Alabama is known for its delicious Southern comfort foods, from barbecued ribs to fried chicken. But what about dessert? What is the most popular, beloved sweet treat across the state of Alabama?
The Origins of Southern Desserts in Alabama
To understand Alabama’s favorite desserts, it helps to look at the history of Southern cuisine. Many traditional Southern desserts originated from the recipes of enslaved African Americans prior to the Civil War. Desserts like sweet potato pie, pecan pie, and Lane cake have roots tracing back to the antebellum South.
Following the Civil War, dessert recipes spread as African Americans moved away from plantations and shared cultural traditions. The late 19th century saw cookbooks emerge documenting Southern recipes, along with the opening of bakeries and restaurants specializing in regional cuisine.
The 20th century brought fame to Southern desserts like red velvet cake, banana pudding, and peach cobbler. Regional specialties expanded beyond home kitchens into popular restaurants and national grocery store distribution. The diversity of cultures across the South – African, French, Native American and more – shaped the blend of flavors and ingredients that came to define Southern-style desserts.
Most Popular Desserts in Alabama
So what are the desserts that Alabamians love the most today? Here are some of the sweet treats that rank as favorites across the state:
Lane Cake
Lane cake is the official state dessert of Alabama for a good reason – it has origins right in Alabama, and has been a cherished Southern specialty for over a century. The cake was named after its inventor, Emma Rylander Lane, who submitted the recipe to a cookbook in the 1898. The white layer cake is filled with a signature bourbon- and brandy-laced raisin and nut filling, and frosted with a fluffy white frosting.
Banana Pudding
This classic Southern dessert is found on menus statewide. Layers of sliced banana and vanilla wafers soaked in sweet vanilla custard make this the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Recipes for banana pudding date back to the late 19th century. Bananas became cheaply accessible across the South in the 1920s, helping this fruity, creamy dessert take off in popularity across Alabama.
Peach Cobbler
Peach cobbler represents Alabama’s Southern heritage, with fresh peaches as the star ingredient. Peaches grow well across central Alabama, providing an abundance of sweet, ripe peaches when in season. Cobblers date back to the early Colonial era, when resourceful cooks came up with the simple baked dish combining fruit and biscuit dough. Alabama cooks put their own spin on peach cobbler over the years, making it a staple dessert.
Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potato pie is a wonderful fall and winter dessert, and has been an important soul food staple since the days of slavery. Thought to have originated in the South in the 18th century, these creamy pies are denser and deeper than pumpkin pie. They are still made from recipes passed down through generations and enjoyed across the state around the holidays.
Red Velvet Cake
The eye-catching look of red velvet cake makes it a festive choice for special occasions and holidays. Layers of soft red cake with creamy white icing are as pretty as they are delicious. Red velvet cakes and cupcakes can be found in bakeries, restaurants and home kitchens all over Alabama.
Pecan Pie
Rich and sticky with syrup and pecans, pecan pie has long been a prized recipe in Alabama. The native pecan trees helped popularize pecan pies starting in the early 20th century. Whether made from scratch or store-bought, pecan pie appears at potlucks, church functions and family dinners across the state, especially during the holidays.
Pound Cake
Pound cake’s dense, ultra-buttery crumb makes it a treasured basic for Alabama bakers. Pound cake recipes using equal weights of flour, butter, eggs and sugar date back to the 18th century. Thecake keeps well and can be dressed up many ways with glazes, fruit, chocolate and more. It’s easy to find pound cakes at the center of celebrations in homes statewide.
Regional and County-Level Favorite Desserts
Some dessert favorites in Alabama vary by region or even county. Here are some examples of locally-beloved sweets:
Mobile-Area Mardi Gras King Cake
Mobile is home to the Gulf Coast’s original Mardi Gras celebration since 1703. Their traditional king cake is a wreath-shaped coffee cake decorated in purple, green and gold sugar with a small baby figurine tucked inside. King cake season runs from January 6 to Fat Tuesday, when locals enjoy sharing this regional specialty.
counties in the north central region of the state have been historically dry (banning alcohol sales) so desserts substituted for the booze in Lane cake. These cakes use things like coconut or pineapple juice instead of bourbon. Local churches and funerals often have cake and pie served after the meals.
Jefferson County’s Tomato Pie
Central Alabama’s tomato pie is a vintage southern recipe using juicy ripe tomatoes layered between a buttery pie crust. Seasoned with mayonnaise and cheese, the summertime treat emphasizes theproduce bounty of the state. Tomato pie is a fixture at potlucks, church dinners and family events in the area.
Greek Yogurt Pound Cake in Decatur
Northern Alabama has a strong Mennonite community influence. Their cooking uses farm-fresh dairy like tangy Greek yogurt to make dense cakes and breads. Local cooks and restaurants in Decatur put their spin on pound cake using yogurt for added moisture.
