Easter Cakes that Channel Spring

Leg of lamb and roast ham aside, Easter dishes are kind of all over the map. Spring vegetables, like beets, asparagus, and spring peas, will likely appear in some form. As will carrots, thanks to the Easter bunny theme. You can count on a sort of special-occasion carb, like big, fat yeast rolls or flaky biscuits. The constant gracing every holiday spread, though, is a show-stopping Easter cake.

Layered, iced, or frosted, Easter cakes highlight bright pastels and seasonal berries and citrus. They give a sweet finish to the feast, and leftovers (plus coffee) guarantee a better way to greet Monday morning. We dove into our recipe archives and found a few favorites to embellish your Easter table.

Our Top Easter Cakes

The Perfect Strawberry Cake

Welcome strawberry season with this step-by-step guide to crafting the perfect (we mean it) strawberry cake. This recipe from Sugar Bakeshop, in Charleston, pairs a strawberry filling with strawberry buttercream (as well as fresh strawberries on top).

Lemon Polenta Cake 

Polenta adds a playful texture and savory edge to this bright lemon cake, which is topped with a lemon-forward caramel sauce. This recipe works well prepared in a muffin tin, making it ideal for individual-sized desserts or easy sharing.

Golden Berry Chantilly Cake

Baking enthusiasts, this one’s for you. Complete with three to four cake layers, a homemade berry filling, and mascarpone cream cheese frosting, this Easter cake is one worth a whole day in the kitchen. Don’t rush this one—the cake and utensils should be as cool as possible to avoid melting the butter in the frosting.

Nathalie Dupree’s Lemon and Berry Tart

Take a nod from the hospitality queen herself with this lemon and berry tart. Treat the lemon curd as a blank canvas and top with your favorite berries—raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry all work. Be patient with the homemade lemon curd, which requires lots of stirring and precise timing. However, your guests’ reactions at the end result will make it all worth it.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie with Lemon Cream

Strawberry pie meets cheesecake in this straightforward, no-bake dessert (aside from the crust). Make extra lemon cream to enjoy with pound cakes, ice cream, and fresh fruit.

Coconut Cake

Coconut cake always feels holiday worthy, especially when it’s three-layered and blanketed in toasted coconut flakes. The cake stays ultra moist in this recipe, thanks to dousing each cake layer with a simple syrup before topping it with the coconut cream filling.

Mixed Berry Tart

Spring berries get their moment in this beautifully simple springtime tart. The vanilla pastry cream and elegant berry-pistachio topping keep this dessert light, making it an ideal sweet finish to the feast.