What should Florida’s state dessert be? Lawmakers talk strawberry shortcake, Key lime

The tartness of a Key lime pie or the crumbly shortcake topped with strawberries and cream?

How about the traditional southern staple of pecan pie or the caramel-oozing tasty flan?

We’re talking about what should be Florida’s state dessert. All four options are quite delicious and iconic in their own right.

But wait, there already is an official state dessert. It’s the Key lime pie, designated as such in 2006 by the state Legislature. At that time, the decision was fought over between the Key lime pie and the pecan pie, Daytona Beach author Mark Lane noted in his 2019 book on Florida titled, “Roaring Reptiles, Bountiful Citrus, and Neon Pies,” according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Now a new group of legislatures are pushing for Key lime to be removed for another challenger: the strawberry shortcake.

FloridaPolitics.com first reported Rep. Lawrence McClure’s HB 567 and Sen. Danny Burgess’ SB 1006 are asking for the switch. Part of the areas that both represent include the popular strawberry area of Plant City. Plant City farms produce strawberries sold at Publix, for example, and the annual Strawberry Festival — every strawberry-related item including shortcake is available — takes place in Plant City in March.

But which one should it be? Let us know by voting for either or by choosing the aforementioned pecan pie or flan in the poll below: