Better Homes And Gardens Easter Dessert Recipes

Malted Vanilla Cake

Ham might be the centerpiece, but let's be honest: the real star of any holiday meal is dessert! Our collection of cute Easter desserts, including egg-shaped Easter cookie recipes, Easter cheesecakes, and several twists on carrot cake. Everyone is sure to hop away from the table happy.

Lemon-Lavender Poppy Seed Cake

Credit: Blaine Moats

You don't have to look too far for Easter cake recipe inspiration. Just take a peek into your garden! A touch of lavender in this batter adds an extra layer of flavor to the classic pairing of lemon and poppy seed.

Easter Dirt Cake

Credit: Matthew Clark

Gardeners must try this Easter cake recipe! Chocolate cookie "dirt" and candy-dipped strawberry "carrots" make up this faux farm. Assemble these components atop a chocolate cake base for accurately-hued ground work.

Neapolitan Marshmallow Treats

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Classic crispy cereal treats, now strata-style! Strawberry jelly provides the pink layer, semisweet chocolate pieces melt down for the brown layer, and the top layer of classic vanilla is simply vanilla flavoring. Voila!

Malted Vanilla Cake

Credit: Chia Chong

Classic vanilla cake gets a holiday-worthy update when layered with buttercream frosting and topped with cotton candy and malted milk Easter eggs. Choose candy in pastel colors for a picture-perfect display.

Test Kitchen Tip: Can't find—or not a fan of—malted milk eggs? Try peanut butter Easter eggs instead.

Burrowing Bunnies

Everyone will giggle—then dig in—to help decorate these cute easter desserts! The bunny bums are made from coconut-coated jumbo marshmallows, while the itty-bitty feet are constructed with small marshmallows. Pipe pink icing foot pads on each to make them look just like little hoppers.

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Credit: Blaine Moats

Hummingbird cake is a Southern favorite, and cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the classic spice cake flavors. While there are countless ways to have fun with frosting, we're fond of these Easter cupcakes. How cute are those sprinkle bunny "whiskers"?!

Marshmallow Easter Fluff

Easter Fluff

Take a break from more-common Easter Jell-O recipes and try a creamy pudding this year. The fruit-studded fluff makes a sweet foundation for the rabbit-shaped marshmallows. Stuff both inside a which chocolate egg "shell" and watch them quickly fly off the table.

Fun Flower Cupcakes

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Celebrate spring's arrival with a couple of dozen edible blooms. This easy Easter dessert recipe starts with boxed cake mix and store-bought frosting. That way, you can focus on dolling them up (then enjoying them).

Test Kitchen Tip: If you can't find decorative cupcake liners like these, pastel Necco wafers pressed into the equator of the cupcake as "petals" would have a similar effect.

Spring Flower Cake Pops

Customize this fun dessert recipe with your preferred cake flavor and favorite colors. Hey, you don't even need to bake a cake. Snag a prepared one from the bakery to crumble up and craft into darling little daisies.

Speckled Egg Sugar Cookies

Decorate this delicious sugar cookie recipe into brightly colored Easter eggs, speckled with brown sugar and vanilla to look like real eggs. Display these edible Easter eggs in a woven basket made from icing.

Chick Cupcakes

You might be able to guess that chocolate frosting branches build the cute Easter dessert "nest." But can you tell how the bird comes to life? We can't stop chirping about it: The body is built on a halved cream-filled oblong sponge cake!

Yummy Bunny Cookie

Giant Bunny Cookie

Easter cookie recipes don't come much simpler than this! Bake a batch of refrigerated sugar cookie dough in one large oval, then trim a bunny-shaped head. Frosting, coconut flakes, and candies cutely (and craveably) finish this easy Easter dessert idea.

Marbled Easter Egg Truffles

This year, let the Easter Bunny bring a basket full of adorable Easter egg truffles instead of store-bought candy. The marbled candies are made from rich, smooth white chocolate. Slip on your creative cap and customize these cute Easter desserts' design (we love the marbled look!) and flavor (using lemon, mint, almond, or vanilla extract).

Dressed-Up Marshmallow Bunnies

Are you someone who thinks the best Easter dessert recipe must include marshmallow bunnies? Then take your favorite Easter treat to the next level by coating it in chocolate and adding pizzazz with sprinkles, coconut, and mini marshmallows. These bite-size Easter desserts will be a must-have for kids.

Zucchini-Carrot Cake

Credit: Blaine Moats

Vegetables and cake shouldn't work together...but they do in this recipe. And we're not just talking about the marzipan vegetable patch. Double up on the veggies in this Easter cake recipe with a tasty combination of zucchini bread and carrot cake.

