14 Beloved Desserts from the 1970s

The 1970s was a fascinating time for the culinary world. During this era, there was a creative leap forward in American cooking that was driven by a mix of convenience foods, international influences, and a flair for dramatic presentation. It was during these years that food became more than just something for the stomach; it was also a feast for the eyes. It was a particularly decadent time for desserts, complete with bold flavors, eye-catching designs, and indulgent textures that took center stage on the dessert table.

In a decade bursting with vibrant colors and playful culinary experimentation, desserts were reimagined and crafted to showcase the era’s love for excess and creativity. Instant pudding, boxed cake mixes, and Cool Whip were common in home kitchens, which made extravagant desserts more accessible than ever. This allowed people, especially housewives, to quickly and easily whip up intricate trifles and layer cakes and create dazzling desserts that were designed to impress. For restaurants in the ’70s, desserts became a spectacle, with chefs pushing boundaries to create treats that were visually striking and oozing with indulgence.

From the rich, creamy, and chocolatey Robert Redford cake to the boozy charm of Harvey Wallbanger cake, there are many once-popular desserts from the 1970s worth celebrating. Gen Xers, prepare for a heavy helping of sweet nostalgia.

In the ’70s, the Robert Redford cake was all the rage. It’s considered to be as iconic as other drinks and meals named after celebs, like the Shirley Temple and Arnold Palmer.

It’s a rich and unctuous dessert made up of layers of chocolate crust, cream cheese and whipped topping, pudding, and pecans. Some versions of the cake include a cake mix crust and a variety of candy bars and sweets. This cake was a huge hit at potlucks and family gatherings; it was beloved for its rich, creamy texture and layered flavors.

It goes by other names as well, like chocolate delight, as well as the not-so-PG “Sex in a Pan” and “Better Than Sex cake.” How did Robert Redford get involved though? In the ’70s, Redford had massive appeal, particularly from his adoring female fans. The cake became known as “the next best thing” to the actor, and the name stuck. It was so popular that recipes for the dessert were featured in newspapers and magazines across the U.S.

A true showstopper dessert of the ’70s, the Baked Alaska is considered a visual spectacular. What sets this treat apart is the contrasting elements that it’s made up of. It’s both cold and toasted, marshmallowy and creamy, and features a combination of ice cream and meringue.

The best way to summarize the Baked Alaska is layers of sponge cake topped with ice cream and encased in a fluffy meringue. To finish it off, the meringue briefly flambeed, which creates the toasty coating. What’s great about this dessert is that you can mix up the flavors of ice cream and cake to create your own unique version.

Does this icy-hot dessert come from The Last Frontier, though? Alas-ka, it does not. It was actually created by a French chef named Charles Ranhofer in New York City long before it rose to popularity in the ’70s.

A Watergate salad may be unlike any “salad” you’ve ever seen. While most salads are green and leafy, this is sweet, fluffy, and was a big hit in the 1970s. It features a mix of pistachio pudding, mini marshmallows, canned pineapple, and chopped nuts topped with Cool Whip. The result is a creamy, pastel-green treat that’s both refreshing and nostalgic. The dessert, like the Watergate scandal at the time, was a great conversation starter in the ’70s.

There has been a lot of debate over the years as to where the dessert got its name from. The most common theory is that it was linked to the Watergate Hotel — but, oddly enough, the dessert was never actually sold there. Others point to the connections between this no-bake dessert and the Watergate cake. Then, there is another that suggests that the real reason why it’s called Watergate salad is because the dressing is “covering up” the inside layers. Regardless of where it came from, this 1970s hit is one that many wish would make a comeback.

Fondue gained popularity in the 1970s as a fun, interactive, and communal meal. Not only was fondue, a name derived from the French word “fondre,” a hearty and indulgent addition to ’70s tables, but it was also a great way to use up stale bread. As the trend took hold, fondue became a centerpiece at dinner parties and featured far more than just bread and cheese. It was common to see a big pot of melted cheese on the dinner table, into which apple slices, cooked potato cubes, pear portions, and cooked meats would be dipped and savored.

One type of fondue that really stood out, though, was chocolate fondue. It was a symbol of pure decadence at the time. This dessert, inspired by Swiss cuisine, became incredibly trendy throughout the U.S. during the ’70s as a way to close out a dinner party. 

