22 Retro Desserts That Will Get Everyone Talking

From possum pie and boy bait to sad cake and Texas trash, these retro sweets are as fun to say as they are to eat.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published May 14, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Texas trash pie in a pie dish with a slice cut out

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

There are many reasons I love a good retro recipe, from convenient store-bought shortcuts to wild styling to the simple nostalgia factor it may hold. But one other thing I've really come to cherish is a retro recipe with a great name. From sonker and pandowdy to possum pie and boy bait, the names for retro recipes will literally put a smile on my face every time I come across them.

So I've collected 22 retro sweets below that are as fun to say as they are to eat. Whether you have a summer picnic or church potluck to attend, or simply have a sweet tooth that needs satisfying, let these joyful conversation-starters lead the way!

  • Arkansas Possum Pie

    Arkansas Possum Pie with one slice removed

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel

    "Possum pie does not contain any possum, nor is it a savory meat pie as the name might suggest. This popular dessert from Arkansas is a creamy pudding pie with layers of cream cheese filling, chocolate filling, and whipped cream in a nutty pecan crust. " —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Coca-Cola Cake

    Metal baking pan of sliced coca cola cake with a slice being removed with a metal spatula

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser

    "Do not use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe. The acidity of natural cocoa powder is needed for the leavener to react." —Afton Cyrus, Recipe Developer

  • Oh Henry Bars

    Oh Henry bars on a crinkled parchment paper with a bowl of crushed peanuts

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "The original recipe from Susan Buckalew (as well as most other recipes online) calls for corn syrup. I use honey because it adds more flavor, but if you prefer, use corn syrup. The texture will be the same either way." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Texas Trash Pie

    Texas trash pie in a pie dish with a slice cut out

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Don’t let the name fool you—Texas trash pie is a regional treasure. Originating from Royers Round Top Café in Round Top, Texas, this well-loved Texas pie is an anything-but-the-kitchen-sink style dessert packed with sweet, salty, sticky, and nutty mix-ins." —Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 22 below

  • Sad Cake

    Parchment Paper Lined Plate With Sad Cake Slices Next to a Mug and a Blue and White Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Sad cake in its truest form is a 3-ingredient recipe, but it welcomes tinkering in the form of added nuts or chocolate chips, or omission of the coconut." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Strawberry Sonker

    strawberry sonker in a casserole dish

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    "This recipe can be used with almost any kind of fruit: blackberries, peaches, plums, and cherries can all be swapped for the strawberries without any other modifications. You can even use canned or jarred pie filling, and frozen fruit works just as well as fresh, though you’ll need to cook it a little longer on the stovetop to thaw it." —Megan Scott, Senior Editor

  • Grandma's Soda Cracker Pie

    soda cracker pie slice (topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries) on a small plate with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Soda cracker pie is a Southern delicacy. I think of it as the best combination of a pecan pie and marshmallows." —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

  • Bumpy Cake

    Bumpy cake on a small plate with cross-section facing forward

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "The original bumpy cake was created in 1913 at Sanders Chocolate & Ice Cream Shoppe  in Detroit, Michigan. It consists of a devil’s food cake with bumps of buttercream across the top. Pourable fudge finishes it off, making for a shiny coating." —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 22 below

  • Million Dollar Pie

    Million Dollar Pie, Forks on the Counter, and a Stack of Plates

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Million dollar pie is a classic icebox pie made with pecans, coconut, and pineapple in a whipped cream filling spread over a crumbly graham cracker crust. Put it all together and it's rich, creamy, tangy, and nutty. " —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Blueberry Boy Bait

    Overhead view of multiple blueberry coffee cake slices on a wooden cutting board

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    "This 1950s treat got its fun name after a 15-year-old baker submitted her blueberry coffee cake in a Pillsbury baking contest. With her entry, she noted how well it attracted young men." —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

