Show-stopping Strawberry Desserts

These sugar-kissed strawberry desserts are the perfect way to celebrate the sweet taste of spring.

Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake

Ingredients
1 cupchopped pecans
Parchment paper
Masking tape
2 tablespoonscornstarch
1/8 teaspoonsalt
2 cupssugar, divided
7egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspooncream of tartar
2(8-oz.) containers mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
3 cupswhipping cream
4 1/2 cupssliced fresh strawberries
Halved fresh strawberries

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 10 to 12 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven, and cool completely (about 10 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 250°.
2. Cover 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw 2 (8-inch) circles on each piece of paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.
3. Process cornstarch, salt, toasted pecans, and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor 40 to 45 seconds or until pecans are finely ground.
4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating at medium-high speed until mixture is glossy, stiff peaks form, and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes; do not overbeat). Add half of pecan mixture to egg white mixture, gently folding just until blended. Repeat procedure with remaining pecan mixture.
5. Gently spoon egg white mixture onto circles drawn on parchment paper (about 1 1/2 cups mixture per circle), spreading to cover each circle completely.
6. Bake at 250° for 1 hour, turning baking sheets after 30 minutes. Turn oven off; let meringues stand in closed oven with light on 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until surface is dry and meringues can be lifted from paper without sticking to fingers.
7. Just before assembling cake, stir together mascarpone cheese and vanilla in a large bowl just until blended.
8. Beat whipping cream at low speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. (Do not overbeat or cream will be grainy.) Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.
9. Carefully remove 1 meringue from parchment paper; place on a serving plate. Spread one-fourth mascarpone mixture (about 2 cups) over meringue; top with 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries. Repeat layers 2 times; top with remaining meringue, mascarpone mixture, and halved strawberries. Serve immediately, or chill up to 2 hours. Cut with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
Tip:Securing parchment paper with masking tape (it won't melt at the low temp) makes it easy to spread picture-perfect layers of meringue.

Strawberry Cream Pie

Ingredients
3 tablespoonscornstarch
2 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoonsalt
1 cupsugar, divided
3 cupshalf-and-half
6egg yolks
2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
1(9-oz.) package chocolate wafer cookies
1/2(4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1/2 cupbutter, melted
1qt. fresh strawberries
1/4 cupred currant jelly
1 tablespoonorange liqueur

Preparation
1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Whisk together half-and-half and next 2 ingredients in a small bowl; gradually add to cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl; cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse wafer cookies and chopped chocolate in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until finely crushed. Stir together cookie crumb mixture, melted butter, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar; firmly press mixture on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate.
4. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
5. Spoon chilled half-and-half mixture into prepared crust. Cut 8 to 10 strawberries in half, and arrange around outer edge of pie (leaving tops on, if desired); hull and slice remaining strawberries, and arrange in center of pie.
6. Cook jelly in a small saucepan over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat, and stir in liqueur. Brush jelly mixture gently over strawberries. Chill, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Strawberry Mousse Cake

Ingredients
Cake Layers
1 1/4 cupsbutter, softened
2 1/4 cupsgranulated sugar
7egg whites, at room temperature
3 1/2 cupscake flour
4 teaspoonsbaking powder
2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
1/2 teaspoonalmond extract
Strawberry Mousse
1envelope unflavored gelatin
2 cupssliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cupgranulated sugar
1 cupwhipping cream
Strawberry Frosting
3/4 cupbutter, softened
5 cupspowdered sugar, sifted
3/4 cupfinely chopped fresh strawberries
Garnishes
Halved fresh strawberries, edible flowers

Preparation
1. Prepare Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat 1 1/4 cups softened butter and 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until fluffy. Gradually add egg whites, one-third at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Sift together cake flour and baking powder; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with 1 cup water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
3. Bake at 350° for 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. Prepare Strawberry Mousse: Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Process 2 cups sliced strawberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Transfer strawberry mixture to a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add gelatin to strawberry mixture, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. Cover and chill until consistency of unbeaten egg whites, stirring occasionally (about 30 minutes).
5. Beat cream at low speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into strawberry mixture until well blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes or just until mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when mounded.
6. Spread about 1 cup Strawberry Mousse between each cake layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges; cover and chill 3 hours or until mousse is set.
7. Prepare Strawberry Frosting: Beat 3/4 cup softened butter at medium speed 20 seconds or until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and 3/4 cup finely chopped strawberries, beating at low speed until creamy. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake.

Related: 40 Fresh & Juicy Strawberry Recipes
Related: All-Time Favorite Desserts
Related: The South's Best Cakes

More from Southern Living:
6 Gracious Hostess Gifts
Perfecting the Art of the Cocktail
Quick-Fix Suppers: Just Add Salsa