Pink Lemonade Cake

Credit: Andy Lyons

Add some pucker to the party! Citrus fans will clamor for another slice of this lemonade-flavor Easter cake recipe. With lemonade buttercream frosting and pretty pink lemonade layers, this gorgeous cake is sure to impress everyone at Easter.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Easter sugar cookies

Lambs, rabbits, and chicks—oh, my! Roll out the dough and hand out the cookie cutters: This decorated Easter cookie recipe is perfect for the kids. Cutting out the cookies isn't the only fun—there's also the decorating and the eating, which is an all-ages activity.

Adorable Lamb Cake

A charming lamb cake is never a baaah-d addition to the spring dessert spread. This creative Easter cake recipe gets a fur-like look from the simple lacy frosting pattern. Easy fondant shapes give the face personality.

Almond Cookie Carrots

Credit: Andy Lyons

These cookies might look like carrots, but their crunch definitely comes from almonds. Ask your little bunnies to help pipe on the almond-flavored frosting squiggles. Or if they aren't quite ready to handle the piping bag, put them in charge of adding almond slivers for the carrot tops.

Best-Loved Carrot Cake

Best Loved Carrot Cake

This Easter cake recipe is a certified classic, inspired by the Easter bunny's favorite veggie. You'll need 3 cups of shredded carrots for this lush layered cake. Don't skimp on the final flourishes: cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.

Easy Easter Bunny Bites

Credit: Blaine Moats

Here's an Easter cupcake recipe that's precious, pretty, and perfect for the coconut-averse. (The fuzzy bunny texture is created by piped icing!) The flavor for these bunny cupcakes is up to you, so pick your favorite to act as the base.

Sweet and Salty Chocolate Flowers

Credit: Matthew Clark

These poppable treats might just top the cute Easter dessert list! They're the perfect light dessert after Easter dinner—or for sneaking a quick snack before the meal. You can also keep them on the menu all spring long to put extra Easter candy to good use.

Malted Brownies

Credit: Blaine Moats

Fans of malted milkshakes know the taste—a nutty, almost caramel richness from malted barley. This old-time drink powder flavors our brownies and the cocoa-marshmallow creme frosting.

Layered Sherbet Cake

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Our Easter take on ice cream cake will give your holiday table a touch of pretty pastels. After carefully layering sherbet flavors, be sure to top your confection with coordinating sprinkles.

Rhubarb Chess Pie

Credit: Andy Lyons

An amazing Easter dessert doesn't have to be aggressively sweet. A delicious buttery filling provides a smooth base for tart rhubarb to shine. Just don't be sure to crown each slice with a "bunny tail" of whipped cream or ice cream!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Give one of our favorite Easter cake recipes—carrot—a delicious update with subtle flavor upgrades like mascarpone in the frosting and cardamom in the cake. And the thatched pattern is actually a cinch. Frost as usual, then use an angled spatula to press and pull out individual shingle-like pieces.

Berry Trifle

Credit: Karla Conrad

Here's an easy Easter dessert idea that can be made up to 24 hours in advance! This berry trifle is stacked high with vanilla pudding, pound cake, and juicy strawberries and blueberries. The semi-homemade dessert is pretty, portable, and takes less than 25 minutes of prep time.

Garden-Theme Cupcakes

Credit: Toni Miller

Welcome spring with rich and chocolaty garden-inspired cupcakes. The fondant carrots, radishes, and lettuces are pulled together in a few simple steps. Then plant them into the crumb-coated cupcakes to finish the cute Easter dessert display.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars

Credit: Jennifer Levy

Strawberry and rhubarb are a match made in spring flavor heaven. Combine this dream team to make these springtime bars. Don't fear the tang of the rhubarb: A sweet ginger glaze tames any lingering tartness.

Coconut Layer Cake

A delicate toasted coconut chip crown elevates this creation over the Easter cake recipe competition. For even more nutty goodness, the layers are sandwiched with a luscious and creamy coconut filling. Ice with creme fraiche frosting—or your favorite snow-colored flavor.

Hyacinth Flower Cake Pops

Floral cake pops are a cute Easter dessert trend that's really growing on us! These bright and festive cake pops are made to resemble a spring bloom: hyacinths. Try it as a springy centerpiece at any Easter brunch or dinner.

Deluxe Lemon Bars

Credit: Blaine Moats

Get ready—these classic lemon bars will disappear from your dessert table in a hurry! Made with lemon juice and lemon peel, they're full of citrus flavor. Bake them up the night before Easter brunch, then cover and chill until it's time to serve the easy Easter dessert recipe.

Mother Hen and Chicks Dessert

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Get into the spirit of spring with a mother hen cake and her lovable cupcake chicks. Make one layer cake for the hen, then make cupcakes for her head and tail. Decorate with homemade vanilla frosting, toasted coconut flakes, and candy pieces for a truly delightful Easter cake recipe.

Carrot and Zucchini Bars

Credit: Andy Lyons

Yes, we already shared a mash-up Easter cake recipe featuring carrot and summer squash, but these bars are different. And the best Easter dessert recipes for those watching what they eat, bar none! Even with our creamy citrus frosting, these warmly-spiced delights are just 125 calories per serving.

