Top 15 Australian Desserts To Try Out

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Australia is an iconic country and is also one of the seven continents in the world. It is famous for several things, such as mountains, beaches, festivals, animals, and natural wonders. However, Australia also has other things that it is well known for, like its amazing traditional food and desserts. Looking at the images and reading about the desserts can surely help you increase the stock of knowledge in your brain, but it can never give you the stunning sensation and amazing taste of the dessert. We will go through some of the most popular desserts that have become a traditional part of Australian culture.

The recipes for these foods have been going on for a very long time and have been passed from first-generation to second-generation. These delectable desserts display the rich culture that makes Australia one of the most renowned places to eat. When you start searching for the most delicious desserts in Australia, it will result in a pretty long list of items, and choosing between all of them can be an overwhelming task for you. But there is nothing to worry about since we have already cut the work out for you. 

Even though all of these desserts are highly eaten and considered the most popular in Australia, some of them have different origins and later came to Australia, and as time passed, a few adjustments were made to the formulas. This made these desserts even more delicious while making sure that they did not lose their traditional ways. Below, you will see a list of 15 Australian desserts that you must try. However, do not be selfish and tag your friends and family with you so they can also enjoy a mouth-watering dessert.

1. Australian Boston Bun‍

Australian Boston Bun

The Australian Boston Bun is also called the Sally Lunn. It is a large bun with a thick layer of coconut icing. It is highly consumed in Australia as well as in New Zealand. The buns are stuffed with mashed potatoes, using a sieve. Many people also add raisins and sultanas to their buns to enhance the taste. These adjustments were first made in the 1930s. Other than mashed potatoes, it also contains soft marshmallows that are sprinkled along with the raisins and sultanas.

These Boston buns are topped with an icing of white butter and dried coconut powder. There is a golden rule that states that whenever you eat an Australian Boston Bun, you should use lots of butter. It will help in increasing the taste, and you will enjoy it even more. These buns are one of the most popular desserts in Australia and are mostly eaten while having tea, according to the tradition of “Strayan’. If you are thinking about what Straya is, then it is just an informal way of saying “Australia.”

Ingredients Quantity
Bread flour 2 ¼ cup
Salt ½ teaspoon
Caster Sugar ¼ cup
Yeast 7 gm
Mixed Spice ½ teaspoon
Butter 50 gm
Milk ⅔ cup
Egg 2 pieces
Sultanas 1 cup
For Icing
Icing Sugar 1 ⅔ cup
Butter 50 gm
Warm Milk 2 teaspoon
Desiccated Coconut 1 teaspoon
Pink food colouring Few drops

2. Beetroot Cakes With Orange Frosting

Beetroot Cakes With Orange Frosting

Beetroot cakes with orange frosting are a widely eaten dessert in Australia. This cake is a classic example of how even delicious desserts can be pretty healthy. So, whoever says eating desserts is bad should definitely try this out. Even the name of this cake says all about how incredibly healthy it is, as it contains beetroot and orange. Australians do have a habit of adding beetroot to most things, from yummy desserts to healthy salads to junk foods like burgers.

There is no doubt that beetroot is an amazing root vegetable that has several health benefits. However, beetroot is not the only healthy ingredient in this delectable cake, as it also contains orange zest and apple sauce. Then it is topped with cream, which has a tangy orange flavour and frosted with cheese and passion fruit. Each one of the things used in making this cake is extremely beneficial for human health. It makes this dessert one of a kind, and everyone should try out this cake at least once in their life.

