Kuchen, a German cake brought to America by homesteaders in the 1880s, is the state dessert of South Dakota, and there's even a festival dedicated to it in Delmont. However, if you plan to try this pie-cake hybrid with custard and fruit, know that kuchen probably won't taste like regular ol' cake with frosting and sprinkles.

Kuchen doesn't use as much sugar as other cake recipes; for instance, a birthday cake may call for 5.25 cups of sugar total, while one peach custard kuchen recipe calls for less than a ½ cup. The lack of sugar in kuchen recipes is evened out by the myriad of toppings, which can include custard, berries, figs, plums, and peaches.

Even with toppings and fillings, kuchen is not overly sweet, which makes sense given its German roots. Valora Stories found that 63.2% of Germans would choose a savory snack over a sweet one, so kuchen is perfect for those who don't have a big sweet tooth, but still enjoy fruity flavors and soft custardy textures.