11 Once-Popular Cakes That Need To Make A Comeback

Trends come and go, but cakes are forever. At least, some which have been immortalized in Betty Crocker cookbooks and vintage magazines. Although these recipes seem to have withstood the test of time, the cakes themselves have declined in popularity. It could be that no one fancies mixing tomato soup with cake mix or boiling icing anymore, but there's no denying these cakes had a certain je ne sais quoi.

In the 1960s, you couldn't walk into a southern suburban kitchen without seeing a Lane Cake, which also happened to be the very first naked cake to appear in baking magazines. During the 19th century, it would have been rare to visit London and not indulge in a Victoria Sponge Cake. These desserts may seem random, but they share something in common: At one point, they were the most popular cakes of their day, and we think there are some that are still worth celebrating. We searched high and low for every sweet showstopper we could find that we think still deserves to make a comeback today.

As far as decadent desserts go, Coca-Cola definitely takes the cake (see what we did there?). Puns aside, cooking with soda was popularized during the Great Depression, which gave rise to the Southern Coca-Cola Cake. One can of pop is needed for this recipe to create decadent chocolate cake and its soda-flavored icing. It's truly a chocolate lover's dream thanks to cacao powder in both the cake and the icing, with enough sugar to put you in a coma after just one slice.

The recipe first made headlines in southern newspapers, where curiosity got the best of most readers. After all, how could you resist a gooey chocolate cake that features both marshmallows and Coca-Cola? Just like the soda, the cake became a staple for many families when the recipe became a nationwide favorite. In the late 1990s, it saw a resurgence when Cracker Barrel added the Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake to its menu. Sadly, the cake's popularity has since waned, but we think it's about time to start using Coca-Cola in cakes again.

Those who have read "To Kill a Mockingbird" will be familiar with the Lane Cake. According to PBS, it was the cake that "made Maycomb famous." While Maycomb is a fictitious town, the cake in question, thankfully, is not. One of Scout Finch's famous lines referenced the amount of bourbon in this cake, which is part of the reason it's so deviously delicious. Sweet liquor, raisins, and sometimes pecans make this cake distinctly southern, but also make it one worth trying. 

This prize-winning cake first hit the scene in 1898, and hung around for nearly a century. Southern Living featured the cake in its second issue of the magazine, where it was decorated as what we now know to be a "naked cake." While Pinterest may have helped naked cakes go viral, the Lane Cake was sporting a frosting-less exterior long before the internet even existed. In honor of modern naked cakes everywhere, the Lane Cake deserves a comeback, if only to prove that bourbon does still have a place in baking. 

Long before Red Velvet, there was the Mahogany Cake. This dessert was known for its soft, pillow-like cake, traditionally layered with cream cheese icing. The chemical reaction between vinegar, buttermilk, baking soda, and cacao resulted in a fluffy texture, and a byproduct of the reaction was its color. During the 1800s, the ingredients triggered a chemical reaction that resulted in a slightly darker, deeper red, which was — you guessed it — more mahogany than bright red. Today, cacao beans are processed to reduce their natural acidity levels, which negates the reaction that gave us the color of the Mahogany Cake. The bright red we see in Red Velvet cakes today is created with food coloring.

The Victorian Era originally coined "velvet" cakes, and Mahogany Cake would be easy enough to bring back today. Some might argue it's even better than Red Velvet, thanks to the addition of coffee, which brings out the robust notes of cacao. While we would need unprocessed cacao beans to achieve the original color of this cake, it would be worth the result. 

We know what you're thinking: Tomato soup has no place in cake. And if the Tomato Soup Cake never existed, it would be easy to agree on this point. This recipe specifically calls for Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup, which, admittedly, is a surprising addition to spice cake mix. The sweetness from the soup mingles with the bold spices of the cake mix, which was enough to make it popular during the 1930s. 

This unique Depression-Era cake was first seen in the late 1920s before the official recipe came out 20 years later. Originally known as Steamed Fruit & Nut Pudding, the base cake was made with a spice blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The addition of the soup was deemed a secret ingredient and saw many variations through the '60s. Eventually, scratch-made cake bases were swapped out for premade spice cake mix, which simplified the recipe. 

Unfortunately, its popularity died out after it was no longer featured on Campbell's soup cans, though its reputation lives on. We're thinking a petition might be needed to bring back the Tomato Soup Cake, if only to give carrot cake some competition. 

Lemon desserts were once far more popular in the Southern U.S., where citrus fruits are easier to grow. When it comes to Lemon Cheese Layer Cake, lemon curd is the true star, with most recipes calling for it to be freshly made. The addition of cheese, however, is a real head scratcher — considering there's no cheese in the actual recipe. 

As it turns out, lemon curd was also known as lemon cheese. Lemon Cheese Layer Cake is rumored to have premiered in the mid-1800s, where lemon curd was added to a crust to make what's still traditionally known as a tart. The cake itself sandwiches fluffy cake layers between dense, tart lemon curd, making for a bright and zesty dessert. Over the years, we've seen lemon cheesecake and lemon squares come and go, but neither combine the lightness of cake with the bright flavor of homemade curd. Lemon Cheese Layer Cake is worth bringing back, if only to spark confusion among people who genuinely think there's cheese somewhere in their lemon cake.