Ingredients Quantity
For The Cake
Plain Flour 200 gm
Baking Powder ¾ teaspoon
Soda ¾ teaspoon
Ground Cinnamon ¾ teaspoon
Salt ¼ teaspoon
Dark Brown Sugar 50 gm
Light Muscovado Sugar 125 gm
Eggs 3 pieces
Vanilla Extract ½ teaspoon
Sunflower Oil/ Vegetable Oil 300 ml
Beetroot (peeled and coarsely grated) 225 gm
Zest Orange ½
For The Icing
Icing Sugar 100 gm
Unsalted Butter 50 gm
Zest Orange ½
Cream Cheese 125 gm
Orange zest For Decorating
You will also need
Loaf Tin 900 gm

3. Caramel Slice

Caramel Slice

A caramel slice is a delicious dessert that many Australians crave after a delectable meal. This dessert is also called ’Millionaire’s Shortbread.” It has a thick base of crunchy biscuit, which is topped with a wide layer of caramel and butter and then completed with a thin slice of dark chocolate on top. It is best to keep it in the fridge and make it ice cold before eating, as the coldness increases the taste of this dessert. It is served in small pieces that are square or rectangular.

This dessert is quite popular and very common, so you won’t have any trouble finding it as it will be available in all kinds of bakeries, cafes, and supermarkets. A combination of frozen caramel slices with a hot cup of coffee or tea is the perfect pair. It is mostly consumed on special occasions and at family gatherings. Caramel slices are an incredibly easy dish and can be prepared at home without any trouble. You can even make slight changes and come up with a brand-new version that will be unique to your recipe. There are other versions of this dessert, including nuts and coconuts with other caramel flavours.

Ingredients Quantity
Base
Flour 1 cup
Brown Sugar ½ cup
Desiccated Coconut ½ cup
Unsalted Butter 125 gm
Caramel Filling
Brown Sugar 80 gm (½ cup)
Unsalted Butter 125 gm
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
Sweetened Condensed Milk 400 gm
Chocolate Topping
Chocolate (Milk Melted) 200 gm
Vegetable Oil 1 tablespoon

4. Chocolate Crackle

Chocolate Crackle

Making a list of the top desserts, we surely can’t miss out on a dessert that is made with chocolate, as it is one of the most loved things on the planet. Chocolate crackle is a highly treasured dessert in Australia, especially for chocolate lovers. It has a crunchy and creamy texture that is made up of ingredients like sugar, butter, cocoa, coconut oil, and Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles. Any person with these ingredients can easily make this dessert at home.

All a person needs to do is take the right amount of ingredients and mix them in a big bowl, then transfer the mixture into small tart cases and refrigerate it for a short period of time. This dessert is quite popular at birthday parties for little children. However, it does not have any age limit, and from little kids to mature adults, everyone can enjoy this delicious dessert. The origins of chocolate crackles are not known; however, many people consider that they were first made by looking at the recipe that was printed in the women’s magazine named ‘The Australian Women’s Weekly’ in the year 1937.

Ingredients Quantity
Kellogg's Rice Bubbles 4 cups
Icing Sugar 1 cup
Desiccated Coconut 1 cup
Copha (Chopped) 250 gm
Cocoa 3 tablespoon

5. Chocolate Ripple Cake

Chocolate Ripple Cake

Everyone loves to eat cake, but when it is merged with chocolate, it becomes one of the best sweet treats in the world. The next dessert is the amazing chocolate ripple cake. This is considered one of the cakes that are the easiest to make. This cake proves the saying that sometimes the best things can be made with the fewest ingredients. This cake can be prepared with just four items and is still considered one of the yummiest desserts. 

It has layers of chocolate ripple biscuits that are spread thickly on the cake, along with sweetened cream. Chocolate Ripple Cake has plenty of other variations that include slightly wet biscuits. They use strong and secure wine made from white grapes, popularly called ‘Sherry’, to moisten the biscuits. This is another classic way to make this ripple cake. Every Australian loves this cake, which is eaten by people of every age group, whether they are little kids, adults, or elderly. The Sherry version is especially popular with adults.