  • Banoffee Pie

    Banoffee Pie with a Slice Cut Out

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "If you’re a fan of the Great British Bake Off, then you’ll know that banoffee pie is a popular British dessert. The pie is made with a crumb crust filled with rich caramel, fresh banana slices, and a mound of whipped cream." —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Pumpkin Quickies

    Pumpkin quickies on a cooling rack (some are plain and some were upgraded using demerera sugar and chocolate chips

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "The 1960s recipe calls for just two ingredients: pumpkin spice cake mix and a whole can of pumpkin purée. You stir them together, dole them out with a cookie scoop, and bake them. That’s it. That’s the recipe." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 13 of 22 below

  • Shoofly Pie

    A slice of shoo fly pie on a plate with the rest of the pie behind it along with a cup of coffee.

    Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

    "Molasses comes in different flavors and varieties, and it can get confusing, especially when some brands have different labeling categories. I recommend opting for light molasses, which has the mildest flavor. If you really like the flavor of molasses, you can opt for regular/medium flavored molasses or dark/robust molasses, both of which are more assertive in flavor." —Irvin Lin, Recipe Developer

  • Peach and Raspberry Pandowdy

    peach and raspberry pandowdy in a casserole dish next to a stack of plates on comfy (cottage-core style) table

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    "If you’re not in the mood to make your own pie crust or just don’t have the time, you can use a refrigerated crust instead (it needs to be the rolled or folded kind, not the frozen-in-a-pie-pan kind)." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Grasshopper Pie

    Overhead view of grasshopper pie cut into slices with one on a plate.

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    "Many grasshopper pie recipes are quite elaborate and call for gelatin, egg yolks, egg whites, etc. In this recipe, we use marshmallows, instead of eggs and gelatin." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Club Cracker Cookies

    Closeup of club cracker cookies topped with chopped mixed nuts spread out on a white surface

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "These Club Cracker cookies aren’t really cookies, but they’re not quite crackers or candy, either. Whatever you call them, know that it takes a lot of willpower to eat just one." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

    Continue to 17 of 22 below

  • Ritz Torte

    Slice of ritz torte on a plate, and in the background, a baking pan with more and a plate with another slice

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Let the base cool to room temperature before adding whipped cream, or it will melt and seep into the meringue, making it soggy." —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Company's Coming Pie

    Angled view of a cream pie topped with pecans with a slice removed in a clear glass pie plate resting on a blue plate and a wooden tabletop

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "One of the most delicious pies I've ever eaten is also one of the weirdest to make. Company’s Coming Pie is an invention of the Cliff House Inn in Arkansas and is a delicious combination of crisp meringue and fruity whipped cream. The result is a super light pie whose sweet creaminess is tempered with a subtle saltiness and a satisfying crunch. It’s the kind of dessert that guests will invite themselves over for." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • War Cake

    war cake cut into slices on a cake platter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "I love how the coffee accentuates the molasses flavors from the brown sugar and dried fruits. You can substitute brewed coffee with 1 cup of water and 2 to 3 teaspoons of instant coffee granules. If you prefer the cake to be caffeine-free, you can use decaf coffee or plain water." —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Scotcheroos

    Angled view of sliced squares of Scotcheroos stacked on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "Scotcheroos are best eaten within a day or two (and you can be pretty sure they will disappear before that), but the cut bars can be stored in a sealed container and frozen for up to three months. Just bring them to room temperature before serving." —Maren Ellingboe King, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 21 of 22 below

  • Lazy Daisy Cake

    Lazy daisy cake slice on a spatula in a pan with more cake

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Toast the coconut before mixing up the topping. Yes, a few shreds of coconut will get toasty in the broiling step, but not enough that they are toasted-toasted." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Omaha Cake

    Retro omaha cake

    Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

    "Omaha cake is, indeed, a simple recipe. There’s no creaming of butter and sugar, so there’s no need for a stand mixer or even a handheld mixer. Instead, you combine the cake ingredients in a bowl and then pour half into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan, add a can of your choice of pie filling, and cover that with the rest of the cake batter." —Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

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