These delightful sweets are a tasteful final touch for your spring celebration.
Springtime is full of color and wonderful scents, and it isn’t just the flowers. These gorgeous spring desserts are all about seasonal fruit. Make sure your sweet tooth is satisfied with everything from cupcake recipes to tart ideas. Any of these spring dessert recipes are great for sharing with family, friends, and neighbors. For a new twist on a classic, try the Key Lime Pound Cake. The Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting are perfect for sharing. The kids will love the Strawberry-Rhubarb Tartlets for a fun treat. For more spring dessert ideas, be sure to check out the rest of our Delightful Spring Desserts list.
Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
Recipe: Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
These citrus treats are too good to keep to yourself. Make an extra batch and bring to a friend for the sweetest surprise.
Coconut-Banana Pudding
Recipe: Coconut-Banana Pudding
This new take on classic Southern banana pudding offers a taste of the tropics. Make the whole recipe to feed a crowd, family-style, or halve and serve in individual bowls. Keep banana slices from turning brown by tossing with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Mini Strawberry Tarts
Recipe: Mini Strawberry Tarts
These sweet treats start with a pistachio crust. A dreamy mixture of cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and whipped cream are folded together before filling the individual tarts. Toss the fresh strawberries in sugar, just before topping the tarts, to give them just a hint of added sweetness.
Strawberry Dream Cake
Recipe: Strawberry Dream Cake
You'll fall in love with this too-good-to-be-true strawberry cake. Fluffy whipped frosting made with marscapone cheese, sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla and almond extracts is the perfect finishing touch. We love the presentation of cake slices with upright strawberries between the layers. When it comes down to the details, this sweet confection takes the cake.
Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake
Recipe: Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake
You can assemble this glorious cake up to two days ahead; store at room temp. Also, you can freeze cooled layers up to a month in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. The sweet-tart Strawberry-Lemonade Jam and Strawberry Frosting make for a delicious finish.
Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake
Recipe: Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake
Trust us: This simple and swoon-worthy sheet cake will be a keeper in your recipe box. File it under "Springtime Crowd-pleaser."
Key Lime Icebox Cake
Recipe: Key Lime Icebox Cake
Layers of tangy-sweet Key lime custard and graham crackers stack up to make one quick and easy layer cake with just enough pucker to take the heat off summer. Add the lime juice once you've fully cooked the custard to let the cornstarch thicken the mixture properly.
Salted Chocolate Matzo Madness Toffee
Recipe: Salted Chocolate Matzo Madness Toffee
Take a crack at this Southern spin on a traditional Passover treat. But it’s not only relegated to the holiday. In fact, you can make this sweet snack year-round using saltine crackers for a crispy, salty base that makes the chocolate and pecans pop in your mouth. So do yourself a favor and indulge!
Coconut-Almond Roulade
Recpe: Coconut-Almond Roulade
If you can't find desiccated coconut, process shredded coconut in a food processor until finely ground.
Video: How to Roll a Roulade
Mile-High Mini Strawberry Pies
Recipe: Mile-High Mini Strawberry Pies
We used Wilton's nonstick six-cavity Mini Pie Pan. Chill reserved crust rounds while the first batch bakes, and allow the pan to cool completely before beginning the second batch.
Chocolate Truffle Pie with Amaretto Cream
Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Pie with Amaretto Cream
Start with refrigerated pie crusts to make prep for this pie a breeze. Slivered almonds mixed into the batter give each sweet bite a crunch.
Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake
Serve this decadent spring dessert at your next ladies' luncheon and wow the crowd with edible flowers.
The Lemon Cheese Layer Cake
Recipe: The Lemon Cheese Layer Cake
Expecting a twist on cheesecake? You're in for an even sweeter surprise. These layers are filled with a buttery rich lemon curd instead.
Coconut Cream Cake
Recipe: Coconut Cream Cake
Look for packaged coconut shavings in your grocer's natural foods section.
Lemon Bar Cheesecake
Recipe: Lemon Bar Cheesecake
This indulgent recipe marries two delicious desserts: lemon bars and cheesecake. Using a dark springform pan ensures a golden brown crust on this tart dessert recipe without having to bake before adding the filling. Garnish with Candied Lemon Slices.
