In Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, it is said to have originated at Bennett's Bakery in Port Arthur, where it is served with a sweet, pink icing made of either raspberries or strawberries.

Traditional lore is that the Persian was named for U.S. general John "Blackjack" Pershing[3][4] but the exact date of its inception and circumstances of its creation are no longer known, giving rise to competing claims and stories.

Persians are often used as fundraising items to be sold at schools, churches, shopping malls, and other social events.

[5] They may be served "toasted" – sliced in half, heated in a frying pan and iced on both sides.

Persian buns in Wisconsin can have white (vanilla) or chocolate frosting and then topped with crushed peanuts.