12 Fresh Desserts for Spring That Will Awaken Your Table

Dark Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

Rich chocolate cake gets a seasonal makeover in this spring dessert recipe. Inspired by chocolate-covered strawberries, we have this lovely layer cake on repeat from Valentine's Day to Memorial Day every year. The fresh strawberry buttercream frosting is so delightful, you'll want to eat it by the spoonful—but trust us, it's even better slathered between layers of the moist cocoa cake.

Mini Blueberry Pies

Pies aren't just for Thanksgiving menus and bake sales. This easy spring dessert proves they can be super-refreshing come spring, especially when they showcase a tempting blend of butter, sugar, and blueberries inside petite pastry shells. Fresh mint and shredded lemon peel make an elegant and garden-fresh garnish.

Buy It: Cuisinart Mini Pie Set ($10, Target)

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting

Eating your vegetables is rarely this fun. Nutmeg and cardamom add a bit of spice to the in-season carrot cake. Keep that cardamom handy: It also plays a starring role in the rich mascarpone frosting that coats every surface of this elegant spring dessert idea.

Lemon Bundt Cake

This cake's geometric shape—thanks to a unique Bundt pan—stands out. But no matter the pan you use, the lemon extract, zest, and glaze combine for a citrusy flavor that will make this refreshing spring dessert recipe one of your seasonal go-tos. While it looks bakery-quality, the entire cake batter recipe requires just one bowl. (Translation: Less time cleaning up, more time enjoying your freshly baked cake.)

Buy It: Nordic Ware Jubilee Bundt Pan ($45, Sur la Table)

Rhubarb Chess Pie

Anyone who grows fresh rhubarb (or knows someone who does) knows there is a certain point in the season when your harvest haul is about as tall as you are. In those times, turn to this spring dessert idea that uses 2 cups of the stalks to lend a delicious sweet-tart flavor to the custard. We can speak from experience: This is one treat best served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Grab a piece of this no-bake dessert recipe and pretend you're on spring break in the Florida Keys. Lime gelatin combined with classic cheesecake filling gives these bars a refreshing twist. This is the easy spring dessert when you're seeking a make-ahead option: Pour the mixture onto a crumbly graham cracker crust before chilling 8 to 24 hours.

Naked Cake

The secret to this deliciously dense layer cake? Olive oil! The common pantry ingredient keeps this spring dessert idea incredibly moist, while a fluffy blend of whipping cream and lemon contributes bright springtime flavor of the photo-worthy naked cake. If desired, dress it up with seasonal fruit or edible flowers.

Strawberry, Mango, and Rose Pavlova

Light as a spring cloud on a sunny day, this refreshing spring dessert starts with a sophisticated-looking yet easy-to-execute egg white meringue that's baked into a pavlova "piecrust." Once it's cooled, crown that light base with your favorite seasonal fruit. (We're obsessed with strawberries and mango when they're at their best around May and swear by a sprinkling of edible flower petals to max out the spring energy.)

Honey-Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Cream

Hop to it and put this unique twist on carrot cake for your next spring soirée. (Or any day you'd like to be a hint sweeter!) Honey stands in for granulated sugar in this moist cake recipe that features in-season carrots. Instead of traditional cream cheese frosting, a fluffy blend of mascarpone cheese and whipping cream tops the delightful spring dessert.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Brownie Skillet

Would you rather devour a strawberry, rhubarb, or chocolate treat? Our vote: "All of the above!" This easy spring dessert features both seasonal fruits plus chopped dark chocolate, all baked together into a dense chocolate brownie. The fact that it is a limited-time-only offering available during spring makes this cast-iron skillet dessert even more special.

Blueberry-Lemon Shortcakes

Savor all of the goodness of traditional shortcakes with a hint more nutrition in this spring dessert idea. Instead of whipped cream or ice cream, dress up the oat-infused cakes with naturally sweet honey and a creamy topping made with Greek yogurt. Shredded lemon and ripe blueberries infuse the mini desserts with fresh seasonal flavor.

Deluxe Lemon Bars

A double dose of citrus—both lemon juice and shredded lemon peel—gives these sunny treats a lovely tart and tangy element to balance the sweetness, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar tops off the refreshing spring dessert. Give them an impressive yet easy upgrade by slicing them into diamond-shape bars instead of squares. (Simply run the knife diagonally across the pan instead of horizontally and vertically.)