The start of spring always makes us feel recharged, ready to host friends and family—and start baking from scratch again. Inspired by the cheerful array of in-season produce (we’re looking at you, strawberries and rhubarb!) our desserts tend to lean in a brighter, sunnier direction.
Whether we’re whipping up a few special fruit desserts for a tea party or putting all our decorating skills into a showstopper for a spring dinner party, we’re always looking to make these sweet treats fresh, flavorful and full of color.
If you can relate, you’ll love the recipes in this roundup—starting with this gorgeous tart. It uses a press-in crust so it’s easy for bakers of every skill level (no rolling required!).
Filled with a sweet-and-tangy Meyer lemon curd, every bite is like a little burst of sunshine.
Spring Pastel Eclairs
Dress eclairs for a party with bright, colorful glazes that are tinted naturally with a variety of fruit juices.
Carrot Cake Jelly Roll
Each slice of this spiced, jelly roll-inspired cake comes with a creamy spiral of cream cheese frosting. Topped with cute frosting carrots, it’s an extra-special dessert for Easter or any springtime celebration.
The Most-Lemony Lemon Bar of All Time
This bar is lemon city! We put lemon zest in the crust, upped the pucker in the filling and put lemon candy on top. It’s the bar for the ultimate lemon lover.
Mixed Fruit Tart
Impress your guests with this stunning fruit tart. The secret to it’s glossy shine? Valerie warms apricot preserves with a splash of water to create a glaze that she brushes over the fresh fruit.
Strawberry Cake
This rustic cake is the perfect addition to any spring party. It’s easy to bake — and all it needs for a decoration is a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.
Strawberry Lemonade Bars
In these pretty pink bars, the tartness of lemon is accentuated by freeze-dried strawberries, adding a dose of springtime flavor and a rosy hue.
Ricotta Citrus Cheesecake
Lemon, lime and orange zest perk up this ricotta-based cheesecake. A graham cracker crust provides crunch while a dusting of confectioners’ sugar adds a pretty finish. Perfect with any spring fruit you have on-hand.
Strawberry Cobbler
Baked with a golden biscuit topping, this springtime dessert makes the most of sweet strawberries. To ensure that the filling sets correctly, be sure to let the cobbler cool completely before serving.
Pink Lemonade Tart
Combining homemade lemon curd with a fresh strawberry puree gives this tart its beautiful pinky-orange hue and delicious flavor.
Lemon Meringues
All you need is a little lemon extract to brighten up these sweet and airy cookies. They’re the perfect treat for any tea or garden party.
Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Macerated strawberries and a sweet cream cheese frosting are layered with a simple homemade cake for this strawberry shortcake-inspired dessert. It’s a fantastic dessert when you’re hosting but Ree admits that this cake is so delicious that she sometimes eats it for breakfast too!
Pineapple Upside-Down Doughnuts
A cute twist on a classic, these doughnuts are an easy treat to make and share. Their rich and buttery caramelized pineapple tops sit nicely on light, single-serving cakes.
Classic Lemon Tart with Coconut-Almond Crust
Calling all lemon-lovers! You’ll adore Valerie’s elegant tart, which is bursting with bright, zingy citrus flavor.
Upside-Down Citrus Cake
Fresh grapefruit and orange add beautiful pops of color (and flavor!) to Valerie’s upside-down cake.
