33 Peak-Season Spring Dessert Recipes

By Staff Editor
Updated on 04/22/22
No bake strawberry icebox cheesecake recipe

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

With new leaves filling out the trees and the arrival of fresh blossoms, spring is a time of reawakening. The crisp air invigorates us after a long, cold winter, and we're ready to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. What better way to celebrate than with mouthwatering seasonal desserts. Think fresh spring fruits, pastels, and gorgeous presentations. 

Add one or more of these sweet and refreshing desserts to a special occasion menu or bake one just for fun!

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  • 01 of 33

    Deconstructed Strawberry Shortcakes

    Strawberry Shortcake Made With Pound Cake

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

    Delight your guests with a deconstructed strawberry shortcake. It's even better than the classic version!

  • 02 of 33

    Dairy-Free Mango Pudding

    Dairy-Free Mango Pudding

    The Spruce / Preethi Venkatram

    This mango pudding is a light and delicious dessert that is also one of the easiest to put together. It's also dairy-free since it is made with coconut milk instead of whipping cream or regular milk. And as an added bonus, unlike dairy products, coconut milk brings out and enhances the taste of the mango, plus adds that touch of richness you're looking for in a pudding.

  • 03 of 33

    Keto Angel Food Cake

    Keto Angel Food Cake on a platter and on plates, served with berries

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

    Angel food cake is a light and fluffy dessert cake made with a base of whipped egg whites. Typically served with whipped cream and a mix of fresh berries, angel food is a cake reminiscent of meringue. To make an angel food cake that would work for keto dieters and anyone looking to eliminate sugar or grains, we've swapped the wheat flour for coconut flour and the sugar for a noncaloric keto sweetener. 

  • 04 of 33

    Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe

    Key lime pound cake

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

    Pound cake is a crowd-pleasing dessert. Buttery and vanilla-scented, it's delicious on its own or paired with berries and cream. This key lime pound cake recipe upgrades the classic with fresh juice and zest, giving it a bright, citrusy flavor with a nice tang. Sour cream makes it extra moist, and a simple glaze adds fresh lime flavor and a little pizazz.

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  • 05 of 33

    Classic Rhubarb Custard Pie

    Classic Rhubarb Custard Pie (With Crust Recipe)

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    This classic rhubarb custard pie features a creamy rhubarb filling. Use homemade pie pastry or a frozen crust.

  • 06 of 33

    Hummingbird Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

    Classic hummingbird cake recipe

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

    What better way to celebrate the return of the hummingbirds than with this amazing hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting! This cake has long been a favorite celebration cake. Pineapple, bananas, and pecans are among the ingredients.

  • 07 of 33

    Vegan Coconut Pudding

    Vegan Coconut Pudding With Mango

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

    Our easy-to-make coconut pudding is a great example of what can be achieved with a few simple ingredients. Most ingredients could already be in your pantry. Ideal for catering to people with dairy or egg allergies, this vegan dessert is also suitable for gluten-free diets.

  • 08 of 33

    No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cheesecake

    No bake strawberry icebox cheesecake recipe

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    This fabulous no-bake strawberry icebox cheesecake tastes as good as it looks! It's hard to believe this scrumptious cake isn't baked.

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  • 09 of 33

    Strawberry and Cream Sponge Cake

    Strawberry and Cream Sponge Cake

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

    If you watch the Great British Baking Show (or Bake-Off), you've no doubt seen this elegant cake. Broaden your baking horizons with this authentic classic Victoria sponge cake recipe.

  • 10 of 33

    Hot Cross Buns

    Hot Cross Buns hero

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Orange zest and raisins add sunny flavor to these traditional homemade hot cross buns.

  • 11 of 33

    Pineapple Carrot Cake

    Carrot cake with pineapple

    The Spruce

    Carrot cake gets its moisture from finely-grated carrots, which also add natural sugar, fiber, and nutrition to your sweet treat. This carrot cake recipe includes tropical elements with coconut and pineapple which add even more moisture and flavor. This easy cake is flavorful and moist, and there's no need to precariously stack the layers.

  • 12 of 33

    Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake

    Strawberry rhubarb cake recipe

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Bake this delectable cake with fresh spring strawberries and rhubarb. Serve it as a coffee cake for brunch or breakfast, as a dessert cake, or take it along to a potluck. The buttery crumble topping finishes the strawberry rhubarb crumb cake beautifully.

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  • 13 of 33

    Affogato

    Affogato Italian Espresso Dessert
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Serve coffee and dessert at one time with this deliciously easy affogato recipe. The Italian treat pours hot espresso over vanilla ice cream, and the key is to make it in frozen glassware. No espresso machine? Use a stovetop espresso maker or brew the strongest coffee you can.

  • 14 of 33

    Strawberry Cheesecake

    strawberry cheesecake sliced on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney 

    A classic strawberry cheesecake is always a hit. Inside the graham cracker crust is a filling of cream cheese and ricotta. Make a fresh strawberry compote, let everything cool, and add the topping for a showstopping dessert.

  • 15 of 33

    Strawberry Angel Food Cake

    Strawberry Angel Food Cake

    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

    Strawberry angel food cake is as delicious as it sounds, and it's a lovely addition to any spring affair. The recipe bakes a single sponge cake in a tube pan, then cuts it into two pieces. You'll then show off your culinary skills by constructing the layers of sweet, airy cream cheese frosting and fresh berries.

  • 16 of 33

    Easy Lemon Pudding Cake From a Mix

    Easy Lemon Pudding Cake From a Mix

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    No one has to know how easy this cake is to make, and most likely no one will guess the main ingredients are cake mix and pudding mix. Once baked, the moist and flavorful cake is drizzled with a sweet lemon juice glaze, creating the perfect finishing touch.