If Coca-Cola isn't your vibe, then 7Up just might be the one cake ingredient you've been missing. The effervescent carbonation that we all know and love about 7Up is what made it such a popular cake ingredient in the 1950s. It acts as a natural leavening agent while adding a hint of sweetness, which sets it apart from other cakes with a hint of lemon-lime flavor. It doesn't just stop there, though–the recipe incorporates soda and lime juice into the icing as well, creating a light and airy glaze with just the right amount of tang from the citrus.

7Up celebrated its 90th birthday back in 2019, but was forgotten once again after some celebratory pop-ups in grocery stores. These days, soda-based cakes are not nearly as popular as they were during the mid-century when baking underwent a renaissance in favor of new and exciting ingredients. The flavor of the 7Up cake alone is cause for us to make it popular once again. Even more, the original recipe for this easy and delicious 7Up Cake has been published by 7Up , evidence further that it deserves a comeback.

Jam in cake is still something we see today, with even more unique fillings than just strawberry or raspberry. In truth, there's nothing spectacular about these cakes, that is, until we refer back to recipes exchanged by early settlers who are credited for the first American Jam Cakes. What sets these early cakes apart from many today is the addition of homemade jam. This ingredient was so important in the recipes, that many believed the myth that non-homemade jam would curse the cake, making it soggy and inedible.

The Kentucky Jam Cake is one of the most well-known jam cakes in the country, and is a tremendous source of pride for its locals. This is followed closely by the Tennessee Jam Cake, and the ingredients that go into it are quite similar to Kentucky's version. As the cakes evolved, other berries were used depending on what grew in each state. One thing is for certain: If we were to bring this cake back, it would need scratch-made jam — we're not trying to test any early American curses. 

Lady Baltimore Cake was first made in the early 1900s, where it was popularized in South Carolina. Contrary to what many might believe, there is no Lady Baltimore, nor is does this cake have history in Maryland.  The more likely history of Lady Baltimore Cake is that its name came from the reputation of the elite who could afford such a show-stopping dessert. It was a decadent cake and popular among socialites.

Its appearance caught people's attention, with a layer of merengue covering beautiful layers of cake dried nut and fruit filling. These airy cake layers are achieved by whipping egg whites into a chiffon, which makes a light, fluffy base for boiled icing. The process of creating a chiffon and merengue for one cake are likely why it fell out of popularity, as these extra steps are relatively time-consuming. Today, this nut-and-fruit-filled cake would be an impressive centerpiece for those who found the time to recreate it.

We'll admit that calling a cake a "sponge" is not the most glamorous or appealing name. However, an exception must be made for a dessert intended for royalty. The Victoria Sponge is a simple cake made of at least two springy cake layers. Jam and cream are traditionally used to fill in the layers, giving the cake a beautiful appearance. Flavor-wise, the lightness from the cream is a wonderful balance to the bold tartness of the jam. It's easy to see why this quickly became a favorite of Queen Victoria's, and the U.K. not long after. 

Interestingly enough, this cake would not have existed were it not for the invention of baking powder in 1843. By 1855, Anna Russell, Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, played a hand in adding baking powder to their traditional biscuits. The result was the Victoria Sponge, and rumor has it that the queen indulged in a slice of this cake almost daily. It quickly became a cake for lunches, special occasions, and afternoon tea for garden parties at Buckingham Palace. Bringing it back today would be paying homage to a royal tradition, not to mention reviving a delightful dessert that's easy to bake. 

Apple lovers can attest to the fact that besides apple pie, there isn't much in the way of apple desserts. Sure, apple tart and autumnal-themed pastries are great, but in the cake world, apples prove challenging; they're a heavy fruit that require a unique touch. Enter German Apple Cake, a dense, sweet, subtly-spiced cake that stands alone in the world of baking. It doesn't have light fluffy layers or a sweet icing, but it does have an incredible apple flavor that tastes like everything good about the fall season was baked right in. 

Also known as "Apfelkuchen," this cake often features a streusel topping depending on the variation. The recipe itself is more than a century old, and was handed down through generations before making its way to other parts of the world. It was once popular in Jewish culture, featured most prominently during holidays like Yom Kippur. Apples might not get the respect they deserve where cakes are involved, but this seasonal dessert deserves to be handed down for several more centuries. 

Bermudan Rum Cake, a variation of Rum Cake, has deep roots in the Caribbean. This rum-soaked cake is intoxicating in more ways than one, with a bold, sweet flavor and just a hint of spice and heat from the liquor. It has given rise to desserts like Rum Balls and Rum Baba, but authentic Bermudan Rum Cake made as it was during the 18th century is a recipe well worth bringing back. Many countries have their own variations on rum-spiced cakes, as British trade routes were wide and varied. Bermuda was a major port of call, particularly for rum trading. The country's original Rum Cake was once known known as "Black Cake" due to its alcohol content, and it has more than earned the nickname.

The key to authentic Bermudan Rum Cake is caramelizing the fruit, which is first soaked in (of course) rum. It's often compared to fruit cake but is far more delicious and far less dense. If its filling didn't have enough rum, don't worry — the entire cake is traditionally topped with more rum, which soaks through each layer. This is one to bring back for the rum lovers.