Over the years, desserts have gone in and out of style. From chocolate fondue to layered puddings and salads, what was once popular when you were a child might not be as popular today. However, that doesn’t make these recipes any less delicious!
The popularity of desserts is based on several different factors. Before the age of social media, word of mouth was often the best way to share recipes. Cookbooks were also important to many, and celebrity chefs have given us new ideas to try. Additionally, many desserts were created based on food products that were new or highly popular at the time. For example, Jell-O was hugely popular in the 1960s, leading to several Jell-O-based desserts and molds.
Our list below is based not only on what was popular at the time but is also reflective of the culture. From Baked Alaska in 1960 all the way to mini-desserts and macarons in the 2000s, this list covers 50 years of popular treats. A few even make our list of vintage foods from the 60s worth trying now.
To create this list of popular desserts over the past 5 decades, 24/7 Tempo reviewed several food-related sources including Taste of Home, Daily Meal, Tasting Table, Delish, and personal blogs. Here is a complete list of the most popular desserts in the year you were born.
1960: Baked Alaska
Shaped like an igloo, the baked Alaska dessert was designed to be a form of surprise. With an outer layer covered in whipped and warmed meringue, the inner portion of the dessert was filled with frozen and layered ice cream. According to Brittanica, this dessert has various creation stories, but most agree it was synonymous with Alaska becoming the fiftieth state in 1867.
1961: Ambrosia
Also called “ambrosia salad,” this dessert is simple to make and only requires a handful of ingredients. Most recipes for ambrosia call for mixed fruit or canned fruit cocktail that includes mandarin oranges and pineapple. Added to the fruit are coconut and miniature, colorful marshmallows. The ingredients are then combined to make the salad.
1962: Million-Dollar Cake
During this time frame, canned mandarin oranges were highly popular. This ingredient was also used to top the million-dollar cake. Most often, this dessert was made from a boxed yellow cake mix and covered with a light cream cheese frosting before the fruit was added to the top.
1963: Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
Though this recipe resembled cherry cheesecake, cherry cream cheese pie was a dessert that was lighter in texture and didn’t require baking. Most cream cheese pies only require 5 ingredients. Once these ingredients were mixed and placed in a pie dish, the dessert was chilled before canned cherry topping was added.
1964: Stained Glass Gelatin
With the popularity of Jell-O on the rise during this decade, stained glass gelatin was an iconic dessert. This recipe typically required cut squares of finished Jell-O in various colors. These squares were then combined with frozen whipped topping before the mixture was placed on a graham cracker crust and cut into squares.
1965: Sparkling Jell-O Mold
Jell-O molds were often sold as a side product to the jiggly gelatin. These molds could be used to make any sort of Jell-O-based dessert, but one hugely iconic recipe was sparkling Jell-O. This recipe called for gelatin combined with fresh fruit and champagne. Additionally, it was largely served at dinner parties.
1966: Tunnel of Fudge Cake
According to Pillsbury, this cake was the winner of the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. The entry, submitted by Ella Helfrich, used a bundt cake pan to create a circular chocolate cake. Inside the cake was a layer of fudge that evolved as the cake was baked. This dessert is typically topped with a rich, chocolatey glaze, too.
1967: Banana Cake
Banana bread has always been a hugely popular recipe, but it got an upgrade when the recipe was tweaked to create a cake or bars. To make this recipe even more delicious, banana cake is often topped with a sweet and decadent cream cheese frosting.
1968: Key Lime Pie
Though this pie was largely popular in Florida before the 1960s, it took time for the rest of the world to catch on to the dessert’s goodness. Key lime pie involves a graham cracker crust topped with a pudding-like filling made of sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Whipped topping then tops the pie, creating a light and fruity dessert.
1969: Hello Dolly Bars
Growing up, you may have also heard these bars referred to as “seven-layer bars.” The bars begin with a baked graham cracker crust. On top of the crust, layers of sweetened condensed milk, various chocolate chip flavors, nuts, and coconut are added before the dessert is baked.