Lemon-Lime Pound Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Lime Pound Cake
This recipe is based on a classic Southern favorite called 7UP Pound Cake, which was created in the 1950s when the soda company suggested using its soft drink instead of other liquid in pound cake recipes. The result: one of the best, and simplest, cakes you'll ever make.
Watch: Lemon-Lime Pound Cake
Strawberry Mousse Cake
Recipe: Strawberry Mousse Cake
Pretty in pink, this mousse cake recipe is perfect for a shower, family get-together or party.
Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Recipe: Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Here the cream cheese is added after beating the butter and sugar, and the cake bakes at a slightly higher temperature than usual.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake
This sinfully sweet dessert is the perfect blend of fresh bananas, creamy cheesecake, and crunchy vanilla wafers.
Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake
Fresh Rosemary complements the lemony flavor in this moist coffee cake. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh rosemary sprigs for a showstopping presentation.
Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake
Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake
Securing parchment paper with masking tape (it won’t melt at the low temp) makes it easy to spread picture-perfect layers of meringue.
Pound Cake Cupcakes
Recipe: Pound Cake Cupcakes
A Thumbelina version of the tube-pan classic, these Pound Cake Cupcakes are pretty enough for a fairy-tale princess—and only a muffin tin away.
Chocolate-Espresso Pots de Crème
Recipe: Chocolate-Espresso Pots de Crème
It cannot get much better when chocolate and coffee are in the same dessert. Top this treat with edible flowers for the perfect touch. Take your pick at crystallizedflowerco.com or sweetfields.com.
Easter-Egg Shortbread Cookies
Recipe: Easter-Egg Shortbread Cookies
Because a large batch of the dough is tricky to work with, we don't recommend doubling this recipe.
Video: Easy Icing Technique for Decorating Sugar Cookies Video: How To Flood Icing for Sugar Cookies
Piña Colada Icebox Pie
Recipe: Piña Colada Icebox Pie
Forget the rolling pin and tricked-out lattice topping—just pat the crust in the pan, add a little tropical flair (we're talking a delicious pineapple-coconut filling here), then bake and chill.
Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake
We love the swirls of lemon curd in this cake, but it's also delicious without it.
Vanilla-Buttermilk Tarts
Recipe: Vanilla-Buttermilk Tarts
Garnish with fresh fruit and basil sprigs for a darling dessert.
Heavenly Angel Food Cake
Recipe: Heavenly Angel Food Cake
The rich, moist texture of this divine angel food cake is unlike any other. Made from scratch in minutes, it's baked in a 13- x 9-inch pan and spread with frosting that's a lemon lover's dream.
35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake
Recipe: 35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake
Over-ripe bananas (yellow peels splotched with brown flecks) are best for baking. You won't get the same depth of flavor or moistness without them.
Basic White Cupcakes
Recipe: Basic White Cupcakes
Who can resist a handheld cake swathed in creamy frosting? This cupcake recipe is made from box mixes enriched with buttermilk, so the batter bakes up melt-in-your-mouth moist everytime.
Easter Cookies
Recipe: Easter Cookies
Try this Easter dessert with a simple five-ingredient dough that can be made up to three days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Nutter Butter-Banana Pudding Trifle
Recipe: Nutter Butter-Banana Pudding Trifle
This homemade pudding is divine, economical, and uses on-hand ingredients. Tip: The pudding has thickened enough when a distinct trail is left in the mixture when you stir with a spoon. The cookies will soften the longer the dessert chills.
Lemon Velvet Tart
Recipe: Lemon Velvet Tart
Dazzle your taste buds with the vibrant flavor of lemon. Drizzle Raspberry Sauce over your slice, if you wish.
Green Tea-Honeysuckle Cake
Recipe: Green Tea-Honeysuckle Cake
Spring-green ribbons of matcha-flavored batter and a homemade honeysuckle glaze elevate a basic vanilla butter cake to gourmet status. Bonus: It tumbles from the pan perfectly fluted and party ready.
