The 14 best recipes to bake in April
Celebrate spring with these fun and festive bakes.
Date
April 1, 2026
This month, we’re all about fun, whimsical bakes, from bright green brownies to carrot cake pancakes to a sunny lemon-filled bread. With spring fruit on the horizon, outdoor gatherings starting up, and holidays like Easter and Passover on the calendar, it’s a great time to hit the kitchen — here are 14 exciting spring recipes to make when you do.
1) Peppermint Swirl Brownies
Chocolate and mint prove they truly are meant to go together in these eye-catching brownies. The brownie batter uses melted butter (so no guessing whether or not it’s actually “room temperature”) and no leavening, resulting in a supremely fudgy texture. It’s topped with a peppermint-cream cheese swirl that adds minty flavor and a striking look.
Get the recipe: Peppermint Swirl Brownies
To make this recipe, you'll need: Peppermint Oil
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Quick and Easy Brownies, Melting Mint Brownies
2) Karpatka (Polish Mountain Cake)
Imagine a cream puff that measures 9" across and over 4” high, filled with a light-as-air German buttercream and bright raspberry jam. What you’ve got is Karpatka, a Polish dessert whose name references the snowy Carpathian Mountains. The pâte à choux layers can be made up to two days ahead of time, making assembling this dessert a breeze.
Get the recipe: Karpatka (Polish Mountain Cake)
To make this recipe, you'll need: King Arthur Pure Vanilla Plus or King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Paris-Brest with Rhubarb, Cream Puffs and Éclairs
3) Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cream cheese in chocolate chip cookies? If you want CCC’s (or is it CCCCC’s?) that are extra-decadent, extra-soft, and extra-chewy, this is the ingredient you need. Melt the butter and cream cheese together, whisk in the sugars, add the rest of the ingredients — then wait. Patience is a key ingredient in this recipe: The dough needs to be chilled at least four hours (or up to 72!) for the best texture and flavor.
Get the recipe: Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
To make this recipe, you'll need: King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, Supersized, Super-Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
4) Oatmeal Cream Pies with Marshmallow Filling
For those nostalgic for the packaged version of this popular snack cake, these elevated Oatmeal Cream Pies are even better than you remember, with thick, chewy oatmeal cookies and a deeply vanilla-y marshmallow filling. If making your own marshmallow filling seems daunting, store-bought Marshmallow Fluff is a fine substitute (Check out the Baker's Tips at the bottom of the recipe page).
Get the recipe: Oatmeal Cream Pies with Marshmallow Filling
To make this recipe, you'll need: Rolled Oats
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars, Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
5) Creamy Coconut Sheet Cake
Coconut is truly the star in this cake — each bite delivers the signature sweet and nutty flavor thanks to shredded coconut, coconut extract, and a full can of coconut milk. Don’t skip toasting the shredded coconut as a topping; the crunchy contrast ties the whole cake together (and the process makes your kitchen smell incredible).
Get the recipe: Creamy Coconut Sheet Cake
To make this recipe, you'll need: Unbleached Cake Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Coconut Layer Cake, Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake
6) Flourless Chocolate Cake
With no flour or leavening, this is a cake perfect for Passover. It features both cocoa powder and melted chocolate, with optional espresso powder that brings out the full depth of the chocolate flavor. The final cake is topped with a rich two-ingredient glaze — make sure to leave time for this glaze to set before serving, up to a few hours. For the cleanest slices, dip a sharp knife in hot water then wipe it dry before cutting each piece.
Get the recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake
To make this recipe, you'll need: Triple Cocoa Blend
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake, Flourless Chocolate Nut Cake
7) Carrot Cake Pancakes
With two full carrots grated into whole grain flour, carrot cake can be the star of your breakfast. Whether you have a festive Easter morning planned or just want a fun spin on a classic flapjack, these pancakes are worth the flipping. Enjoy with a maple syrup-sweetened yogurt topping that gives cream cheese frosting a run for its money.
