cake onto a cooling rack. When cool, transfer the cake to a serving platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar before slicing.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 451 Calories from Fat 257
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 57% Protein 3% Carb. 40%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 29 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 71 mg
Sodium 302 mg
Total Carbohydrate 45 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 29 g
Protein 4 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 2%