53 Sensational Spring Desserts
A tray of chocolaty brownies is good for any season, but as we start considering spring desserts, we crave strawberry fools, seasonal holiday classics like carrot cake, and lots and lots of fleeting rhubarb. These are the sweet treats we wait all winter to make—when fresh berries finally arrive at the farmers market and sunnier, longer days mean brighter, airier desserts feel most appropriate.
These are the dessert recipes we love to make for spring’s first gatherings, when the weather’s turned just a bit warmer, and the ones we save for when the season’s in full bloom and spring produce is fresh and ripe. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Can’t you smell it?
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich2/53Anytime Lemon Cake
This tender lemon cake is endlessly versatile. Serve it plain; top slices with a spoonful of mascarpone, ice cream, or fruit; turn it into cupcakes; or double the batter and make a layer cake finished with lemon curd and buttercream.
5/53One-Hour Apricot and Almond Galette
Thanks to store-bought puff pastry, this galette can be assembled in next to no time. If almonds aren’t your thing, try pistachios, pecans, poppy seeds, or pine nuts.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Mira Evnine8/53Thandai Poke Cake
Like an Indian-spiced tres leches cake, this dessert’s flavors are inspired by thandai, a milky aromatic drink enjoyed during Holi, the Hindu spring celebration.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart9/53Fresh Strawberry Cake
With both fresh strawberries and store-bought strawberry jam, you can be sure this spring dessert brings big fruit flavor. A dash of almond extract in the batter complements the berries nicely, but you can swap in vanilla if allergies are a concern.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food styling by Kaitlin Wayne10/53Flan de Queso
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber11/53Pastel Butter Cookies
To give almond shortbread cookies the Easter-egg treatment, dust them with tinted powdered sugar blended with finely ground freeze-dried blueberries, raspberries, and mango (or any fruit that floats your fancy).
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton12/53Daffodil Cake
This cloud-like dessert has all the joy of angel food cake—but it uses the yolks too, so nothing goes to waste. (Read more about the history of Daffodil Cake.)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich13/53Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
Tapioca and cornstarch work in tandem to set this pie perfectly without making it stodgy. The bottom pie crust is flaky pastry, but the top is a cinnamon-sugar crumb topping that’ll perfume your whole house.
