Few People Know The History Behind One Of New Orleans’ Most Iconic Desserts

You’ll find this popular New Orleanian dessert at most celebratory functions. From weddings to graduations, doberge cakes have been a staple of New Orleans for decades, but do you know this history of this iconic dessert? Let’s take a closer look.

It all begins around 1933, then Beulah Levy Ledner opened a bakery in St. Rose.

She quickly became known as the "Doberge Queen of New Orleans" after creating this Hungarian/Austrian spin-off cake. She adapted the recipe from the Hungarian/Austrian Dobos Cake. She swapped the buttercream filling of the Dobos Cake with the custard filling we all know and love, and then topped the cake with thin layer of fondant and just like that, a baking legend was born.

In 1946, Beulah decided to sell her bakery and her recipes to another baking legend, Joe Gambino.

Perhaps you’ve heard of him? Gambino continued to operate under the "Beulah Ledner Bakery" name for a few years. In 1949, he reopened the bakery under his own name, "Joe Gambino’s Bakery."

Gambino’s continues to make the iconic dessert, and it’s become so popular that many other bakeries in New Orleans have created recipes of their own.

But this is the original.

You can find Beulah’s original recipe in the cookbook, "Let’s bake with Beulah Ledner: A legendary New Orleans Lady" by Maxine Wolchansky.

Gambino’s has three locations, so you’re never too far away from this delicious treat: 4821 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, LA 70006, 8646 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806 and 3802 Johnston Suite C., Lafayette, LA 70503.

So what’s your favorite: lemon or chocolate? The great debate! Let us know in the comments below!