Taste Layers of History in This Mississippi Dessert

By: The Local Palate

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In the center of Meridian, Mississippi, is Jean’s American Eatery, a long-standing restaurant known for serving Southern food built on familiar dishes like fried chicken, turkey and dressing, pork chops, and a range of sides. It’s changed ownership a few times since it opened more than five decades ago, but the menu still follows the structure of a traditional meat-and-three that the original owner, Jean Bullock, created. But at Jean’s, the homemade desserts carry equal weight to the savory items on the menu.

Desserts are handmade daily by Sarah Purvis, whose baking reshaped the restaurant’s approach when the current ownership took over. She’s retired but now spends her days making sweets like coconut cake, banana pudding, and lemon icebox cake. As her son, Elic Purvis, current owner and operator says, “She really is the reason that we have such quality desserts.”

Among those desserts, the caramel cake stands apart. Sarah learned the original recipe from her sister, Elyse Thompson, before perfecting it on her own for the restaurant. Six to seven layers of buttery yellow cake are stuck together with a luxurious caramel icing to balance moisture and stability. The result, as Elic puts it, is a cake that is “spongy, soft, and really light. It’s just the right amount of savory and sweet.”

The icing is a semisoft caramel made with simple ingredients: brown sugar, Karo syrup, butter, and most importantly, time. Making the icing requires a level of control that goes beyond standard cake work. “Caramel is so delicate. You could either burn it in a heartbeat or not cook it long enough,” Elic says. Finally, the outside is glazed with caramel poured over the top so that it drips down to cover the whole cake. “It’s a little bit crunchy but also soft—it just melts in your mouth.”

The caramel cake is claimed by the Mississippi Delta region, about 100 miles away from Meridian, although its influences can also be traced to New Orleans. Regardless, the homemade cakes are not as common as they once were. “There’s not a lot of people that do caramel cakes anymore,” says Elic. “And I think it’s just because it is quite labor intensive.”

The recipe itself remains within the family. “That recipe is guarded with a very secure lock and key that only my mother possesses,” Elic says. “She won’t even give me the recipe.”

The cake’s place on the menu developed quickly. Early batches sold out almost immediately, and demand has remained consistent. Two to three cakes are produced daily, with a noticeable increase during the holidays—Sarah can make up to 100 cakes between Thanksgiving and Christmas. “Being able to manufacture that in a way that it’s the same every single time is difficult. Fortunately, I have a very talented family,” Elic says with pride.

For the Purvis family, the cake remains tied to personal memory as much as it does to the business. “It just reminds me of being home and being with my family,” Elic explains, “and I’m glad we get to share that feeling with people from all over.”

Where to Stay:

Threefoot Hotel

First built in 1929 as an office complex by the Driefuss (translated into Threefoot) family, the 16-story building went through many transformations before a complete remodel restored art deco details and transformed it into a Tribute Portfolio hotel in 2022. Many of the original pieces of the building remain, including art deco tiles and art. The hotel also features a full bar and restaurant on the first floor and a rooftop with food, drinks, and lounge chairs.