Ingredients Quantity
Arnott's Choc Ripple Biscuits 1 packet (250 gm)
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
Bulla Thickened Cream 500 ml
Caster Sugar 1 teaspoon

6. Fairy Bread

Fairy Bread

Fairy bread is the easiest-to-make Australian dessert and is quite popular among children. No birthday party is complete without it, and it is the perfect thing to have when you and your family are heading out for a journey or having a fun time like a picnic. This dessert not only tastes incredibly delicious, but its colourful appearance makes it even more beautiful and charming. One of the best things about this dessert is that it only takes very few ingredients and requires even less time to make.

All you need is to take a slice of bread as a base, apply butter on it, and then spread colourful rainbow candy sprinkles on top. The simplicity, affordability, and effortless cooking became the major reasons for the popularity of this dessert. Even though kids surely love this dessert, it does not mean that it is only made for kids; adults love to enjoy eating this sweet as well. The origins of fairy bread go way back to the 1920s when the recipe first appeared in the Hobart Mercury newspaper.

Ingredients Quantity
White Bread 8 slices
Butter Or Margarine ¼ cup
Candy Sprinkles (Multicoloured) ¼ cup

7. Iced Vo-Vo

Iced Vo-Vo

Iced VoVo is a cookie-based dessert that is made with some of the most basic ingredients, like sugar, eggs, butter, flour, etc. This is a delicious dessert that has a nice appearance, which makes it more tempting to eat. The cookie base is topped by a sweet, thick, and soft layer of fondant, along with a line of raspberry jam, and sprinkled with dried-up coconut powder. The merger of all these ingredients provides you with a delectable taste of sweet and fruity flavour.

This quality is sufficient to take place in people’s hearts, and so it became one of the most popular desserts in Australia. The best thing about this dessert is that you have a choice you can cook it at home or you can purchase it from outside, as they are also manufactured by a reputed company and come in packets. Arnott’s is the company for inventing, producing, and delivering iced vo vo to the people. This company came up with the iced vo vo idea in the year 1906, and because of its delicious taste, it rapidly gained popularity among people.

Ingredients Quantity
For The Cookies
Salted Butter 115 gm (8 tablespoons or ½ cup)
Granulated Sugar 100 gm (½ cup)
Egg Yolk 1 piece
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
Flour 225 gm (1 ½ cup)
Baking Powder 1 teaspoon
Milk 2 tablespoons
For The Fondant Icing
Icing Sugar 225 gm (1 ½ cup)
Milk 2 tablespoons
Egg White 1 tablespoon (½ piece)
Pink Food Colouring Few drops
For Decoration
Raspberry Jam ½ cup
Desiccated Coconut For sprinkling

8. Jelly Slice

Jelly Slice

Jelly Slice is a three-layered dessert that contains a crunchy biscuit base with a thick layer of condensed milk and is then topped with a sweet treat of jelly. This dessert is widely eaten in Australia, especially during festivals like Easter and Christmas. Even though this dessert is highly popular, it can only be found in countries like Australia and New Zealand. The other parts of the world do not have this dish; however, they do have desserts similar to jelly slices.

This dessert mainly has only 3 ingredients: cream, biscuit, and jelly, and is enjoyed by people of all age groups, from little kids to grown adults. This dish is best served when it is extremely chilled since the cold plays a major role in enhancing the taste of this dessert. The taste of jelly slices is so excellent that it makes you dance and crave to have more of them. There are other variants of this dessert as well. Many people like to have different flavours of jelly, like mango or orange. However, the most common flavour used in this is strawberry with red jelly.

Ingredients Quantity
Plain Sweet Biscuits 250 gm
Butter (Melted) 175 gm
Coles Cinnamon Ground A Pinch
Condensed Milk 400 gm
Lemon Juice 125 ml (½ cup)
Boiling Water 180 ml (¾ cup)
Gelatine Powder 2 teaspoons
Raspberry Jelly Crystals 85 gm

9. Lamingtons

Lamingtons

Since we are making a list of the most popular Australian desserts, we cannot miss out on one of the most delicious and popular desserts with a rich history. The next dessert is a sweet cake called Lamingtons. It is an incredibly tasty dessert that is made from chocolate and coconuts. This sweet has a soft and spongy texture that is shaped like a square cube with layers of chocolate in between and sprinkled coconut powder on top. However, there are some other different types of lamingtons, and they have jam and cream layers filled in between the sponge cake.