Flower Cupcakes

Flower Garden Cupcakes

'Tis the season to celebrate with pretty garden cupcakes. The impressive spring blooms get a citrus kick from lemon peel to perk things up. Make the fancy flowers by simply piping frosting in your petal design, then gathering your favorite candies in the center.

Vanilla Ruffle Cake

Credit: Andy Lyons

Talk about pretty in pink! With swirls of frosting and tender white layers, this deliciously fluffy Easter cake recipe makes a statement. To create rows of gorgeous vanilla-buttercream ruffles, use a decorating bag with a petal tip.

Champagne Cake with Fresh Strawberries

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Nothing else says "hooray!" quite like a little bubbly. This beautiful cake is a breeze to make. Simply prepare packaged cake mix, but use sparkling wine instead of water. Bake and frost with tinted canned frosting for a pretty spring dessert.

No-Bake Lime Crunch Cheesecake

No-Bake Lime Crunch Cheesecake Eggs

Credit: Adam Albright

Instead of filling colorful plastic eggs with candy, coins, or other treasures, fill the eggs with citrus cheesecake. Press a crunchy shortbread cookie crumb crust into the base of each medium-size egg, then pour in a creamy, no-bake lime-cream cheese filling and chill.

Lamb and Ducky Cupcakes

Credit: Jason Donnelly

These too-cute cupcakes made to look like baby animals are the perfect treats for Easter. Marshmallows, flaked coconut, and small candies come together to make these spring cupcakes super cute. They're super tasty, too!

Bacon-Chocolate Bark

Bacon Chocolate Bark

Credit: Blaine Moats

Three ingredients and 30 minutes are all you need for this easy Easter dessert recipe. This salty-savory-sweet combo proves that homemade candy can be just as tasty as store-bought. Break up the bark and wrap in a see-through bags for a fun addition to this year's Easter baskets. Or send them home as favors!

Easter Cupcakes

Credit: Kate Mathis

Bake Easter cupcakes from our simple white cupcake recipe, then get creative! Think of it like a blank canvas for all of your spring spirit. For an adorable Easter egg design, pipe green frosting onto the cakes to form grass, then add assorted jelly beans for eggs. Bring spring flowers to life with the remaining colored frosting or mini candies.

Tangerine Cheesecake Bars

Credit: Jason Donnelly

Put a modern spin on orange cheesecake with these mouthwatering tangerine Easter cheesecake bars. It's worth the extra effort to candy the peels for the topping. Plus you can use any leftovers for cocktail garnishes come happy hour!

Strawberry Hand Pies

Skip the traditional piecrust and make these individual hand pies for a creative Easter dessert idea. Stuffed with a sweet strawberry filling, they're sure to be a hit after dinner. Feeling decadent? Dunk in whipped cream or warmed-up icing.

Chocolate-Dipped Bunny Treats

These chocolate-dipped bunnies top our list of fun Easter dessert recipes. With only five ingredients and some simple assembly, you can whip up a batch in no time. Hop to it!

Carrot Cake Bread

Credit: Brie Passano

Whip up a loaf of this carrot cake bread to serve after Easter dinner. It's loaded with carrots, pecans, and cinnamon. Top the baked bread with a rich cream cheese icing and a sprinkle of chopped nuts.

Iced Oatmeal-Rhubarb Cookies

Iced Oatmeal-Rhubarb Cookies on cooling rack

This take on oatmeal-raisin cookies is dressed up for spring! Swap in-season rhubarb for the dried fruit and top with a sweet lemon glaze. Store the finished Easter cookies in the fridge for up to five days.

Stuffed Churro Puffs

Stuffed Churro Puffs on baking pan

Credit: Jason Donnelly

A plate of these creamy churro puffs is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. This Easter dessert idea is filled with luscious whipped cream and purchased dulce de leche.

Test Kitchen Tip: Try swapping the whipped cream for scoops of vanilla ice cream!

Strawberry, Mango & Rose Pavlova

Strawberry Mango and Rose Pavlova

Credit: Andy Lyons

This decadent pavlova is topped with fresh mascarpone whipped cream and fresh fruit. Make it holiday-ready with a sprinkle of edible rose petals just before serving.

Banana Rum Trifle

Credit: Carson Downing

This easy Easter dessert starts with a homemade vanilla cream. To create the dish, layer it with freshly sliced bananas, ginger snaps, and rum whipped cream.

Test Kitchen Tip: For the best flavor, make the Easter trifle the night before and keep it chilled until you're ready to serve it.

Carrot Cake Cream Pies

Credit: Carson Downing

When carrot cake meets an oatmeal cream pie, yumminess transpires. Chewy oversize oat cookies contain traditional carrot cake ingredients: shredded carrots, toasted pecans, and warm spices. Instead of billowing on top, lemon-cream cheese frosting is sandwiched between the cookies. Decorate with piped frosting carrots.

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