Updated on Oct. 05, 2024
For homey treats that always hit the spot, go for classic Midwest desserts. No one can resist a homemade buckeye, chewy scotcheroo or flaky kringle!
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If you ask a Missourian, gooey butter cake is at the top of the list of great Midwest desserts. This cake is unfussy and unfrosted but has seriously rich flavor. For optimal results, use the best butter you can find.
This funny-sounding cake has been pleasing Michiganders for more than 100 years. Back in 1913, the folks at Sanders Chocolates created this cake: essentially a chocolate cake with buttercream and a chocolate glaze. The buttercream bumps have been part of the formula since the start and soon what was once called “Sanders Devil’s Food Buttercream Cake” became known as “Bumpy Cake.”
You can still get bumpy cakes straight from Sanders, but why not try our version of the recipe right in your own kitchen?
In the Midwest, particularly in Wisconsin, kringle is serious business. This treat is made of buttery, laminated Viennese pastry dough, filled with fruit or nuts and then topped with a simple sugar glaze. It’s a great Midwest dessert, and it also can easily serve as breakfast with a cup of coffee.
This recipe comes from the queen of Midwest desserts and author of Midwest Made, Shauna Sever. These treats have all the flavors of your go-to chocolate chip cookie but don’t require any fuss. Just stir them up with a wooden spoon and bake them in a sheet pan. Once baked, just break the goodies into shards to share and enjoy.
