My favorite… Clairee asks Truvy for the recipe for her Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa. It haunted me. (put on your Dolly Parton voice:) “Oh hell, Clairee, you don’t need a recipe. It’s just a cup of flour, a cup of sugar and a cup of fruit cocktail WITH the syrup, stir and bake in a hot oven ‘til golden brown and bubbly. I serve it with ice cream to cut the sweetness.”
It occurred to me recently that I had a photo of myself with Dolly from around 1978 when she was visiting LA. Larry was an ad agency guy then, and his longtime radio sales friend Dick McGeary invited us to meet this rising country star, a newbie to me. She was as sweet as Truvy. And very short; I’m bending my knees to scrunch my 5’8” frame down and she was wearing platform heels.
So, back to the movie. Was Truvy’s recipe worth making? A few other bloggers who followed the recipe said pretty much the same thing. Hillbilly Food. That wasn’t enough to deter me so I made a batch and “I can report” (as Clairee would say) it’s more like college dorm food. Sticky, super sweet, but only three ingredients, so there’s merit. Annelle would like the fact that I will “Freeze It Beautifully” (the beans scene) until then.
Recipe: Truvy’s Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa from Steel Magnolias
Summary: Is Steel Magnolias one of your favorite movies? I tried Truvy’s recipe, and here it is.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fruit cocktail in heavy syrup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together ingredients. Spray an 8 x 8 inch square pan with non-stick spray and spoon in batter, spread to the edges. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to cool until warm to the touch, cut into 16 squares.
Meal type: dessert
Culinary tradition: USA (Southern)
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for posting this WtW, I’m planning to make it this weekend for my theater group’s production of the play to serve during intermission. I’ll cut the sugar in half, as some here have suggested and bake it and serve it in cupcake foils, as that makes it for easier serving– and hopefully more donations.
I have been looking for this recipe for YEARS!!!! Thank you so much tfor posting it. I can not WAIT to try it. Plus, I, like the others will use the cup of butter….YUM!!!
Hello I have gone through all the posts and I am def going to try it tonight! Idk about adding a cup of butter to it though.
My husband spoiled me tonight by making this for me as a special treat. Steel Magnolias is my favorite movie (our oldest son is named Jackson!) and I’ve always said that I wanted to try Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa but never did so we thought starting off 2013 on a super sweet note was the way to go! We read all of the comments and decided to add a cup of butter to the recipe as suggested and top it off with Vanilla Bean ice cream. It was delicious! Not too sweet at all and Jackson loved it too! I’m so glad that I finally tried this recipe! Happy New Year to you and we hope that 2013 stays this sweet!!
Bey, you warm my little ‘ol heart!
I googled cuppa cuppa cuppa, and your website came up. He He He I knew there would be many submissions and modification suggestions to the recipe. I was thinking of trying it for Thanksgiving, but not sure the ice cream requirement would fit well with Fall weather and the rest of my menu.
I did want to say you’re giving Ms. Dolly a run for her money in that photo. You remind me of a young Joan Lunden. Very pretty, then and now. I, too, like your writing style. Good memories, Emotion, and Food go together more than people realize. And I think it’s the best way to approach cooking and baking.
The best part of the cuppa cuppa scene to me is Clairee’s pronunciation! LOL
Def use self rising flour and I cut the sugar in half and use light syrup or own-juice type cocktail. Worked just fine for me less sweet. I actually measure out a cup of juice first and make the batter and then add the fruit last. That way you can gage more or less fruit depending on your own taste. What’s hillbilly food exactly? Isn’t all American food kind of hillbilly?
I’d probably try it with self-rising flour and bet it would make for a better dish
Sunlover, I would say the heavy syrup is part of the chemistry of this cake. If you make it with “own juice” fruit, it may be a gloppy mess. I have to say, if you don’t like REALLY REALLY SWEET, you won’t like this. My teeth hurt just thinking about it.
I’m thinking about making this cake to take to a crop (scrapbook event) this weekend. Really, really sweet is not my thing and I wonder if I can use fruit cocktail in its own juice in place of the one in heavy syrup.
I added 3 or 4 tablespoons of melted butter. This is such a good recipe!!
I think I would try this with a splenda blend and maybe a light syrup for a slightly less sweet mix….but I do want to play with this recipe. Thanks.
