You hear it mentioned in Sweet Home Alabama, Bologna Cake Appetizer is basically a giant sandwich, decorated like a cake.
A very old vintage recipe straight out of my grandma’s recipe box. Started as a joke, but was surprisingly good. So much fun for a big event, this bologna cake appetizer recipe will get your guests talking.
We’ve come to the conclusion that it can be changed up a lot and made the way you like it. But it’s a LOT so make sure you’re serving to many people or cut and freeze and unwrap slices for later. (more information below)
Don’t worry, it sounded gross to me too, but as long as you like bologna, you will like it. It is a total kid-friendly recipe and my kids were the ones who made it. They were having some friends over and wanted to prepare a few snacks, this one was actually the first one that was completely gone, so I guess it’s really THAT good to kids.
I did like it, but in moderation.
This recipe was in a box I retrieved out of my grandmother’s things I inherited. I have no idea if she ever made it, but we decided to give it a go. It’s vintage at best and is definitely weird, but was worth making.
OH, and our spring form pan was in use, so we tried it with a regular cake pan and it worked out just fine, it was just a bit trickier to get out of the mold. I suggest using a spring form pan if you have one.
Making Bologna Cake a little healthier (without bologna)
Side note: We tried this a second time with ranch dressing instead of the italian dressing and with turkey and ham instead of the bologna (trying to make it a tiny bit healthier). I actually liked it better than the original bologna cake. I figured out its a great way to make sandwiches for a party or get together. Use a square pan and don’t “ice” the outside, but “ice” each layer in between where it calls for the italian dressing instead using a ranch/cream cheese mixture (or just cream cheese). It’s really good and can be sliced thin.
So are you ready to dig in and make this Bologna Cake Appetizer Recipe?
This really isn’t bad, and I was actually pleased. The kids absolutely loved it and garnished with black olives and did not want to use ketchup.
Step by Step Photos:
Bologna Cake Appetizer Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 loaves white Bread crusts cut off
- 8 Tablespoons Italian Salad Dressing
- ½ pounds bologna sliced
- ¾ pounds american cheese slices we used Kraft
- 16 ounces whipped cream cheese
- ketchup if desired
Instructions
- Step 1. It is helpful if you use a springform cake pan, because everything holds together nicely. We did not use one the first time and found it slightly complicated to remove the entire cake at the end.
- Step 2. Begin by layering the bread slices in a double layer in the bottom of the spring form cake pan. Tear or cut up some of the bread to fill in any gaps.
- Step 3. Sprinkle 2 Tbs. of the Italian dressing over the two layers of bread (this is where on the modified version we added the ranch/cream cheese mixture instead).
- Step 4. Next, you need to a layer using all of the bologna over the dressing and bread. Continue layering the bread again and again sprinkle with 2 Tbs. of Italian dressing.
- Step 5. Next create a cheese layer using all of it over that bread layer. Use the rest of the bread to cover the cheese layer and again sprinkle 2 Tbs. of Italian dressing over the bread. Press the entire thing gently down into the pan.
- Step 6. Next you make the ‘frosting’. In a large bowl, mix the rest of the dressing (2 Tbs.) with the two containers of whipped cream cheese. Remove the metal spring form pan.
- Step. 7. Using a spatula, ice the cake with the whipped cream cheese the same way you would ice a cake. Transfer the cake to a serving platter or large plate.
- Step 8. If you have a cake decorating kit, use any remaining cream cheese to pipe around the cake. Fill a small baggie with ketchup, seal and snip off the end. Use the ketchup to decorate the cake, write a phrase on the top or just as a side.
Oh, my goodness. I may have to make this for my kid. Yes, she’s 18, but this is right up her alley (with lunchmeat other than balogna, but still).
It would make the perfect April Fool’s Day food!
Bologna cake is so scrumtius