This cake is mostly enjoyed while having a cup of tea or coffee. Because of its amazing popularity, this dessert can be found everywhere in Australia, from cafes and bakeries to supermarkets. This cake is so incredibly famous that it is considered the ‘National Cake of Australia’. Lamingtons have a stunning story of origins as to how this dessert was named after the governor of Queensland, Lord Lamington. The story states that Lord Lamington had a sweet tooth and loved to eat sweets. In the 1900s, his chef served him this dessert, and Lord Lamington enjoyed eating it so much that he asked for it to be named after him.

Ingredients Quantity
Butter Sponge
Unsalted Butter 125 gm
Sugar 220 gm (1 cup)
Vanilla Extract ½ teaspoon
Eggs 3 pieces
Flour 260 gm (1 ¾ cup)
Baking Powder 3.5 teaspoons
Milk 125 ml (½ cup)
Icing
Icing Sugar 480 gm (4 cups)
Cocoa Powder 22 gm (⅓ cup)
Butter 15 gm (1 tablespoon)
Boiling Water 150 ml (½ cup)
Coating
Desiccated Coconut 3 to 4 cups
Optional: Jam And Cream
Strawberry Jam According to your preference
Cream 250 ml (1 cup)
White Sugar 1 tablespoon

10. Louise Cake

Louise Cake

Louise Cake is another cake that has quite a history. This cake was first created in celebration of the wedding of “Princess Louise” that happened in the year 1871. She was the fourth daughter and the sixth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. However, the recipe for the delicious cake was opened to the public by the newspaper ‘Otago Witness’ in October 1927. Louise Cake originated in New Zealand but has now become one of the traditional desserts in Australia. This cake is not hard to make, as it contains some very basic ingredients that can be found anywhere.

It is cut and served in square slices, which gives it a really nice look. This cake has lots of things that give it an incredible taste, like a thick layer of raspberry jam and a mixture of beaten egg white, coconut, and sugar. This mixture is popularly called coconut meringue. This Australian dessert is quite classy and is loved by every Aussie, especially when it is consumed along with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients Quantity
Base
Butter 125 gm
Sugar ¾ cup
Egg Yolks 2 pieces
Flour 1 ¾ cup
Baking Powder 1 ½ teaspoons
Topping
Egg whites 2 pieces
Sugar ¼ cup
Coconut (thread) 1 cup
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
Raspberry Jam ½ cup

11. Neenish Tarts

Neenish Tarts

Neenish tarts are also called Neenish cakes. These are open pastries that contain fillings. The filling consists of sweet cream with icing sugar paste, or it can also have a mixture of lemon and sweetened condensed milk. On top, it has dried icing in two different colours, mostly chocolate brown and strawberry pink. The size of an individual tart is about 60 to 80 millimetres in diameter. This dessert was created in Australia; however, how it got the name “Neenish” is still a mystery.

Even though there was a story in the Sydney Morning Herald that this dessert was named after a woman named ‘Ruby Neenish’, which was later found out to be just a prank. The origins of this yummy desert are said to be in the 1900s in a small town named Grong Grong. This mouth-watering dessert has a pastry base that is filled with gelatine-set cream, icing sugar, and mock cream. Although many people do like to use a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, this makes this dessert pretty delicious and one of the most popular sweets in Australia.

