You might think that people generally eat the same kind of cakes all over the country, but New Orleans is known for a unique take on the popular dessert. It’s customary for New Orleanians to celebrate their birthdays with a doberge, which consists of several layers of cake with custard in between. Chef and New Orleans native David Guas noted in a January 2024 piece for Southern Living that it was common when he was growing up to hear someone remark, “Oh, he didn’t have a doberge,” when a classmate’s birthday party was missing the beloved confection.