You’ll find many variations of fondue, including boozy renditions like our Irish cream chocolate fondue. You can also expect to find a variety of ingredients alongside the pot of melted chocolate, including strawberries, fruit, marshmallows, brownie bites, cookies, pretzels, and more.

The 1970s ushered in the era of convenience foods, where quick, easy-to-make meals and desserts became household staples. During those years, instant pudding became an instant sensation. The treat was first made many years prior, in 1918, when it was introduced by a company called My-T-Fine. In 1936, Jell-O brought its own version to market in a variety of flavors, including tapioca, butterscotch, egg custard, and even rice pudding.

In the late 1960s, another brand entered the instant pudding market: Bird’s. Its version of the instant dessert, sold under the name Angel Delight, was launched in 1967, but only really got traction in the ’70s when it reached peak popularity. It was a no-fuss dessert that called for nothing more than some milk and a whisk. This light, airy, and creamy pudding was a household favorite.

Instant pudding is nowhere near as popular now as it was in the ’70s, but you can still find it in grocery stores like Walmart. Although, it may not be the same as it once was.

Kids who lived in Britain in the ’70s will be transported back to their youth upon seeing the iconic butterscotch tart on this list. This dessert, known for its rich, buttery caramel flavor, was a much-loved treat at the time. A crisp, buttery pasty base adds a layer of texture that, when combined with the butterscotch, is irresistible. It quickly became a staple of English school dinners in the ’70s and was often drizzled with custard to add an extra sweet and creamy taste.

The signature butterscotch filling is made by first combining sugar, milk, and melted butter. Flour is then added to thicken the mixture, resulting in a smooth, golden caramel filling. The mixture is then poured into a blind-baked shortcrust pastry. Once it has set, it can be sliced and served. 

It’s easy to see how this simple and delicious dessert was a ’70s favorite. And, you can still whip it up today and taste a bite of the past. 

Lemon lush, another popular layered dessert of the 1970s, features a base of buttery shortbread or cookie crust, topped with layers of sweetened cream cheese, zesty lemon pudding, and a generous spread of whipped topping.

While it was a highly sought-after treat in the ’70s, the dessert was actually born ten years earlier. What made it so popular was its simplicity, especially after instant desserts gained traction during the disco era. It’s known for its refreshing flavor as well as its light and creamy texture. Plus, it can easily be assembled using pre-made ingredients, like whipped toppings and pudding mix.

The combination of the ingredients makes it rather unusual. The crust is sweet and buttery, the topping is light and fluffy, and the cream cheese layer in the middle adds a zestiness that lingers long after you’ve finished a spoonful. It was a great option for those who were looking for a no-bake treat that could be enjoyed at both barbecues and formal dinners.

This particular dessert was first created by a popular San Francisco bakery called Blum’s. The shop first opened in 1892 and moved to Union Square in 1907 where it attracted dessert lovers from all over the Bay Area. While it made a variety of exquisite cakes and other desserts, the treat that attracted people from afar was its coffee crunch cake. It’s known for its light, airy sponge layers and whipped cream frosting, topped with crunchy coffee-flavored honeycomb toffee.

The cake was actually the result of a mistake in the Blum’s kitchen in 1940. After overboiling soft coffee candy, the master chef at the time, Ernest Weil, made sure that it didn’t go to waste. The candy was broken into small pieces and added to an existing sponge cake on the menu. The Blum’s coffee crunch cake was then born.

This cake almost disappeared when Blum’s in Union Square closed in 1972. A few years later, all other Blum’s bakeries in the area closed their doors. If you look hard enough today, you might be able to find bakeries who have tried to revive it.

The Mississippi mud pie is another classic treat found in households and restaurants across the U.S. during the ’70s. The name was inspired by Mississippi River mud; the dense, chocolatey layers of the dessert resembled the sludge found in the river. Though, this association didn’t deter 1970s dessert lovers one bit from making it one of their favorite treats.

This dessert is as delicious as it is easy to put together. All you need to do is put the layers together in the right order, and voilà, it’s ready to be enjoyed. While there are a few variations of this treat, all you need is cream cheese, chocolate pudding mix, whipped topping, and chopped pecans to make the basic recipe. This is one dessert that you can make at any time of year to impress your guests and offer those who grew up in the ’70s a nostalgic treat.

