You’ve heard of state birds and state flowers, but what about state foods?
Reader’s Digest rounded up the most iconic foods officially tied to each state. In Alabama, that honor goes to a boozy, sugary treat that even got a shout-out in a classic novel.
What is Alabama’s official state food? This award-winning treat might surprise you.
What is Alabama’s official state food?
Known as “prize cake” or “Alabama Lane cake,” Lane cake is a bourbon-soaked layer cake filled with rich custard and topped with fluffy white frosting, pecans, coconut and raisins. Over the years, bakers have created countless variations, but most Lane cakes stick to these classic ingredients.
Where did the Lane cake originate?
Emma Rylander Lane, originally from Georgia, was living in Clayton, Ala., when she created the Lane cake in the 1890s for a baking competition at the county fair in Columbus, Ga. She took home first prize and later published the recipe in a cookbook, Some Good Things to Eat. Her original version featured raisins and a classic “boiled” frosting.
The cake earned literary fame in Harper Lee’s 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, where the main character, Scout, mentions a neighbor’s Lane Cake.
When was Lane cake named the official state food for AL?
In May 2016, the Alabama Legislature officially designated the Lane cake as the state dessert.
With its boozy filling and literary fame, Lane cake is more than a dessert. It’s a story baked into Alabama’s past.
Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What Is Alabama’s official state food? Reader’s Digest says this