Spring is here, and with it comes a bounty of delicious fruits. From tart and tangy grapefruits to juicy blueberries and sunshine-yellow lemons, there’s a dessert here for everyone to enjoy.
I love this season as we finally welcome the lighter desserts, highlighting seasonal ingredients, as well as a few year round favorites.
All are fitting for spring gatherings, from casual brunches to Easter celebrations.
Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
Photo Credit: Quiet Baking Day
Spring is a peak season for grapefruits. It starts in early winter and reaches through mid-summer, making this grapefruit cake perfect for seasonal holidays.
Olive oil cakes are popular in Mediterranean countries where back in the day, olive oil was cheaper than butter. But it isn’t just about cost. Olive oil cakes have more moisture and don’t dry out as quick as butter based cakes.
This recipe adds grapefruit zest to the batter and is topped with a grapefruit sugar glaze. A delicious way to bring fruit flavors to a sweet cake.
Get the Recipe: Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
Ambrosia Salad
Photo Credit: The Forked Spoon
In Greek mythology, ambrosia is the food of the gods and likely where this vintage dish got it’s name. Popularity rose in the 1870’s because coconut and oranges were more widely available and it’s still a popular dish today.
This creamy fruit salad combines pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, maraschino cherries, pecans, and more into a fluffy dessert salad. Perfect for Easter brunches and spring potlucks.
Get the Recipe: Ambrosia Salad
Mini Lemon Tarts
Photo Credit: The Savory Cipolla
Mini desserts are perfect for parties and gatherings. Their small size makes them easy to eat without utensils so guests can mingle at the same time.
A flaky phyllo shell serves as the base (you can purchase these at the store). Simply bake according to the directions, then fill the shells with lemon curd and top with this delicious homemade whipped cream.
Easy peasy lemon squeezey.
Get the Recipe: Mini Lemon Tarts
Blueberry Angel Food Cake
Photo Credit: Live To Sweet
April is the start of blueberry season making them popular for spring desserts. Adding this sweet and tart berry is typically done as a topping, but in this recipe, the blueberries are combined into the cake batter.
To get the angel food cake fluffiness, use cake flower. All-purpose flour won’t do this cake justice.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Angel Food Cake
No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Chip Pie
Photo Credit: Maria’s Mixing Bowl
This no-bake recipe is so easy and tasty, it’ll be a favorite from spring thru summer. Cream cheese, cherry pie filling, powdered sugar and a few more ingredients make up this creamy dessert.
Top with mini chocolate chips for the perfect finish.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Chocolate Chip Pie
Key Lime Pie
Photo Credit: Flavor The Moments
Key limes are available year round since they are mostly grown in Mexico and Central America. The bright citrus flavor is perfect for both spring and summer desserts.
Start with making the homemade graham cracker crust (or don’t if you’re in a hurry). Then combine the key lime juice with condensed milk, eggs and more to create the filling and bake. Finally, let it chill in the fridge until it’s cold all the way through.
Note: If your stores don’t carry key limes, you can make key lime pie with “regular” limes. There’s a slight different in tartness between the two limes, but not enough to skip making this recipe.
Get the Recipe: Key Lime Pie
Classic Carrot Cake
Photo Credit: Chew Out Loud
Is it really spring if there isn’t any carrot cake? I think not. Always popular around Easter, this classic cake is sweet, moist and flavorful.
Although it’s a carrot cake, a lot of the flavor comes from the pineapple juice and cream cheese frosting (the best part!).
Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake
Lemon Brownies
Photo Credit: The Slow Roasted Italian
Lemon brownies have a fudgy texture, making them thick and chewy. Start with a box of yellow cake mix and add fresh lemon juice and lemon pudding.
Top with a homemade lemon glaze and you’ll end up with an amazing sweet and tart lemon dessert.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Brownies
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Photo Credit: Ninnescah Hmade
Rhubarb is in season from early spring, starting at the end of March to early summer. When cooked with sugar, it has a pleasant tart taste that is typically balanced by the sweetness of strawberries.
In this recipe, fresh strawberries and rhubarb are combined with a sugary filling and topped with a buttery oat crumble. Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Blueberry Chocolate Cake
Photo Credit: Savor The Spoonful
Blueberry and chocolate are divine together. Make your favorite chocolate cake or use this gluten-free recipe. The star of the show is the blueberry cream cheese frosting.
