Dolly Varden Cake

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Dolly Varden cake is an iconic cake that’s especially popular at children’s birthdays in Australia. The cake was named after a character named Dolly in one of Charles Dickens’ novels ( Barnaby Rudge ) and the ensuing fashion style with bright colors, bold patterns, and different layers of fabric. The earliest recipe for the cake calls for four layers: chocolate, a white layer made with egg whites, a rose layer made with cochineal, and a yellow layer made with egg yolks, along with the frosting. Once baked, the multi-colored layers are stacked to create a visually attractive cake, and nowadays the layers come in a variety of flavors and colors. What sets this cake apart is the addition of the centerpiece – a Barbie (or similar) doll is placed in the center of the cake so that the cake itself acts as the doll’s skirt.