This Savory 1950s 'Cake' Is Probably Best Left In The Past - Tasting Table

"While viewers of Netflix's "Is It Cake?" try to decide between what is a cake and what is actually an object, this concoction tries to look like a cake but surprises eaters with its curiously salty, savory ingredients. While some recipes from the 50s aren't around anymore, like tomato soup cake and baked fish loaf, bologna cake has somehow found a resurgence, thanks to determined online creators. "Surprisingly, it looks really good," commented one user in response to @scubeskitchen's TikTok "How to make a bologna cake.""

"This cake is among the dishes that have grown less popular over the years over the years, but it still manages to surface on party tables. Admittedly, it's one of the more creative ways to use bologna. Think of it as a party-sized sandwich made in the shape of a cake. Sliced layers of meat are stacked with cream cheese and other ingredients. "I don't know how, but that is delicious," gushed TikToker @scubeskitchen, who made the cake and tried some."

"The most basic bologna cakes can be fashioned using only bologna, cream cheese, and a sprinkle of onion powder. Recipe variations include sneaking in pieces of white bread or sliced cheese into the layered structure or mixing Italian dressing into the creamy spread. Garnishes like black olives and parsley have been known to adorn the surfaces of these meaty cakes, and both Cheese Whiz and mustard are used to add decoration and dashes of whimsical color to the presentation."

Bologna cake is a savory, layered party dish made from stacked slices of bologna and creamy fillings, often resembling a sweet cake in appearance. The origins are unclear, with some suggesting it began as a joke. Basic versions use only bologna, cream cheese, and onion powder, while variations add bread, sliced cheese, Italian dressing, and decorative garnishes like black olives, parsley, Cheese Whiz, and mustard. Online creators and TikTok videos have revived interest, with tasters calling it surprisingly delicious and some makers even deep-frying the assembled creation.

Read at Tasting Table