1970: Sock It To Me Cake
During the 60s and 70s, the term “sock it to me” grew in popularity. Duncan Hines capitalized on this phrase and created a recipe that was placed on the back of their yellow cake box mixes. This dessert involves a bundt cake with a layer of cinnamon streusel and nuts in the middle. It could then be topped with white frosting when cooled.
1971: Chocolate Mousse
In the 1960s, Julia Child released her cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” In it, she shared a recipe for chocolate mousse that many came to love. The recipe includes both egg whites and yokes, as well as coffee and orange liquor flavoring.
1972: No-Bake Pudding Cheesecake
At a time when Jell-O was entering the world of puddings came their no-bake cheesecake recipe. This dessert is simpler, easier, and lighter than regular cheesecake as it doesn’t require baking. To make the cheesecake filling, boxed Jell-O pudding is combined with cream cheese, milk, sugar, and vanilla.
1973: Carrot Cake
While carrot cake originally became famous in Great Britain during World War II, this dessert continued to increase in popularity over the years. Even today, this spice cake mixed with shredded carrots and covered in cream cheese frosting is popular and well-known.
1974: Chocolate Fondue
While the 1960s brought Jell-O molds, the 1970s brought fondue. What may have begun with melted cheese, eventually turned into chocolate. This dessert form of fondue was perfect for fruit and squares of pound cake. Today, chocolate fondue is less popular, but you might find a chocolate fountain during large celebrations.
1975: Watergate Salad
While this dessert salad goes by many names, its recipe is fairly simple. Pistachio pudding is mixed with whipped topping, nuts, coconut, and pineapple and then chilled to create a cool and fruity dessert. How this dessert got its name, however, is unknown.
1976: Strawberry Pie
To continue with the theme of gelatin throughout the ’60s and ’70s, strawberry pie became popular. This pie begins with a pie crust and is then filled with sliced, fresh strawberries, sugar, and strawberry-flavored Jell-O. Once chilled and set, whipped topping is added to finish the dessert.
1977: Black Forest Chocolate Torte
This layered chocolatey and cherry-topped dessert was nothing short of a show-stopper at the height of its popularity. Black Forest chocolate torte is known for its 4 thin layers of chocolate cake, each separated by cream filling. While there are different variations of the dessert, most finish the cake with sliced nuts on the side and either fresh or canned cherries on the top.
1978: Hummingbird Cake
Largely popular in Southern states, hummingbird cake originated from Jamaica. This spiced cake was filled with bits of pineapple and/or banana. It was also typically layered with cream cheese frosting and topped with nuts.
1979: Berry Trifle
A cool and refreshing summer dessert, berry trifle involved layers upon layers of sponge cake, fresh berries, and whipped topping. Various forms of trifles were popular in the 70s, and this version was simple to prepare while still appearing fancy and unique.
1980: New York Cheesecake
In the 1980s, cheesecake became a popular dessert of choice. While there are numerous different varieties of this decadent dish, New York cheesecake is one of the most popular recipes. This style of cheesecake is known for having a higher amount of cream cheese and extra eggs, making it a smooth and rich dessert.
1981: Lemon Pudding Dessert
This dessert involves more than just lemon pudding. The first layer of the dessert is a graham cracker crust. Lemon pudding and a sweet, cream cheese mixture make up the next two layers. The dessert is then finished off with whipped topping to create a light dessert.
1982: Ice Cream Cake
Another dessert that rose in popularity during the ’80s was the ice cream cake. While this frozen dessert can be made at home, it was largely purchased from ice cream shops like Baskin Robbins and Dairy Queen. These restaurants even began to advertise ice cream cakes on TV.
1983: Mud Pie
As frozen desserts were on the rise, so were Oreo cookies. The combination of the two could be used to make mud pie. This dessert begins with a crumbled cookie crust and is then topped with ice cream. Once the dish freezes, it can be topped with whipped cream, fudge, and more cookie crumbs.
