It only happens once a year! Mark your calendars! It’s one of the most underappreciated holidays on no one’s calendar… IT’S NATIONAL BAKED ALASKA DAY!
Alaska may be known for many things, but its connection to a delectable dessert is lesser known. National Baked Alaska Day, celebrated annually on February 1st, offers a delicious reason to explore the sweeter side of Alaska’s culinary namesakes. In this article, we’ll dive into the history, creation, and significance of this quirky flaming dessert that shares its name with the Last Frontier.
National Baked Alaska Day Quick Guide
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Celebrated | February 1st annually |
| Origin | 19th century, Delmonico’s Restaurant, New York City |
| Created By | Chef Charles Ranhofer |
| Original Name | “Alaska Florida” |
| First Printed As “Baked Alaska” | 1896, Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cookbook |
| Core Ingredients | Cake, ice cream, browned meringue |
| Flambéed Version | “Bombe Alaska” — doused in high-proof rum and set on fire |
| Best Place to Try It in Alaska | Alyeska Resort — serves 125+ per night in peak season, made with raspberry mousse |
| Fun Twist | Wild Scoops (Anchorage) serves a hand-held, cone version |
My Experience With National Baked Alaska Day
I’ve experienced a lot of February ones in my time on this planet, but I have yet to celebrate National Baked Alaska Day on its assigned day. In 2024, I’ve decided to change that. Since I’m writing a lot about Alaska these days, it seemed appropriate to celebrate National Baked Alaska Day in honor of the state that inspires this travel site.
I’ve ordered a few Baked Alaskas at restaurants but never made one at home. My kids have only recently discovered the flaming ice cream dessert and are excited to set their own culinary delights on fire. In this article, we will look into baked Alaska’s history and the history of National Baked Alaska Day. We will also look at the recipe for baked Alaska, and we may even try to bake one ourselves!
The Origins of Baked Alaska:
The story of Baked Alaska dates back to the 19th century. French chef Charles Ranhofer popularized it at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City. Baked Alaska was originally named Alaska Florida to signify the warmth of the cake versus the frozen ice cream. The unique aspect of Baked Alaska lies in its combination of contrasting temperatures—a warm, cakey layer and a frozen ice cream layer encased in browned meringue. The original version at Delmoncio’s included a layer of walnut spice cake and a layer of banana ice cream. The name Baked Alaska first appeared in 1896 in Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cookbook.
How to Make Baked Alaska
This dessert is pretty simple; it’s just cake topped with ice cream and caramelized meringue. Baked Alaska is more about the process or construction of the dessert rather than a recipe. Baked Alaska is layers of ice cream stacked on a cake and smothered in meringue. The meringue-covered delight is then browned using the broiler setting on the oven or by using a torch. The whole process of baking or torching an ice cream dessert seems crazy. If done correctly, the ice cream should stay frozen. The meringue acts as an insulation, protecting the frozen ice cream. The cake is prebaked, so by the time everything is assembled, the final bake is merely to brown the meringue before serving.
To heat things up, light that mother f@#$er on fire! This version of Baked Alaska is referred to as Bombe Alaska. Construct your Baked Alaska, but rather than baking or torching it, coat it with hot, high-proof rum and light it on fire, referred to as flambéing.
Where to Get a Baked Alaska in Alaska
Despite the name, Baked Alaska is not an easy-to-find dessert in Alaska. The most popular version of Baked Alaska found in Alaska is at the Alyeska Resort. Here, they serve their own version made with raspberry mousse instead of ice cream, chocolate cake, and an outer layer of meringue. This version of Baked Alaska is so popular that the restaurant at Alyeska Resort serves over 125 of them each night during their busy season.
Wild Scoops (Anchorage)
Wild Scoops offers a nice twist on the traditional Baked Alaska; they put it in a cone. They’ve taken the somewhat messy and difficult-to-eat Baked Alaska and put it safely and manageably in your hand. This upgrade is a welcomed one. Wild scoops sells their ice cream at farmers markets and pop ups in addition to their 3 Anchorage locations.
Celebrating National Baked Alaska Day in Alaska
National Baked Alaska Day may not be as famous as Halloween or Fourth of July, but it does deserve more recognition. Why not light your ice cream on fire? National Baked Alaska Day is a delightful reminder of Alaska’s connection to this dessert that beautifully blends fire and ice. It’s also a nice reminder that everything in Alaska is a little weird and wonderful. Austin used to have the slogan “Keep Austin Weird.” I grew up near Austin and never found it particularly weird. This slogan would be much more applicable to Alaska. In that spirit, let’s keep Alaska weird and celebrate National Baked Alaska Day.