Common Alabama Dessert Ingredients & Traditions
From the deep South up into the Tennessee Valley, Alabama cooking shares some core ingredients and preparation methods that give it a distinctive flavor. Here are some of the elements that help give Alabama desserts their trademark taste and style:
- Fresh fruit like peaches, pecans, blackberries and strawberries grown locally in Alabama.
- Bourbon from Alabama distillers used for flavoring cakes and pies.
- Muscadine grapes grown across the South add unique sweet-tart juice to pies and preserves.
- The rich peanut tradition in Alabama means delicious peanut brittle and peanut butter treats.
- Sweetened condensed milk balances the tart buttermilk often found in old recipes.
- Cast iron skillets are favored for cooking cobblers and deep frying peachy fritters.
- Lard or butter-based pie crusts speak to the rich heritage of Southern baking.
- Cakes layered with coconut, pineapple or lemon reflect tropical flavors.
- Whipped egg white meringues top lush pies and puddings.
These core ingredients and time-honored kitchen tools characterize the dessert heritage of Alabama. Easy access to fresh produce and dairy makes the classics always taste best close to home.
Where to Find the Best Desserts in Alabama
From small town bake shops to big city fine dining, there are wonderful places across Alabama to experience regional dessert traditions. Here are some top spots to get your fix of banana pudding, red velvet cake and other Alabama favorites:
Edgar’s Bakery, Birmingham
This beloved bakery has been a Birmingham icon since the 1960s. Their famous coconut cake even has its own monument in front of the store! Their scratch-made pies, wedding cakes, eclairs and more keep locals coming back.
GainesRidge Dinner Club, Camden
This farm-to-table restaurant southwest of Montgomery meticulously recreates historical Southern recipes. Their dessert menu stars in Lane cake, peach cobbler and old-fashioned custard offerings.
Salem’s Diner, Moulton
Classic diner fare like mile-high meringue pies and banana pudding make Salem’s a popular stop for a homestyle dessert. Located north of Birmingham, they use time-honored techniques on Southern staples.
The Red Pepper Deli, Clanton
Specializing in hearty Southern meals, the Red Pepper Deli is a beloved lunch spot near Montgomery. Their from-scratch baked goods include perfect sweet potato pie and warm fruit cobblers.
The Waysider, Tuscaloosa
This casual Tuscaloosa restaurant open since 1951 plates up hearty Southern breakfasts all day. Don’t miss their giant mugs of banana pudding to finish your meal.
Classic Alabama Dessert Recipes to Try at Home
The best way to taste authentic Alabama desserts is to make them yourself! Here are some time-tested recipes for treats like pecan pie bars, Lane cake and homemade peach ice cream you can enjoy in your own kitchen:
Mama’s Lane Cake
This recipe from Southern food expert Nathalie Dupree yields a true Alabama Lane cake with its signature bourbon-spiked filling and fluffy coconut frosting.
Decatur Yogurt Pound Cake
This moist, dense cake uses tangy Greek yogurt instead of butter or oil. It keeps well and is wonderful for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
Peanut Butter Pie
A chilled peanut butter mousse in a graham cracker crust makes a cool summertime dessert. Peanuts pair perfectly with the chocolate shavings on top.
Muscadine Grape Hull Pie
This vintage pie recipe uses the tart hulls and skins of muscadine grapes balanced with sugar and lemon. The old-fashioned treat highlights Alabama’s native grapes.
Peach Ice Cream
When peach season peaks, churn up a batch of creamy peach ice cream. Pureed fresh peaches make it dreamy and smooth.
The Ultimate Alabama Dessert: Red Velvet Cake
If one dessert could claim the title of most beloved in Alabama, red velvet cake has a strong case. The eye-catching crimson cake layered with white icing has long been a prized Southern recipe. It’s a birthday cake staple, holiday favorite, and the best choice for celebrating special occasions across the state. Red velvet cakes and cupcakes have become beloved menu items at restaurants and bakeries as well.
The balance of cocoa with vinegar and buttermilk gives red velvet its tangy, slightly exotic flavor. Playful cream cheese frosting offsets the cake perfectly. The recipe likely has origins in the 1920s or 30s, rising to fame as a contemporary treat associated with dining and celebrations. Alabama embraced it wholeheartedly, and it remains the state’s quintessential birthday cake for all ages.
For Alabamians, red velvet cake brings together all the best elements of Southern dessert heritage. It highlights creative recipes elevating humble ingredients. The creamy white frosting provides a counterpoint to the rich red crumb. And it retains a sense of indulgence fitting for commemorating special memories with family and friends.
So for its ability to bring people together in celebration and its representation of cherished cuisine traditions, red velvet cake stands in a class of its own. The vibrant, sweet, and tangy cake reflects all the things that make desserts in Alabama so delectable. Red velvet cakes will likely continue reigning over birthday tables and holiday feasts for generations to come.