Thank you for the perspective, Sheila. In 1978, country music just wasn’t a big deal here in Los Angeles. I do love Dolly.
FYI, Dolly Parton was FAR from a rising star in 1978. In 1967 she became a regular on the Porter Waggoner show. And in 1974, her song, “I Will Always Love You,” went to # 1.
I am currently playing Truvy in the play, so to quote Ouiser, “I am intrigued.” Anyway, what I discovered is that it they left off one cuppa. It is much better with a cuppa butter mixed in!
I’ve been dying to try this. And i’m going to this weekend.
And I’m sorry to split hairs, but “hillbilly” and “southern” are not (always) the same thing. The story takes place in Louisiana. Very few hills or mountains in that state. I’m betting the recipe is a relic from the 50s when ladies’ magazines were publishing unholy combinations of canned and other prepared foods.
And from what I can see in the Christmas festival scene, Truvy and Annelle are scooping up a Low-country Boil. Delish!
My fav movie of all time!…and has anyone figured out just exactly what Dolly Parton was dishing up at that Christmas Festival? Has anyone found the recipe?
That festival is in fact real in that town and I would imagine that it is served there every year. There is a web site for the festival but I don’t see a list of what all is served.
My hillbilly grandma made it with canned peaches sitting on top rather than mixed in. Truly sophisticated tasting. Divine. Since, I’m from Hawaii, I’m making mine with white wholegrain flour (like that used in Sara Lee white whole grain bread) and sweetened mangos on top.
WOW, now I have to see the play. Maybe the way Truvy delivers the lines is just funnier.
In the play, it’s actually Clairee’s recipe…don’t know why they switched it for the movie.
Not really a hilbilly recipe. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and my mom used to make something similar using fruit pie filling, boxed cake mix and squeezy parkay. Put 2 cans of pie filling in greased cassarole dish, cover with contence of cake mix box and dot with butter or the squezy parkay, bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until light golden brown.
This was Piecake. I loved it with cherry pie filling but any fruit pie filling will do
Karen – I don’t see why not. The concoction is pretty sticky and sweet anyway. If you do so, please report your results!
I wonder if you can make this with heavy syrup-ed (is that a word) pineapple?
Damien, I luv hillbillies, LOL. Best cooks out there.
This is a common southern recipe… often called fruit cocktail cake. I don’t agree that peaches make it better, then it just tastes like a super sweet peach cobbler. The best fruit cocktail to use is the extra cherries. I serve it warm and always with ice cream on top. It is way too sweet without it. Made my night running into this recipe blog. I guess I’m a “hillbilly”
Helen, you are so sweet. Thank you for your support about my writing style. Great way to end the week, thanks!
I’m thrilled to see your recipe and anecdotes from the film. I’m going to try it, just to pay homage to the film pretty much as you have done
Please don’t change your writing style no matter what some other rude poster has said. There are many recipe sites, if one doesn’t appeal you can find another. There’s no need to be ignorant though
I’ve heard a few variations, such as canned peaches. But always serve it topped with ice cream, “to cut the sweetness” as Truvy said in the movie. It really does.
I have mine in the oven right now, this is the first time I am making this. I hope it comes out alright. Can you use any kind of canned fruit?
Try it using canned peaches……Much better and also it works best with self-rising flour! Always top with ice cream!
Hi Jay, sorry to disappoint you with my post. The recipe turns out sticky sweet. If YOU like “sticky sweet,” give it a try. I ate it but probably won’t make it again because it is so sweet. That is why Truvy recommended topping it with ice cream; that wasn’t a joke, it does cut the sweetness. The photo is exactly what it looks like when done.
Your reviews are of little to no worth. What about the ‘Cuppa’ recipe? Is it edible? Does it end up a sticky mess? Your comments were about loving the film, not how the thing turned out. Do i waste my time and ingredents making it or not?
I have been wondering if i can make this and i am very excited now to runt o my kitchen and make this for my boys. I will also make this on my next girls night movie with steel magnolias
I will speak in my Dolly P voice while making this, y’all!
Looooove Steel Magnolias! Those lines you recite make me nostalgic : )
I loved that movie and this cuppa cuppa!!!
Love the film AND that treat!
I love it!! Great movie, great food, great fun!