Art & Architecture in England
The great eras, artist, movements, and styles of English art and architecture
The great eras, artist, movements, and styles of English art and architecture
English Architectural History 101: The great eras, styles, and builders of British history
The generic British word for dessert is "pudding."
In the 19th century, the "g" was sometimes pronounced as a harder "k." Sometimes, the "n" got dropped. Sometimes that was shortened by slicing off the "pud."
In other words, small, incremental changes resulted in pudding->puddink->puddik->dick.
It's not meant to be dirty; it's just a Victorian synonym for "dessert."
Pepper a cake with currants or raisins, and you get "spots" in your pudding, hence: spotted dick.