52 Delightful Spring Desserts

Photo: Ralph Anderson
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.
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Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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.

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Coconut-Banana Pudding

Hector M. Sanchez

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.

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Mini Strawberry Tarts

Photo: Greg Dupree

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.

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Strawberry Dream Cake

Greg Dupree

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.

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Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

Hector Sanchez

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."

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Key Lime Icebox Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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.

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Salted Chocolate Matzo Madness Toffee

Greg Dupree

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!

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Coconut-Almond Roulade

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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

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Mile-High Mini Strawberry Pies

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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.

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Chocolate Truffle Pie with Amaretto Cream

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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.

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Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

Serve this decadent spring dessert at your next ladies' luncheon and wow the crowd with edible flowers.

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The Lemon Cheese Layer Cake

Hector Sanchez

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.

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Coconut Cream Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Cream Cake

Look for packaged coconut shavings in your grocer's natural foods section.

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Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

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.

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Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

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

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Strawberry Mousse Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Strawberry Mousse Cake

Pretty in pink, this mousse cake recipe is perfect for a shower, family get-together, or party.

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Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake

There are a few things to note about this recipe before you start baking. First, the cream cheese is added after beating the butter and sugar. And, yes, you read the cooking instructions correctly—the cake bakes at a slightly higher temperature than usual.

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Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake

This sinfully sweet dessert is the perfect blend of fresh bananas, creamy cheesecake, and crunchy vanilla wafers.

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Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell

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.

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Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

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.

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Pound Cake Cupcakes

Photo by Iain Bagwell; Styling by Heather Chadduck

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.

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Chocolate-Espresso Pots de Crème

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

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.

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Easter-Egg Shortbread Cookies

Photo: Helen Norman

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 CookiesVideo:How To Flood Icing for Sugar Cookies

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Piña Colada Icebox Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

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.

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Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake

We love the swirls of lemon curd in this cake, but it's also delicious without it.

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Vanilla-Buttermilk Tarts

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Vanilla-Buttermilk Tarts

Garnish with fresh fruit and basil sprigs for a darling dessert.

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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.

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35th Anniversary Hummingbird Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

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.

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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.

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Easter Cookies

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

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.

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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.

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Lemon Velvet Tart

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Lemon Velvet Tart

Dazzle your taste buds with the vibrant flavor of lemon. Drizzle Raspberry Sauce over your slice, if you wish.

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Green Tea-Honeysuckle Cake

Photo by Iain Bagwell; Styling by Heather Chadduck

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.

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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.

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Chocolate Zucchini Cakes

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

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.

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Key Lime Pound Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick

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.

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Double Citrus Tart