Hungarian refugee’s cake returns to Budapest for St Patrick’s Day

A famous cake created by a Hungarian refugee who fled to Ireland in the 1950s is to be celebrated at a St Patrick’s Day event attended by more than 300 diplomats and politicians in Budapest.

The Irish ambassador to Hungary Ragnar Almqvist has invited Bewley’s Grafton Street to showcase the “Mary Cake” at a reception hosted by the country’s Irish embassy.

A 20-year mystery surrounding the famous dessert was solved in 2022, thanks to a collaboration between two granddaughters.

It was introduced to Ireland in 1956 by Hungarian confectioner Henry Spelter, who was among a number of refugees offered training and employment by Bewley’s when they arrived in Ireland.

But the recipe vanished during extensive renovations at Bewley’s two decades ago.

No-one could recreate the cake until Hazel Carmichael, granddaughter of Bewley’s managing director Victor Bewley, tracked down Henry’s granddaughter Carolina Malagon in New York.

Both women met for the first time when the Mary Cake was relaunched in 2022 and will reunite again at the Budapest event.

“It was so wonderful to meet Carolina in 2022 because she could share with me Henry’s handwritten recipes and the notes he had kept,” said Ms Carmichael, who runs Hazel’s Cake Studio in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

“Through her, I learned more about the opportunity that Bewley’s gave to Henry and it was humbling to hear what that seemingly small thing meant for their family.

“The essence of the story is a refugee who came to Ireland – and was given a chance by Bewley’s – but who also brought his own heritage.

“Henry and my great-uncle Alfred Bewley worked on that recipe together to make it suitable for Bewley’s to reproduce and it was a customer favourite for decades.”

The treats are described as mini towers consisting of a rich chocolate filling on top of a sponge base, encased in chocolate and topped with a disc of marzipan.

A confectioner by trade, Ms Carmichael was asked by Col Campbell of Bewley’s to recreate the original cake for Bewley’s Grafton Street.

“The Bewley family came to Ireland as refugees and the business, founded on Quaker principles, has been helping Ireland’s new arrivals since 1840,” said Mr Campbell.

“The original cakes have been brought back to life by Bewley’s and one euro from every purchase goes to support the Irish Red Cross.

“At a time of significant unrest, it seems fitting to celebrate all the good the Mary Cake represents – as well as its dual citizenship – on St Patrick’s Day in Budapest.”

The Bewley’s team and the Campbell family – who own and operate the cafe – will be represented at the celebrations by Oscar Campbell, part of the management at Bewley’s Grafton Street.