1984: Jell-O Pudding Pops
As the popularity of pudding began to increase during this decade, the Jell-O company developed and marketed a new product: Jell-O pudding pop mold kits. These products allowed consumers to make and freeze pudding into popsicles. According to Sporked, this product was hugely popular during its first year on the market but was eventually discontinued in 2004.
1985: Poke Cake
A twist on the classic vanilla cake, poke cake included the flavor of Jell-O. This recipe begins with a general boxed cake mix. Once the cake is finished and cooled, small holes are poked into it where liquid gelatin can then be added. One of the most famous takes on this recipe was strawberry poke cake where strawberry gelatin was added for flavor, and the cake was covered in whipped topping and sliced, fresh strawberries.
1986: French Silk Pie
Though French silk pie has been around since the 1950s, this dessert grew in popularity during the ’80s. The dessert begins with a pie crust that’s covered in smooth chocolate mousse. It’s then covered in whipped topping with chocolate shavings for garnish.
1987: Red Velvet Cake
Red Velvet Cake -Photographed on Hasselblad H1-22mb Camera
Chocolate cake got an upgrade with the creation of red velvet cake. While the red color simply comes from food dye, traditional red velvet cake recipes also include buttermilk to create a denser, more moist cake. Each layer of the cake is also separated by cream cheese frosting.
1988: Mississippi Mud Cake
As we can see, desserts in the ’80s focused largely on chocolate, and one of the most popular chocolatey recipes from the decade was Mississippi mud cake. According to Southern Living, this recipe got its start during World War II and was perfect for potlucks and parties. What sets this chocolate dessert apart is the inclusion of pecans and mini marshmallows.
1989: Tiramisu
During the ’80s and ’90s, Tiramisu became a hugely popular dessert. Its creation has origins tracing back to Italy, making the dessert a popular choice in Italian restaurants. While there are several variations of the recipe, traditional tiramisu includes ladyfingers that have been soaked in coffee layered with mascarpone cheese and chocolate.
1990: Lemon Bars
While the origin of lemon bars dates back to the 1960s, this dessert saw its time to shine in the ’90s. Classic lemon bars have a shortbread crust, followed by a layer of lemon curd. These bars are then sprinkled with powdered sugar and cut into squares.
1991: Chocolate Lava Cake
Delicious molten chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream on table with coffee and second dessert in background
As the popularity of chocolate desserts carried over from the 1980s, chocolate lava cake became hugely popular. While the true origins of this kind of cake aren’t clear, it’s thought that two different chefs created the decadent dessert sometime in the ’80s. Individual-sized molten lava cakes were often on the menu at restaurants.
1992: 4-Layer Chocolate Dessert
Also simply called “chocolate delight,” this creamy and cool dessert was often seen at potlucks in the ’90s. The first layer is either made up of a graham cracker crust or a shortbread crust. The next layer consists of a cream cheese concoction before chocolate pudding is layered on top. The fourth layer of the desert is whipped topping.
1993: Better Than Sex Cake
What began as a twist on boxed chocolate cake rose quickly in popularity during this decade. Better than Sex cake begins with a baked chocolate cake. Holes are then poked into the cake to pour in condensed milk and caramel, creating a rich and moist cake. Whipped topping and crushed toffee bars finish off this dessert.
1994: Puppy Chow
This simple snack, also called “muddy buddies,” requires little time and a short list of ingredients. Chex cereal is covered in melted chocolate and peanut butter before being doused in powdered sugar.
1995: Boston Cream Pie
Though this dessert has the word “pie” in the title, it’s actually a recipe made of yellow sponge cake and a creamy vanilla filling. To make this dessert, a yellow cake is made in a circular cake pan. After the cake is finished, it’s cut in half and the bottom is covered with filling before the top half is placed on top. The cake is then topped with a chocolate frosting.
