4 sweet treats to make for spring

Whether you spent spring break frolicking on the beach or stayed home to catch up on some much-needed sleep, these spring pastries are just what you need to enjoy the season ahead. From a light and fluffy lemon blueberry coffee cake to a rich and decadent fudge brownie, there’s a recipe for every occasion.

Carrot cake cupcakes

Packed with a variety of spices and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, Easter parties and spring gatherings.

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

In a separate bowl, whisk together ¼ cup canola oil, 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar and two large eggs. Stir in ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, ½ teaspoon vanilla and 1 ½ cups finely shredded carrots. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and stir in ¼ cup of walnuts.

Pour the batter evenly into the liners, and bake for about 20 minutes.

While baking, make the frosting with a stand mixer by beating 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, one stick of room temperature unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together until smooth. On low speed, gradually add 2 cups of powdered sugar until fluffy.

Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with chopped walnuts if desired. Instead of walnuts, feel free to use pecans for a similar flavor profile.

Gluten-free lemon blueberry coffee cake

After a long day of berry picking, don’t forget your gluten-free friends by baking this lemon blueberry coffee cake. Paired with coffee at breakfast or served as a sweet treat to end the night, you won’t want to miss out on the fresh lemon flavor or moist almond cake.

First, make the crumb topping by combining ¾ cup King Arthur Flour blanched almond flour, ¼ cup oil or butter, 6 tablespoons white sugar and the zest of one medium lemon. Press ingredients together with a fork until crumbly and then refrigerate until later.

Next, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper for the cake batter. In a large bowl, whisk together three room temperature eggs, ¼ cup lemon juice (two to three lemons), the zest of one medium lemon, ¼ cup oil or melted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon pure almond extract and ⅔ cup pure white sugar.

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In a separate bowl, combine 2 ½ cups King Arthur blanched almond flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. Then, stir the wet and dry ingredients together, fold in half of the 1 ¼ cups of fresh blueberries and pour into your prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and crumb topping on top, and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

After baking, mix ⅔ cup of powdered sugar and 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons lemon juice together for the lemon glaze on top and enjoy.

Pistachio pudding

For a light and refreshing dessert, try this pistachio pudding, which consists of four distinct layers that are perfect for the spring season.

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with butter. Next, chop pistachios until ½ cup is reached and set aside 1 tablespoon.

Combine the rest of the pistachios, ½ cup softened butter, 1 cup flour and 1 tablespoon sugar into a stand mixer until blended. Press the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

While the crust is cooling, combine 250 grams of softened cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl and whisk together. Once combined, stir in 2 cups of Cool Whip and spread the mixture over the crust.

For the pistachio pudding, beat two packages of Jell-O pistachio instant pudding mix with 2 ½ cups of cold milk using a stand mixer on low speed for two minutes. Spread over the cream cheese layer and let stand for five minutes or until thickened.

For the last layer, cover the pistachio pudding with a layer of Cool Whip and a sprinkle of the chopped pistachio nuts saved from earlier. Then, refrigerate for four hours.

Once cooled, serve the dish as is, or drizzle with a layer of chocolate sauce, sprinkle of cocoa powder or fresh berries for a pop of color.

Cadbury egg brownies

These brownies are a staple party dish with their chocolatey flavor, fudgy center and strong aromatic smell of espresso.

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment paper. Next, heat 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl. This can be done as a bain marie or in a microwave by heating the mixture 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals until fully melted.

Then, mix in ¼ cup freshly brewed espresso — or 4 tablespoons instant espresso powder mixed with ¼ cup hot water — into the melted butter and chocolate. In a separate bowl, whisk together four large, room temperature eggs, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon salt.

Pour the espresso chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and sugar. Then, add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ cup all-purpose flour and ¾ to 1 cup dark chocolate chunks into the batter.

Transfer the batter into the pan and sprinkle crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes and serve once cooled.

buzogamc@miamioh.edu