New research reveals the most popular cake searches in the world — and the banana cake "cakewalks" to the top of New Zealand's list.

Leisure, one of the leading range cooker brands in the UK, has analysed global search volumes to reveal the world's favourite cakes in each nation.

The brand used Google's Keyword Planner (searching all languages) to establish the average monthly search volume in each country for 249 popular cakes.

The data was pulled during June 2019 and search volumes are a monthly average from the previous 12 months.

According to Leisure's data banana cake was searched a monthly average of 12,100 times in New Zealand, making it the country's most popular cake.

However, the world's most favourite cake is chocolate, with a global monthly search volume of 394,050 in 81 countries.

This rich cake is the most searched for treat in 81 different countries, ranking second in New Zealand, with Kiwis searching the treat 8100 times on a monthly average.

Another dessert that takes the cake in Leisure's worldwide stats is red velvet cake, that placed second on the global list and sixth on New Zealand's.

It was the most searched for cake in 43 countries, including in Greece, Peru and the Bahamas, as well as being Europe's go-to treat, with 14 European countries opting for this cake as their favourite.

In third position globally and in New Zealand is carrot cake.

Other cakes that ranked in New Zealand's top 10 is vanilla cake, lemon cake, sponge cake, hummingbird cake, apple cake and madeira cake.

In the global list, the treats that were "searched like hot cakes" include banana cake, pineapple upside-down cake, black forest cake, ice cream cake, bundt cakes, lemon drizzle cake and sponge cake.

Gino Grossi, marketing manager at Leisure said that their research revealed "life's too short to not eat cake."

"It's great to see the variety of different taste preferences across the world and which cake is identified as a nation's favourite.

"Whether people are searching for recipes, where to purchase different cakes, or a cake's origin, one thing is for certain; these statistics reveal we are a world of curious cake lovers."

New Zealand's top 10 cakes:

1. Banana cake 12,100 (monthly average searches)

2. Chocolate 8100

3. Carrot cake 5400

4. Vanilla cupcake 2400

5. Lemon cake 3600

6. Red velvet cake 1900

7. Sponge cake 1900

8. Chocolate cupcake 1300

9. Hummingbird cake 1300

10. Apple cake 1000

The world's most popular cakes

1. Chocolate cake 394,050 (monthly average searches)

2. Red velvet cake 322,310

3. Carrot cake 313,320

4. Banana cake 192,170

5. Pineapple upside-down cake 168,430

6. Black forest cake 147,590

7. Icecream cake 141,650

8. Bundt cake 134,970

9. Lemon drizzle cake 128,570

10. Sponge cake 123,180