Jell-O Pudding Pops are a creamy, frozen treat that was wildly popular in the 1970s. Much to the dismay of any ’70s child, they were discontinued in the early 2010s after they were reintroduced in 2004 under a different name, Popsicle. Although they were stocked in stores across the U.S. in the ’70s, they could just as easily be made at home.

So, what exactly are Jell-O Pudding Pops? They’re made from Jell-O instant pudding that has been frozen into popsicle form. They have a smooth, rich texture that sets them apart from standard ice pops. In the ’70s you could find them in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate-vanilla swirl. 

If you’re a ’70s kid looking for a trip down memory, lane, the good news is that you can still buy Jell-O pudding today. Not only that, but the company has introduced several flavors over the years, including Churro Delicioso and Mango Sabroso in 2023. This means you can create something nostalgic and completely new at the same time.

This was a dessert that made a grand appearance at parties during the 1970s. It was particularly popular among those who got caught up in the tequila sunrise craze at the time. In the ’70s, tequila was one of the latest fads in the bar scene, but the tequila sunrise cocktail was elevated to celeb status thanks to the Rolling Stones and the Eagles. It didn’t take long for the flavors of this famed cocktail to make their way into a dessert. Enter: the tequila sunrise cake.

Inspired by the tequila sunrise cocktail, this dessert is vibrant, flavorful, and has a kick. The dessert is soaked with a tequila syrup and layered into a Bundt pan. This creates a colorful, sunrise effect –much like the cocktail.The cake is often garnished with orange slices, maraschino cherries, or pomegranate seeds to mirror the drink’s classic presentation. It was a popular dessert in the ’70s that embodied the fun, care-free spirit of the era. Today, it remains a nostalgic favorite for those who love a dessert with a retro twist.

The lemon chiffon cake, an airy and elegant cake with a zesty citrus flavor, was another popular dessert of the ’70s. What sets this cake apart from others is that its base is made from oil instead of butter, which gives it a light, fluffy, and moist crumb. It also has a delicate structure, thanks to the whipped egg whites that are added to the batter. The middle features a creamy filling made with lemon pie filling and it’s common to glaze the cake with lemon icing or dust it with sugary powder. If you like a little bit of zest with your dessert, this is the treat for you. Though, there are other flavors of chiffon cakes that you can try too, including chocolate, coconut, and strawberry.

The original chiffon cake was invented in the 1920s by Harry Baker, a California insurance agent turned caterer, who kept the recipe under lock and key. It became a national sensation later in the ’40s when General Mills bought the recipe from Baker. 

Rice pudding was considered a staple treat in the 1970s thanks to the rise of convenience cooking and a renewed appreciation for simple desserts. It’s made by simply simmering rice with sugar, milk, and vanilla. The result is a rich, velvety texture that can be complemented with cinnamon, nutmeg, or raisins. To give it some extra depth, whipped cream is often added.

What drove its popularity in the ’70s was that it was affordable and easy to prepare, which both kids and adults loved. All you needed was a few simple ingredients that were found in nearly every pantry. It didn’t take long for the retailers to catch on to its popularity, and ready-made versions were soon found in grocery stores across the country. While it’s nowhere near as popular as it once was, you can still find ready-made rice puddings in grocery stores today.

We finish off with another dessert inspired by a popular drink of the decade: the Harvey Wallbanger cake. In the 1950s, the Harvey Wallbanger cocktail emerged. While it was found in some bars across the U.S., it was only 20 years later in the ’70s that its popularity soared. This was thanks to a clever marketing campaign launched in 1969. It became synonymous with the thriving disco scene and very quickly began appearing on posters, T-shirts, beach towels, buttons, bumper stickers, buttons, and even on coffee mugs. It then found its way into a cake — and people of the ’70s loved it.

The cake itself is made using a yellow or orange-flavored cake mix. Galliano, vodka, and orange juice were added to the batter. The result is a moist, flavorful sponge. It is typically baked in a Bundt pan and topped with a Galliano-spiked orange glaze that soaks into the cake. This gives it a rich, slightly herbal, and citrusy kick.

It was another dessert that formed part of the boozy baking trend of the 1970s. While it’s not all that popular today, it’s not uncommon to find it served as a treat by those who long for a nostalgic taste of the ’70s.