Ingredients Quantity
For The Pastry
Flour 130 g
Butter 85 gm
Sugar 2 tablespoons
Salt 1 pinch
Egg Yolk 1 piece
Cold Water 1 ½ tablespoons
Strawberry Jam ½ cup
For The Mock Cream
Boiling Water 1 tablespoon
Gelatine Powder ½ teaspoon
Milk 2 tablespoons
Sugar ¼ cup
Unsalted Butter 115 gm
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
For The Icing
Icing Sugar (Powdered) 130 gm
Milk 4 to 5 teaspoons
Dutch Cocoa 2 teaspoons
Pink Food Colouring (Optional) Few drops

12. Pavlova

Pavlova

There is no doubt that pavlova is the most famous dessert in Australia. When there is a list of the top Australian desserts, Pavlova will surely be on it. Pavlova is also considered the Australian national dessert. Every single Australian has a special place reserved in their heart for this dessert. Every person should try this dish once in his or her life. Pavlova is a delicious cake that is covered in meringue in all slides and topped with a wide layer of whipped cream. On top of that, there are chopped pieces of fresh fruit.

All these qualities make this cake quite enjoyable, as the texture is a bit crisp on the outside while being soft on the inside. Since this cake is popular, it can easily be found anywhere in Australia. You can find it in cake shops and bakeries. There’s a debate that has been going on for a long time between the Aussies and Kiwis, as they both consider pavlova to have been created in their country. There is a story that says that the chef named Herbert Sachse made this cake in honour of a Russian ballerina named Anna Pavlova while she was in Australia in the 1920s.

Ingredients Quantity
Base
Egg Whites 150 ml
Sugar 1 cup (200 gm)
Cornflour 1 tablespoon
White Vinegar 1 tablespoon
Cream
Whipping Cream 1 ½ cup (375 ml)
Sugar ¼ cup (50 gm)
Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
Topping
Fruit Of Your Choice

13. Tim Tam

Tim Tam

Tim Tam is another one of the dessert snacks that was created by ‘Arnott’s’ Australian biscuit company in 1964. It is a chocolate biscuit that is well known for its delicious taste all over the world. This is made of two chocolate biscuits stuck together, with a layer of chocolate cream sandwiched in the middle. There are also other flavours, such as white chocolate and salted caramel. Tim Tam is a favourite snack of every Australian, from elderly people to little kids. Everyone enjoys the delectable taste that this dessert has to offer. There is also an interesting story behind the name of this dessert.

It was named by Ross Arnott when he visited the Kentucky Derby in 1958. He came up with the idea of naming this product after the name of the winning horse. One of the major reasons behind the popularity of this dessert is that it can be used in multiple ways. Many people like to crush it into very small pieces and sprinkle it on top of ice cream to increase the taste. Other than that, it can also be used as the base for cheesecake. A person is free to use their imagination to find new ways to use Tim Tam.

Ingredients Quantity
For The Cookies
Butter 115 g
Sugar 115 g
Egg 1 piece
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder ⅓ cup (30 gm)
Flour 1 cup (150 gm)
Salt 1 pinch
For The Filling
Butter 115 gm
Sugar 115 gm
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1 tablespoon
Chocolate Malted Milk Powder 1 tablespoon
For The Coating
Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate 280 g
Coconut Oil 1 tablespoon

14. Vanilla Slice

Vanilla Slice

Vanilla slice is another one of the most popular desserts in Australia. This is a delicious dish that is filled with custard in between two puff pastries, sprinkled with icing sugar and vanilla icing. The design of this dessert kind of resembles a brick, block, or box. In North America and Europe, they have a different variety of this dessert. However, the origins of this sweet dish are said to have been invented in France, where they call it ”Mille-Feuille”, which translates to ‘a thousand sheets’.

This slice contains multiple layers of sheets, and each one of them is filled with vanilla custard. It is also called by the name ‘Napoleon’ in North America. Even though this dessert has plenty of names, it has different names in different countries. In Australia, it is known as the vanilla slice. The special thing about this traditional Australian dessert is that it gives you a custardy aftertaste. Australians have a real love for this dessert, and it is said that whoever has not eaten it should definitely try it at least once in his or her life.

