The Brooklyn-Born Cake Frank Sinatra Couldn't Live Without

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Frank Sinatra — the man behind the velvet voice, crisp tuxedos, and legendary swagger — had surprisingly simple sweet tooth. His all-time favorite treat was Entenmann's Classic Crumb Coffee Cake, which he reportedly ate every week. Despite his glamorous public image, the Chairman of the Board made room on his kitchen counter for the familiar blue-and-white box.

Entenmann's began in 1898 as a home-delivery bakery in Brooklyn, founded by German immigrant William Entenmann. By the 1950s, the brand had become a beloved fixture in American households, thanks in large part to its popular Crumb Coffee Cake, a tender, golden cake crowned with a generous layer of slightly crunchy, cinnamon-strewn brown sugar crumbles and a dusting of powdered sugar. Its signature texture captivated taste buds nationwide, winning over all types of consumers, from families and corner deli regulars to Ol' Blue Eyes himself. Sinatra kept a standing order with Entenmann's Bay Shore bakery on Long Island — and even after moving across the country to Palm Springs, California, he had boxes shipped to him weekly.

So, why did Frank Sinatra — who sold out stadiums and dined with presidents — crave Entenmann's Classic Crumb Coffee Cake? It may have been the cake's unfussy charm and consistency. The Chairman of the Board was famously faithful to the comforts that kept him grounded, even those in the form of food and drink. He had a soft spot for humble sweets like the Regina (a sesame seed biscuit) from Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffé in Manhattan's East Village, lemon ricotta torte from Patsy's Italian Restaurant in Midtown, and Tootsie Rolls (which appeared on his tour hospitality rider and were buried with him in his casket).

Despite his unyielding loyalty, Entenmann's never tapped Sinatra for an ad campaign. The association mainly spread through word of mouth and insider stories — less of an urban legend and more of a quietly consistent fact passed along by those who knew the crooner best. Today, Entenmann's Classic Crumb Coffee Cake can be found on shelves at grocery chains like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, and Walmart as well as local mom-and-pop markets. While the iconic dessert may no longer fly first-class to the desert, it remains an everyday luxury fit for a king of cool.