Spring Sweets & Easter Treats to Bake Now!

Hi friends! I hope you’re all staying home and staying safe. It’s hard to believe Easter is this weekend, and although our celebrations may look different, the one constant in life is cake!

You guys are baking more than ever, and I am right there with you! Have you seen all the layer cakes happening over on Instagram?! Somehow creaming butter and sugar is offering a sense of calm right now, so I decided to gather up my favorite Spring bakes and Easter treats for you to have in one place. I wanted to compile a list of the season’s best so you have them at your fingertips when inspiration strikes.

Whether you’re looking for a cozy comfort like banana bread, are ready to dive into all things mini egg, got your eye on a dreamy layer cake, or are ready to make the cutest bunny butt cupcakes EVER, I’ve got you covered!

Speaking of banana bread, let’s kick this baking party off with my one and only. Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread is by far the only banana bread recipe you will ever need. It takes the classic up a notch, or 10, and once you roast strawberries, you’ll be hooked! The thing I love about this bread, aside from how it seems to cure most anything, is how adaptable it is.

Don’t have strawberries? Don’t feel like roasting them? Leave them out. It’s brilliant on its own.

Have a hankering for a little chocolate? Add a cup of chocolate chips to the batter.

Feeling nutty? Join the club 😉 Add a cup of toasted pecans to the batter.

Lemon Blueberry Loaf, also known as sunshine in cake form, is by far one of the most beloved recipes on Buttercream Blondie! It’s simple to make, loaded with flavor, and can we take a moment for that Grand Marnier glaze? This is another one that seems to have found a permanent spot on my kitchen counter lately, and yours too! Thank you all for the recent comments and emails on this one. I’m thrilled you are enjoying it!

The next recipe that I find myself baking on repeat lately is this beautiful Raspberry Crumb Cake! Filled with fresh raspberries and topped with an epic amount of crumb, it’s perfect if you’re looking to do a little something special for breakfast or brunch this weekend. It’s also pretty great for dinner on a Wednesday. Just putting it out there!

Now for the mini egg portion of our program! Does anyone else have a problem with mini eggs, as in cannot be trusted to open the bag! Sometimes I think it’s nothing short of a miracle that any make it into the dessert, but when they do – it’s SO good!

First up are these lush Coconut Cream Cupcakes. The cupcakes themselves are light, the coconut custard is so good, it may never make it to the cupcakes, and the mascarpone frosting is the icing on the cake! I couldn’t help myself with that one! If you don’t have coconut milk on hand, simply swap it out for regular milk. They’ll still be delicious!

Then there was that time I planned to make a few mini egg cookies that somehow turned into an epic 5 layer Cadbury Mini Egg Cookie Cake! Layers of soft-baked mini egg cookies piled high with luscious cream cheese frosting is sure to be a hit this weekend. You can totally just whip up a batch of cookies, but I’m telling you, once you start baking, a cookie cake just kind of happens!

If cheesecake is more your jam, get to know these Cadbury Mini Egg Cheesecake Bars! These gems are rich and decadent, and everything you love about cheesecake minus the work. And should I mention the crust is a giant mini egg cookie? I’m also realizing I’m incapable of making a simple batch of cookies!

Speaking of cheesecake, a reader emailed me about these dreamy Blueberry Bliss Cheesecake Bars the other day and now I can’t stop thinking about them. Lush vanilla bean cheesecake baked on top of one big oatmeal cookies – what’s not to love?! The blueberry compote parked on top makes the situation even better, and is also amazing on pancakes, waffles, or ice cream!

Meyer lemon season may have passed, but I can tell you this Lemon Blackberry Layer Cake is just a delicious with regular lemons! This dreamboat of a cake is filled with layers of blackberry compote, lemon curd, homemade whipped cream, and then covered in a Grand Marnier blackberry buttercream. Garnish this one with loads of fresh berries for a beautiful presentation!

If raspberries are more your style, this Raspberry Lemon Ruffle Cake will definitely be the highlight of your table! Layers of tender white cake filed with bright lemon curd and covered in the best raspberry buttercream! Seriously, that raspberry buttercream is everything!

If cupcakes are more your thing, you have to try the Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes. Everything you love about the ruffle cake in cupcake form! Beautifully light cupcakes filled with make-you-pucker lemon curd and that buttercream…

If you do go the cupcake route, you might find this “how-to pipe buttercream like a pro” video helpful!

Now for the cute! If you’re looking for a fun little project this weekend, or somethings that’s sure to make you smile, these  Bunny Butt Cupcakes are sure to do the trick! With fluffy buttercream tails and twinkling paws, I think they’re almost too cute to eat!

There’s no way I can talk Easter without the prettiest little chicks on the block! Homemade Glamour Peeps are still my favorite makeover to date. These sparkling little marshmallow chicks caught on like wildfire right from the beginning, and it’s been amazing seeing so many of you make them year after year!

So many recipes… so much time! Whatever you choose to bake this weekend, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading and continuing to share your beautiful bakes with me on Instagram! I’ll be sharing some behind the scenes cake tips this weekend so be sure to check that out, and I’ll see you next week with a new dessert!

Happy baking! xo