Ingredients Quantity
Slice
Frozen Puff Pastry 2 sheets
Sugar 1 cup
Corn Flour 90 gm
Custard Powder ⅓ cup (50 gm)
Milk 3 cups (750 ml)
Thickened Cream 1 cup (250 ml)
Butter 60 gm
Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons
Egg Yolks 4 pieces
Icing
Icing Sugar 1 ½ cup (225 gm)
Milk 2 tablespoon (40 ml)
Vanilla Extract ½ teaspoons

15. Vegemite Brownie

Vegemite Brownie

The last dessert on our list is quite a common dessert all over the world. You must be thinking about how a regular brownie can make its place in the top 15 dessert lists. Well, the answer is that it is not a regular brownie; it is a Vegemite brownie. It even looks different than any other brownie, as it is cooked from different ingredients and has a unique and delicious taste. One of the key ingredients in this brownie is vegemite (one of the most famous consumable items), which is mostly used on toast to start the morning for every Australian.

Other than brownies, vegemite is also used in multiple different ways to make plenty of delicious meals. Vegemite is considered Australia’s favourite condiment and goes best with butter and melted brown sugar, which are used in making this epic dessert. These ingredients complement the taste of the brownie. This is one of the Australian desserts with both sweet and salty flavours combined. Taking a single bite of this will surely make you crave more.

Ingredients Quantity
Unsalted Butter 100 gm
Dark Chocolate (Chopped) 300 gm
Cocoa ¼ cup
Vegetable Oil ¼ cup
Vegemite ⅓ cup
Brown Sugar 250 gm
Eggs 6 pieces
Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons
Flour 150 gm
Baking Powder 1 teaspoon
Meringue
Sugar 120 gm
Egg Whites 3 pieces
Cocoa 2 tablespoons
Brown Butter Cream
Butter 100 gm
Thickened Cream ½ cup

Conclusion

Australia presents a variety of desserts, and each one of them can satisfy your sweet tooth. Australians are quite passionate about their sweet delicacies that showcase the traditional culture of the country. One amazing fact about Australia is that it likes to add ingredients like fruits, coconut, marshmallows, and beetroot to its recipes to enhance the flavours. In the list, we informed you about the traditional desserts and their origins, like lamingtons and pavlova. 

Packed desserts were invented and created by companies like Ice Vo-Vo and Tim Tam. Apart from that, dishes like chocolate crackles and chocolate ripple cake are made especially for chocolate lovers. These amazing Australian desserts will make you crave more. So make sure that when you visit Australia, you do not forget to try out the delectable and amazing treats that you, your friends, and your family can enjoy together.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most famous dessert in Australia is pavlova. It is a delicious cake that is covered with soft marshmallows and a crispy and delicate shell of meringue, topped with whipped cream and fresh fruits of your choice. Australians really love this dessert, and with its high popularity, it has become the most loved and famous dessert in Australia.

Lamington Day is a national holiday that is celebrated every year on the 21st of July. On this day, Australians celebrate the dessert lamington, which is also referred to as the “National Cake of Australia.” This cake is shaped like a square, has a sponge texture with layers of chocolate icing, and is topped with coconut flakes. This dessert is often seen at cafes and tea parties.

Australia’s favourite cookies are Arnott’s Tim Tam Chewy Caramel biscuits, as these are a combination of crunchy biscuits with a soft and chewy centre of caramel that is wrapped in a smooth layer of chocolate coating. For a cookie that contains all of this, it is no wonder that Tim Tam holds the position of being the most favourite cookie in Australia.

At the time of Christmas, Australians generally like to eat pudding, which is known by many different names, such as Christmas pudding and plum pudding. It has become a tradition to serve this pudding at Christmas dinner in several countries, like Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and many other countries. However, this tradition was actually started by the British.

There are plenty of sweets that fall on the list of Australia’s traditional sweets, such as Iced VoVo, Tim Tam, fairy bread, pavlovas, and lamingtons. These are some of the most famous and best desserts, which include cakes, cookies, and slices with an Australian twist.

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