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40 Fresh Desserts That'll Put A Spring in Your Step

40 Fresh Desserts That'll Put A Spring in Your Step

By Southern Living Editors

February 25, 2009

Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

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 (although florals do inspire some of our favorite spring desserts). In addition to the fragrant roses, the spring season is full of fresh fruit and berries—accordingly, these gorgeous spring desserts are all about seasonal fruit. Make sure your sweet tooth is satisfied with everything from fudgy Bundt cakes to cupcakes for a crowd.

Each of these spring dessert recipes is great for sharing with family, friends, and neighbors. For a new twist on a classic, try the Key Lime Pound Cake; Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting are perfect for sharing. Many of these recipes are inspired by our favorite spring beverages, from our Strawberry-Lemonade Cake to our Sweet Tea Bundt (of course, you’ll have to serve this with a glass of Mama’s signature sweet tea). And don’t forget about the Easter desserts!

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Lemon Sherbet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Hector Manuel 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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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

Photo: 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

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.

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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

Photo: 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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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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Classic Coconut Cake

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Classic Coconut 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 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-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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Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

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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Easter Cookies

Southern Living

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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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.

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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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Luscious Lemon Bars

Photo: Jennifer Davick

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.