Get the recipe: Carrot Cake Pancakes
To make this recipe, you'll need: Golden Wheat Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: King Arthur's Carrot Cake, Spiced Carrot Snacking Cake
8) Weeknight Detroit Pizza
If you haven’t had Detroit-style pizza yet, now is the time. This regional classic has a thick crust with crispy, caramelized edges. Another signature: The order of the toppings is reversed. Cheese first, then sauce. Using a Detroit-style pizza pan will help you get that signature crust, then finishing with shredded brick cheese and Motor City-inspired sauce takes you over the finish line. (You’ll find this recipe and more annotation-worthy pizza tips in our newest cookbook, The Book of Pizza: Recipes for Every Pizza Maker.)
Get the recipe: Weeknight Detroit Pizza
To make this recipe, you'll need: Detroit-Style Pizza Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Pizza Oven Detroit Pizza, Flaky Puff Crust Pizza
9) Braided Lemon Bread
This enriched dough enfolds a zesty lemon filling inside a show-stopping mock braid. (You can use homemade or store-bought lemon curd, or even swap in a different filling of your choice.) Shaping the dough is easier than it looks, and the recipe includes helpful visuals to guide you.
Get the recipe: Braided Lemon Bread
To make this recipe, you'll need: SAF Red Instant Yeast
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Quick Lemon Bread, Lemon Love Buns
10) Easy Ricotta Gnocchi
All you need is 30 minutes and five ingredients to make these simple gnocchi. Follow our step-by-step photos for rolling and shaping, then pop the gnocchi into boiling water for 30 seconds before saucing. Need an even quicker dinner? Freeze the gnocchi dough ahead of time in an airtight container and it’ll be ready whenever you are.
Get the recipe: Easy Ricotta Gnocchi
To make this recipe, you'll need: Bench Knife
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Potato Gnocchi, Gnocchi alla Romana (Semolina Gnocchi Gratin)
11) Lemon Cream Pie
Lemon lovers, it is your time to shine. This cream pie uses lemon juice, extract, and zest, infusing each layer with a fresh citrusy zing. With a buttery graham cracker crust, light-as-air cream cheese filling, and swooped whipped cream topping, each bite is a balanced lemon symphony.
Get the recipe: Lemon Cream Pie
To make this recipe, you'll need: Pure Lemon Extract
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Lemon Cheesecake, Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
12) Savory Greens and Cheese Tart (Torta Rustica)
If you’re new to the savory tart game, this traditional Easter dish from Southern Italy is a delicious place to start. Our All-Butter Pie Crust (or Double Pie Crust Mix!) is filled with fragrant veggies, cheeses, and spices before getting a lattice top treatment and egg wash. Pie anxiety? We’ve got a whole pie baking guide for you here.
Get the recipe: Savory Greens and Cheese Tart (Torta Rustica)
To make this recipe, you'll need: 9" Springform pan, 9" Pie Pan, or Fluted Tart Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Roasted Red Onion, Broccoli, and Blue Cheese Tart, Wild Mushroom Tart
13) Hot Cross Muffins
We love Hot Cross Buns, but as a yeasted bake they take several hours of kneading and proofing. Enter Hot Cross Muffins — these aromatic muffins are filled with dried fruit and spices, then finished with a cross of vanilla frosting. The muffins go from bowl to breakfast in a little over an hour.
Get the recipe: Hot Cross Muffins
To make this recipe, you'll need: King Arthur Standard Muffin Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Easy Hot Cross Buns, Gluten-Free Hot Cross Biscuits
14) Sourdough Discard Chocolate Pudding Cake
There are a lot of great ways to put your sourdough discard to work, but a self-saucing chocolate pudding cake may be at the very top of the list.
The magic of this recipe isn’t just how the cake floats above molten chocolate or how sourdough’s complex flavor complements the fruity chocolate — but that all of this can come from just one bowl and 20 minutes of hands-on time. Topped with either ice cream or whipped cream, this no-fuss dessert is an unforgettable spoonful.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Discard Chocolate Pudding Cake
To make this recipe, you'll need: Classic Fresh Sourdough Starter
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Fudge Pudding Cake, Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
Cover photo (Karpatka (Polish Mountain Cake) by Patrick Marinello and food styling by Yekaterina Boytsova.
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