The gorgeous color is so fun for the spring season, but more importantly it tastes amazing – especially on top of chocolate cake.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Chocolate Cake
Grasshoper Cheesecake
Photo Credit: Saving Dessert
This grasshopper cheesecake is like a boozy after-dinner mint, turned into a creamy dessert. It’s all about that mint-chocolate combo.
A chocolate Oreo cookie crust holds the smooth and creamy cheesecake filling flavored with crème de menthe and crème de cacao. Add a hint of green food coloring to make it brighter.
This recipe is a perfect minty pick-me-up!
Get the Recipe: Grasshoper Cheesecake
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Photo Credit: The Cookin Chicks
Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a classic dessert with a salty-sweet twist. It has a buttery pretzel crust on the bottom, a creamy cream cheese layer in the middle, and a strawberry jello topping with fresh strawberries.
This no-bake dessert is perfect for potlucks, picnics, or any gathering. Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s definitely more dessert than salad!
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Key Lime Cake
Photo Credit: Tasty Treats and Eats
This recipe captures all the bright, citrusy flavors of a key lime pie in a beautiful layer cake. It’s a refreshing dessert with two layers of moist cake, a cream cheese lime frosting that holds it all together and then it’s topped with a tangy homemade key lime curd.
Don’t be intimidated by the layers, this cake is surprisingly easy to make and perfect for any occasion.
Get the Recipe: Key Lime Cake
Strawberry Mousse Tartlets
Photo Credit: xoxoBella
This recipe combines a simple flaky crust (homemade or store-bought) with a creamy strawberry mousse filling. Topped with whipped cream and fresh berries, this dessert will look gorgeous when you serve it.
The best part about individual desserts is you don’t need to worry about slicing a large tart and potentially making a mess. Each guest gets their own perfectly portioned dessert.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Mousse Tartlets
Cream Cheese Banana Pudding
Photo Credit: Salads Soups And Sweets
Cream cheese is the key in this no-bake dessert. Layer vanilla wafers with the creamy banana pudding mixture, add sliced bananas and chill until it sets. Top it all off with more whipped cream, wafers and bananas.
Light and fluffy, just like spring.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Banana Pudding
Pink Grapefruit Dessert Bars
Photo Credit: Garlic And Zest
These citrus bars will change your mind about using grapefruit in desserts. Enjoy the buttery shortbread crust with the tangy grapefruit curd.
Garnished with powdered sugar, this is a delicious flavor combo.
Get the Recipe: Pink Grapefruit Dessert Bars
Hummingbird Cake
Photo Credit: I Heart Eating
Being from the south, I’ve always considered humming bird cake a classic dessert. A quick peak at Wikipedia to get more background information and I learn that it originates from Jamaica (where so many great recipes do!). This dessert became popular in the southern US starting in the 1970s. So, if hummingbird cake is new to you, you’re in for a treat!
Made with pineapple, banana, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla…. you can see where this is going, right? It’s an amazing combination of flavors in a delicious cake. Enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Hummingbird Cake
Raspberry Icebox Cake
Photo Credit: Tornadough Alli
A pretty dessert for the spring season, all you need are 6 ingredients to make this raspberry icebox cake. No need to turn the oven, it’s a delicious no-bake dessert.
Sweet raspberry preserves are mixed in with heavy cream, whipped cream, vanilla and more to create the creamy raspberry layer between graham crackers.
Get the Recipe: Raspberry Icebox Cake
Lemon Pudding Cakes
Photo Credit: I Heart Eating
Homemade lemon pudding cakes are one of the best individual desserts to serve this spring. The pudding filling is made from milk, flour, lemon juice and more. Then baked in individual ramekins for easy serving.
The key to this recipe is fresh lemon juice. You only need several tablespoons, so it is worth it to juice your own lemons.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Pudding Cakes
15 Delicious Lemon Desserts
Photo Credit: Fun Money Mom
Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to dust off your lemon zester and get to baking.
These recipes use lemons in all sorts of yummy ways, from cakes and bars to breads and even fancier desserts. There’s something for everyone.
Get the Recipes: 15 Lemon Desserts to Celebrate Spring