Australia’s favourite cake is not actually a cake at all

An global survey tried to tell us that banana bread was our favourite cake. But turns out Australians have a very different view.

Australia, you voted, and we tallied the scores.

The nation’s favourite cake is … well … not actually a cake at all.

News.com.au conducted a reader survey last week, following the release of a global study that determined the most beloved cakes in all the major nations.

The results are in and Australia's favourite cake is … not a cake at all.

ORIGINAL STUDY

The official study, conducted by UK range cooker brand Leisure, found, Mexicans love their fruit cake, Canadians prefer a slice of carrot cake and Russians like upside down pineapple cake.

But apparently, here in Australia, our favourite cake is banana bread.

Many of you weren't pleased Australia’s favourite cake was banana bread.

These findings left a pretty bitter taste in readers’ mouths, with one reader taking to the comments section of the article to label it “total rubbish”.

Others backed Mexico’s choice.

“I’m with the Mexicans, can’t beat a good hunk of fruit cake — and at special occasions, with a smear of marzipan and white icing.”

NEWS.COM.AU’S STUDY

After such backlash, we figured we should ask our readers what cake they actually loved.

We released a poll last week, calling on sweet-toothed patriots everywhere to tell us their favourite cake.

And more than 6000 of our readers weighed in.

The list was substantial and, admittedly, controversial, featuring options like chocolate mud cake, lamingtons, an ice-cream cake and a pavlova.

THE WINNER

But, at the poll’s official close on Tuesday morning, one dessert stood out among the rest — the pavlova.

This light, crispy meringue-based “cake” piled with fresh cream and fruit was the undisputed winner, claiming more than 20 per cent of the total vote.

Australia's favourite … er … cake is the pavlova!

Whether it comes in miniature form or as a giant curated slab, thousands of Australians have decided the pavlova is the official dessert of Down Under.

The only problem is, many don’t consider the humble pav to be an actual cake, but the people have spoken, and who are we to argue with them?

THE REST

With the winner crowned, how did the other cakes stack up?

Aussies voted the traditional cheesecake in as their second favourite, with 16 per cent of the total vote.

Close behind in third place, was the chocolate mud cake, recording 15 per cent of the total vote.

Nothing beats a slice of cheesecake except, of course, the pav.

The chocolate mud cake came in a close third.

The results of the news.com.au cake poll may surprise people on foreign soil as well, after Australia found itself into the middle of a political pavlova palava last week.

During a visit for bilateral talks between Scott Morrison and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, her partner, Clarke Gayford, was gifted a pavlova in the couple’s hotel room, with the accompanying note saying it was a “traditional Australian dessert”.

He tweeted this to his followers, asking if the hotel was making a quaint little joke or sparking a “diplomatic incident”.

This was placed in our hotel room in Melbourne.

Sense of humour or diplomatic incident? pic.twitter.com/kFcIO83SYk

— Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) July 19, 2019

The tweet prompted a major response from furious Kiwis everywhere, as many believe the pavlova is a dish that was first created in New Zealand.

It is understood the pavlova was first designed as homage to the world-famous Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, to present to her during a tour to New Zealand in the 1920s.

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