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  • 17 of 33

    Cherry Dump Cake

    Cherry Dump Cake

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

    The color pink just seems to signal spring so this cherry dump cake is perfect to pull together. Angel food cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract, and sliced almonds are mixed together in a cake pan and baked. Slice into squares and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

  • 18 of 33

    Cheesecake Baklava

    Cheesecake Baklava
    Anita Schecter

    This creative dessert is a combination of cheesecake and baklava. The pistachio cheesecake filling is wrapped in honey syrup-drenched phyllo. If you're looking for an impressive dessert, you can't go wrong with this cheesecake baklava.

  • 19 of 33

    Japanese-Style Rare 'No-Bake' Cheesecake

    Japanese-Style Rare "No-Bake" Cheesecake With Yogurt

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

    "No-bake" cheesecakes are called rare cheesecakes in Japan. This is a soft type of cheesecake and usually, gelatin is used to harden the filling. Rare cheesecakes are chilled and served with fresh fruits or fruit sauces.

  • 20 of 33

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake

    Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake

     Kristina Vanni

    Combine two all-time favorites in one delicious dessert. A luscious cheesecake is topped with the makings of a pineapple upside-down cake, making for a festive finish to any springtime celebration.

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  • 21 of 33

    Torta Della Nonna

    Torta Della Nonna

    Anita Schecter

    The flavor of lemon in the custard filling gives this Italian dessert a springtime feel and the name of the torte reflects the simplicity of the recipe. A sweet pastry crust envelopes a lemon creme, and pine nuts are sprinkled over top before baking, creating a nice crunch. A simple but elegant dessert for any spring occasion.

  • 22 of 33

    Instant Pot Flan

    Instant Pot flan, or creme caramel, in a dessert dish.
    Diana Rattray

    This Instant Pot version of the classic Spanish dessert flan cooks in less than 10 minutes, though you do need to plan ahead as it must chill in the refrigerator for four hours before you serve it. The light caramel custard makes a sweet finish to any meal.

  • 23 of 33

    Lemon Curd Cupcakes

    Lemon Curd Cupcakes

    Kristina Vanni

    These triple lemon cupcakes are made with a moist and fluffy lemon cake, a tart lemon curd filling, and sweet and creamy lemon buttercream frosting. All you have to do is bake up a batch of cupcakes, cut out the center and fill the cupcakes with lemon curd, then top with the lemon buttercream frosting.

  • 24 of 33

    Blueberry Buckle

    Blueberry Buckle

    The Spruce 

    Bake this blueberry buckle with fresh, early season blueberries. It's an excellent everyday snack cake perfect for a coffee get-together or breakfast.

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  • 25 of 33

    Strawberry Cupcakes

    Strawberry cupcakes recipe

    ​The Spruce 

    Chopped strawberries and fresh puree are featured in these moist and colorful strawberry cupcakes.

  • 26 of 33

    Perfect Banana Pudding

    Easy banana pudding recipe

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Banana pudding has long been a favorite Southern dessert, and this shortcut version of the classic treat is an excellent choice for a busy day. This recipe is made with instant vanilla pudding, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla wafers, prepared whipped cream, and sliced bananas, making for an easy and convenient layered dessert that is sure to impress.

  • 27 of 33

    Hokey Pokey Ice Cream

    Hokey Pokey Ice Cream

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Honeycomb candy is also known as hokey pokey, cinder toffee, or sponge candy. It's made simply by heating together sugar and golden syrup and stirring in baking soda. Choose your favorite vanilla ice cream, and the dessert will only be better if you use good-quality ice cream. As the honeycomb is vegetarian and vegan friendly, you can use a dairy-free vanilla ice cream to adjust this recipe to suit your dietary preferences.

  • 28 of 33

    Old Fashioned Blood Orange Sheet Cake

    Old Fashioned Blood Orange Sheet Cake sliced in a sheet pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

    Upside down cakes already bring an instant wow factor, but the combination of peak season citrus and speckled brown butter sauce give wintertime desserts a glow-up that will overcome any cold weather blues. Specifically, blood oranges burst with color and flair that make this tender cake shine at any table.

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  • 29 of 33

    Raspberry and Blueberry Bundt Cake

    Easy blueberry bundt cake recipe

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    Bake this raspberry and blueberry bundt cake with the combination of blueberries and raspberries or use strawberries instead of raspberries. 

  • 30 of 33

    Pavlova

    Australian pavlova recipe

    The Spruce 

    This fluffy, elegant meringue dessert gets its name from the ballerina Anna Pavlova. It's one of New Zealand's national dessert. Fill the center of the Pavlova meringue with freshly whipped cream and fresh spring berries.

  • 31 of 33

    Tres Leches Cake

    Tres Leches Pastel

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    This scrumptious tres leches cake is a dessert with Latin American roots. The cake gets its name from the three kinds of milk used: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cream.

  • 32 of 33

    Easy Strawberry Shortcut Cake

    Easy Strawberry Shortcut Cake

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    This pretty cake is basically an all-in-one easy strawberry shortcake. A cake mix makes it a snap to prepare. Mashed fresh strawberries make it a fabulous cake for a spring celebration. Garnish the cake with extra strawberries and a few mint leaves.

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  • 33 of 33

    Mango Mousse Cake

    Mango Mousse Cake

    The Spruce/Ulyana Verbytska

    Sponge cake lines the sides and bottom of the pan, which is then filled with mousse and another layer of cake. The sponge cake is soaked with a fruit-flavored syrup, which complements the delicate sweet-tart flavor of the creamy mousse. This beautiful cake will wow guests.