A Slice from the Past: Retro Cool with Nelusko Cakes by Chelley Belly Bakes

It was the formative decade that defined many of us, including our palate, with an unrestrained craving for pleasure represented by the iconic desserts of the seventies. One of them is the nostalgic Nelusko Cake, a tall layered creation filled with creamy Natilla or cooked cream in between and draped in silky smooth and decadent Nelusko icing. And one family's cherished recipe is making a serious case for the return of a classic from Nelusko Cakes by Chelley Belly Bakes... 

The elegant box from Nelusko Cakes by Chelley Belly Bakes reveals the distinct and intricate lattice-like patterns of the iconic cake from the seventies, taking you back to simpler times. The patterns alone take time to recreate giving you an idea of how much effort goes with each cake. Open the box...

...and the Nelusko Cake tempts your eyes before the palate. Just imagine this: a tall layered chocolate cake that's decadently dense and moist made even richer by the Natilla filling and as a lavish finishing touch, it's generously covered in the buttery smooth Nelusko icing. Chocolate cake, Natilla filling and Nelusko icing, the sinful trinity and base of the beloved cake from the past. It's a simple dessert when you think about it based on today's standards, but no less or even more indulgent. It's this straightforward yet no-holds barred approach to pure indulgence that makes the Nelusko Cake by Chelley Belly Bakes special.

But there's a sweeter and inspiring story behind the return of an iconic seventies classic, and it's a story that continues to unfold with each cake fresh from the oven and tediously slathered with buttery icing at Nelusko Cakes by Chelley Belly Bakes. 

Rachel Anne Almeda Puno still recalls pestering her grandmother and mom as a child to let her sift the flour and measure the eggs in the kitchen as they prepared the family's cherished recipe. Later in high school, she started baking and selling cakes all the way until her first job at Tagaytay Highlands. Her passion for baking continued even when she moved to the US, purchasing mixers for her kitchen. But as the global pandemic suddenly put everything on hold, she had to make some serious and even painful decisions. She decided to sell her equipment to make ends meet and in a serendipitous way, her prized mixers remained in her kitchen with no buyers just in time for an opportunity to come knocking. Her brother recently opened a cafe and was looking for cake suppliers and the rest was, as they say, a piece of cake with all the pieces falling in the right place. After spending months perfecting the recipe, Nelusko Cakes by Chelley Belly Bakes was born.

There's a whole lot of love that goes with each Nelusko Cake, and this is evident with the elaborate patterns on the rich and smooth icing. The icing itself is masterfully executed from a cherished heirloom recipe inspired by a grandmother's love for baking and family. Each bite drapes the palate with an indulgent richness with nothing held back, just the way it should be.  

The buttery consistency of the family's secret buttercream icing becomes a comforting and loving hug to the palate perfectly complementing the cake with its chocolate base and deep notes. It's not just rich, there's a refined elegance with its richness. And you get that with each Nelusko Cake individually created by Rachel Anne Almeda Puno of Chelly Belly Cakes.  

Further down this lavish layered cake is the specialty base that's soft, moist and dense delivering deep chocolate notes with each bite. Then, there's the Natilla filling between layers. Translated from Spanish meaning "cooked milk or cream," the Natilla weaves its own unique layer of creamy indulgence to the Nelusko Cake. The buttercream icing ties everything together for a triple dose of pure bliss.

The chocolate cake, creamy filling and buttercream icing come together in a balanced and seamless weave. You'll soon find out you'll want bigger slices of the Nelusko Cake paired with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. 

And it all began with a matriarch's recipe that's now a part of a family tradition and legacy kept alive by a little girl who once pestered her mom and grandmother in the kitchen, sifting flour and measuring eggs for an iconic seventies dessert that's now on its way for a serious comeback. 

And there's no doubt that Rachel's mother and grandmother would be happy to see their classic creation enjoyed by countless families for even more decades to come. It's been said that good food triggers memories taking you back to a place and time, and Nelusko Cakes by Chelley Belly Bakes does exactly that with each slice and bite. 

But Rachel Anne Almeda Puno isn't done just yet, adding her own inventive and inspired spin to a family's cherished recipe. From the original Cocoa Nelusko Cake, Rachel added the Cocoa Nelusko with Pralines, Cocoa Mocha Almond Blast and Duo & Trio Combinations to her line of specialty cakes. The tempting and equally indulgent variants add a modern and contemporary weave to her flagship cake creation. 

Good things are coming out of the ovens of Nelusko Cakes byChelley Belly Bakes, and now's a good time to experience it yourself. Just hit the links below and order your own slice of nostalgia lovingly recreated from a cherished family recipe...