Classic Strawberry Shortcake
Recipe: Classic Strawberry Shortcake
With juicy strawberries spooned over sweet and tender biscuits, old-fashioned strawberry shortcakes are the perfect dessert. If the berries are very sweet, decrease the sugar to suit your taste. Drop the dough easily by using a lightly greased 1/3-cup dry measure.
Chocolate Zucchini Cakes
Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cakes
Spiked with a triple hit of chocolate (we're talking intensely rich sour cream-fudge frosting here), these are definitely not your garden-variety zucchini cakes.
Key Lime Pound Cake
Recipe: Key Lime Pound Cake
Dress up traditional pound cake with a little lime zest and a homemade Key lime glaze for a deliciously tropical dessert.
Double Citrus Tart
Recipe: Double Citrus Tart
Double Citrus Tart captures the bright, fresh flavors of lemon and orange in a crisp gingersnap crust. Dollop whipping cream around edges of tart and finish with fresh mint leaves and orange slices.
Luscious Lemon Bars
Recipe: Luscious Lemon Bars
Classic lemon squares are always a popular dessert at teas, luncheons, and showers. As an added bonus, you can make them ahead and freeze for up to one month.
Strawberries and Cream Cake
Recipe: Strawberries and Cream Cake
We used 6 (8-inch) disposable aluminum foil cake pans, so we could fill all the pans at once. This way, if you bake the layers in batches, the second batch is ready to go in the oven as soon as the first is done.
The Ultimate Carrot Cake
Recipe: The Ultimate Carrot Cake
Truly our best-ever carrot cake recipe, make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home.
Step-by-Step Video: Best Carrot Cake Ever
Strawberry-Orange Trifle
Recipe: Strawberry-Orange Trifle
Welcome Spring with this doable yet impressive dessert. Our Strawberry-Orange Trifle starts with a no-cook custard enriched with store-bought lemon curd.
Lemon Soufflés
Recipe: Lemon Soufflés
Yes, these feather-light soufflés do look too good to eat. But don't let that stop you! Prep the lemon curd up to 2 weeks ahead and you can serve these in just 30 minutes.
Lemon Coconut Pound Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Coconut Pound Cake
This pound cake recipe starts from scratch and is as good as it looks. Pair it with a sparkling wine, like a Prosecco, to complete your dessert.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Tartlets
Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Tartlets
We used a 2 1/2- x 3-inch fluted rectangular cookie cutter to cut the dough for these adorable tarts. You can also cut them by hand or use a round cutter. Serve for breakfast, dessert, or as a sweet snack.
Hazelnut Truffles
Recipe: Hazelnut Truffles
Serve these hazelnut truffles in a handmade candy box and you not only have a tempting dessert, but also a fabulous table decoration.
Small Tiered Cluster Cakes
Recipe: Small Tiered Cluster Cakes
These small, tiered treats with 3-inch-round bases lend elegance to an intimate Spring party, tea, or dinner.
Bridesmaid Baby Cakes
Recipe: Bridesmaid Baby Cakes
For a more personalized gathering, decorate each baby cake with your guests' initials. This specialized touch is a great creative replacement for table cards.
Coconut Cream Tarts with Macadamia Nut Crusts
Recipe: Coconut Cream Tarts with Macadamia Nut Crusts
The crisp, sturdy crust perfectly complements the creamy custard in these stellar tarts.
Hat Cookies
Recipe: Hat Cookies
Our hats are off to this adorable idea! These cookies are perfect when served for a Spring luncheon or to celebrate Easter.
Little Bitty Cakes
Recipe: Little Bitty Cakes
It has been said that all good things come in small packages, and when it comes to these cakes that saying is all too true. Pipe a dollop of frosting on each cake, and decorate with Candied Flowers and Raspberries.
Hot Cross Buns
Recipe: Hot Cross Buns
Bake the traditional English nutmeg-and-cinnamon-spiced Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday or for Easter breakfast. Lemon icing is easily piped through a zip-top bag to form the traditional cross on top.
