a

get in touch

Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you on your enquiry.


download our
product catalogue

Fill out the form below and click the 'Download Now' button to see our full product catalogue.


Desserts

Desserts Through the Decades

Just as fashion and music evolve, so too does what we serve up for dessert. We’re taking a walk back through time with this one, to highlight some of the most iconic desserts throughout the decades.

1930s

Pavlova. Rising to popularity throughout Australia and New Zealand in the early 1930s, was the now classic, and always much-loved, dessert Pavlova. Simply whisk up a bunch of egg whites with sugar, bake and then serve with copious amounts of whipped cream and your favourite fruit. While speculation remains over which of the two countries came up with the dessert idea first, there’s no doubt it was inspired by the famous Swan Lake tutu of well-known Russian ballerina, Anna Matveyevna Pavlova, who toured both countries.

1940s

Upside Down Pineapple Cake. Pineapple rose to popularity as a go-to ingredient post-Depression. One particular dessert that shows just how pineapple-crazed the world, and Australians in particular, were is the upside-down pineapple cake. This unique cake involves laying pineapple slices at the bottom of the cake tray before pouring your cake mixture on top. Once baked, and cooled, the cake is flipped upside down to reveal a moist and tasty pineapple top.

1950s

Banana Split. A banana split or a milkshake at the local diner was the perfect date idea, yes even here in Australia. Traditionally a banana split lengthways with scoops of delicious ice cream and topped with any number of crushed peanuts, chocolate sauces, whipped creams and the maraschino cherry on top – just like a scene straight out of the movie Grease! Throw in a quick movie at the outdoor cinema and you were living the good life.

1960s

Jelly. Fruit-flavoured jelly was one of the most popular desserts of the 60s. Often made from scratch, jelly was the perfect after-school sweet treat. Also adaptable to be a fully customisable party dessert with endless flavours, and colours, to use. And of course, you could always add complementary fruits into the jelly too for added heft and a slight hint of healthiness.

1970s

Fondue. Whether it be the sweet chocolate variety, or savoury cheese, fondue is synonymous with the 70s. The best part about a fondue is that the rules go out the window. Just put a bunch of chocolate or cheese in a pot over a flame and heat until melty and gooey, then anything goes! Biscuits, fruits or vegetables can all be used in your chosen fondue and everyone can enjoy.

1980s

Trifle. A dessert commonly found at a classic Australian Christmas celebration has to be a trifle. Love them or hate them, this dessert was taking the 80s by storm with its multiple layers that traditionally include cake, custard, fruit pieces, jelly and cream. There are no rules so get creative and bring back this 80’s classic, especially popular for Christmas and other festive occasions but frankly for any old time!

1990s

Sticky Date Pudding. Gaining popularity throughout the 90s was none other than the sticky date pudding. Typically paired with a hot butterscotch or caramel sauce, whether store-bought or home made, this warm winter delight is sweet, sticky and absolutely addictive.

2000s

Cake Pops. Before social media took over and ‘aesthetic’ food was everywhere, most of us relied on cookbooks for culinary inspiration. One treat that stands out from the early 2000s was cake pops. Moving on from traditional cupcakes, we decided to impale them with plastic or wooden sticks, roll leftover cake or freshly baked cake into balls and dip them in icing. The icing could be any colour or flavour, letting us be as creative (and patient) as we wanted with the decorations.

2010s

Cookie Dough. Remember the days when Tumblr and Facebook ruled our lives? Those were the glory days of some pretty wild food trends, especially in the dessert world. From artsy deconstructed treats to over-the-top shakes, it felt like anything and everything food related began to spawn onto our feeds. However, without a doubt, from 2010 onwards, cookie dough took the crown as the ultimate food trend, safely processed of course to remove any of the potential issues around raw flour.

The 2020s aren’t over yet, but social media has already brought many trending desserts into the limelight in Australia and internationally. So, as we reflect on dessert history, which classic treat from a different decade would you love to see make a comeback?

Want to discover more about dessert innovations?

We’ve helped develop many mouth-watering, delicious dessert innovations that have delighted customers all around the world, inspiring them to come back for more. We’d love to work with you on your next dessert innovation or discuss how you can offer this exciting new treat to your market. Click the button below to book a time to meet.

Contact us
Share