1996: Coca-Cola Cake
The cola cake is a dessert that originated in the ’50s, though it didn’t grow in popularity until the ’90s. This recipe involves making a chocolate cake from scratch and including Coca-Cola in the mix. After the cake has baked and cooled, it’s topped with chocolate frosting.
1997: Cookie Cake
Chocolate chip cookie cake on white background
Cookie cakes involved taking an entire cookie dough mixture and pressing it into a circular cake pan instead of creating individual cookies. This “cake” is then topped with whipped cream, frosting, or sprinkles to make it look more similar to a traditional cake.
1998: Dirt Pudding
This fun take on chocolate pudding makes for a yummy dessert for kids. Also called “dirt and worms” this traditional recipe involves layered chocolate pudding with chocolate sandwich cookies. The top of the dessert is then covered in gummy worms.
1999: Scotcharoos
While these bars may go by many names like peanut butter chocolate bars, the ingredient list is simple and easy. The base layer involves stirring Rice Krispies into a melted mixture of peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar. Once these ingredients are combined and pressed into a cake pan, chocolate, and butterscotch chips are melted to be spread overtop.
2000: Confetti Cake
Vanilla cake mixed with sprinkles was a popular dessert at the turn of the century. Pillsbury had begun selling their “Funfetti” boxed cake mixes and people were picking up on the trend. This type of cake can also be made from scratch.
2001: Vanilla Cupcakes
As smaller dessert portions began to be popularized, simple vanilla cupcakes became hugely popular. These cupcakes even began replacing traditional sheet cakes at weddings.
2002: Tres Leches Cake
While tres leches cake had been around long before the 21st century, ice cream producers began creating frozen treats made of this flavor, leading to an uptick in popularity. The cake, which hails from Mexico, is traditionally a sponge cake that’s made with cream, milk, and evaporated milk.
2003: Oreo Fluff
Oreo fluff is known for its simple ingredients list. Also called “Oreo salad,” this dessert is made by combining crushed Oreos, cream cheese, whipped topping, instant vanilla pudding, and milk. This recipe doesn’t require any baking and can simply be chilled once the ingredients are combined.
2004: Crème Brûlée
Though crème brûlée had its start in the 80s, French cuisine and culture were on the rise in the early 2000s, leading to an uptick in the popularity of the dessert. The dessert involves a vanilla custard, topped with caramelized sugar.
2005: Frappuccinos
The first Frappuccinos were invented and sold by Starbucks in the mid-1990s, but these coffee-infused beverages continued to grow in popularity after their release. Today, you can find several Frappuccino flavors available as well as similar iced coffee blends at other restaurants.
2006: Texas Sheet Cake
Popular are funerals and potlucks, the Texas chocolate sheet cake is a large, made-from-scratch cake topped with smooth chocolate icing. This recipe is typically prepared in a large jelly roll pan.
2007: Flavored Mini Cupcakes
As if cupcakes weren’t popular enough, these treats took on new life with the popularity of mini cupcakes. An even smaller size of a full cake, mini cupcakes were excellent for flavor exploration. Bakeries everywhere began launching concoctions like piña colada and key lime flavor-infused mini delights.
2008: Cake Pops
The invention of these bite-sized cake treats on a stick can be traced back to Angie Dudley, the blogger at Bakerella. After Dudley posted about her new invention in 2008, this dessert caught on like wildfire, even going as far as a food item at Starbucks.
2009: Fruit Pizza
While the origins of this fruity dessert aren’t specifically known, it’s continued to grow in popularity over recent years. Most recipes involve either a premade cookie dough crust or a homemade one. Once the cookie crust is cooked and cooled, it can be topped with a cream cheese frosting before various fruits are placed on top.
2010: Macarons
While this French dessert has origins that trace back centuries in France, it didn’t pick up in popularity in North America until 2010. This was largely due to the popularity of French bakeries in the United States. (For related reading, click here to see the official food of every state.)