Indulge! Decadent Desserts You Have to Try

This luscious collection of desserts is so delicious you'll definitely be tempted to eat dessert first!

Luscious Lemon Bars
Photo: Jennifer Davick























Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Powdered sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

Stir together 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut into butter using a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture over hot baked crust.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift from pan, using foil sides as handles. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Remove foil, and cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Related: 12 Guilt-Free Dessert Recipes

Chocolate Marble Sheet Cake
Photo: Jennifer Davick























Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 Tbsp. hot water
Mocha Frosting

Mocha Frosting
Whisk together 3 cups powdered sugar and 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa in a medium bowl. Combine 3 Tbsp. hot brewed coffee and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. Beat 1/2 cup softened butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Beat in 3 to 4 Tbsp. half-and-half, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until smooth and mixture has reached desired consistency.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 4 to 5 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.

Spoon 1 1/4 cups batter into a 2-qt. bowl, and stir in cocoa, 3 Tbsp. hot water, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until well blended.

Spread remaining vanilla batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Spoon chocolate batter onto vanilla batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife or small spatula.

Bake at 325° for 23 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Spread top of cake with Mocha Frosting.

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Nutter Butter®-Banana Pudding TriflePhoto: Jennifer Davick
























Ingredients
3 cups milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 medium-size ripe bananas
1 (1-lb.) package peanut butter sandwich cookies
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
Garnishes: peanut butter sandwich cookies, dried banana chips, fresh mint sprigs

Preparation
Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.

Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.

Meanwhile, cut bananas into 1/4-inch slices. Bread cookies into thirds.

Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-qt. bowl or pitcher. Top with bananas and cookies. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies. Top with sweetened whipped cream. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Garnish, if desired.

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Red Velvet Brownies
Photo:Jennifer Davick























Ingredients
1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting
Garnish: white chocolate curls

Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat 1 (8-oz.) package softened cream cheese and 3 Tbsp. butter and medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/8 tsp. salt, beating until blended. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at high 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour and next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° for 44 to 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).

Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish, if desired.

Related: Wickedly Delicious Chocolate Desserts

Fresh Apple Cake
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner























Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 lbs. Granny Smith apples (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
Browned Butter Frosting

Browned Butter Frosting
Cook 1 cup butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until butter begins to turn golden brown. Remove pan from heat immediately, and pour butter into a small bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar alternately with 1/4 cup milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat mixture at low speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture, stirring until blended. Stir in apples and 1 cup pecans. (Batter will be very thick, similar to cookie dough.) Spread batter into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 45 minutes). Spread your choice of frosting over top of cake; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans.

Related: 32 Fresh Apple Recipes to Keep the Doctor Away!

Mocha Java Cakes
Photo: Jennifer Davick























Ingredients
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup butter
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate morsels
4 egg yolks
4 large eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. instant espresso or instant coffee granules
Pinch of salt
Garnish: powdered sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°. Grease 6 (6-oz.) ramekins or individual soufflé dishes with 1 Tbsp. butter.

Microwave 1 cup butter and chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at high 2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, whisking at 1-minute intervals.

Beat egg yolks and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Gradually add chocolate mixture, beating at low speed until well blended.

Sift together sugar and next 3 ingredients. Gradually whisk sugar mixture into chocolate mixture until well blended. Divide batter among prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

Bake at 425° for 16 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into cakes registers 165°. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around outer edge of each cake to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto dessert plates. Garnish, if desired.

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