Looking for easy dessert recipes to entertain guests? Need a quick cake recipe ready in less than an hour? Try one of our easy ideas below. For more easy dinner-party desserts, choose from our collection of make-ahead fridge cakes and bakes to whip out last-minute.

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For more dessert inspiration, check out our best vegan desserts, French desserts and Italian desserts.


Quick and easy dessert recipes

Classic tiramisu

Whip up our smart, authentic version of this classic Italian dessert, made with mascarpone, marsala and savoiardi biscuits soaked in coffee and Tia Maria. It only takes 30 minutes, plus chilling time.

Classic Tiramisu Recipe

White chocolate panna cotta with stewed rhubarb

This classic, creamy dessert is enriched with white chocolate, which provides a perfect contrast to the sharpness of the rhubarb.

Plates of panna cotta with stewed rhubarb

Lemon and lime tart

Make your next lemon tart an epic one with Edd's Kimber's coconut macaroon tart case, filled with a zesty lemon and lime curd.

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A lemon tart with lime zest on top

Toffee apple croissant tart

Croissant dough makes a brilliant stand-in for pastry in this free-form tart. The caramel sauce combines with the juicy apple to make a luscious filling.

Toffee apple croissant tart with a piece taken out an a jug of custard on the side

Lemon posset

The perfect way to get ahead for dinner parties or entertaining. Get the shots of limoncello ready to really take this pudding to the next level.

Four lemon possets in small glasses with shortbread on the side

Lime cheesecake

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this zingy lime cheesecake.

A cheesecake topped with lime zest on a cake stand with a slice taken out

Chocolate molten cake

Is there anything more comforting than a melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding? Timings are key here, to ensure the molten chocolate centre.

Chocolate molten cake with cream poured over on a plate

Oreo mug cake

This recipe combines all the best elements of a classic British roast wrapped up in a crisp, fluffy, giant Yorkshire pudding. Don’t forget the rich gravy on the side for dipping.

Mug of oreo cake next to some Oreos

Cherry clafoutis

Make this dessert with whichever berries or fruits are in season – cherries, blueberries and even pears work well.

A large cherry clafoutis in a round dish with a spoon

Effortless madeleine 'baba'

Make this pretty madeleine ‘baba’ for two – it’s a cheat on a rum baba that’s deceptively simple to make.

Two glass bowls with two madeleines and a dollop of cream next to a jug of syrup

Espresso martini tiramisu

Need a showstopping dessert? Make our creamy tiramisu with espresso, Kahlúa and vodka. Easy and indulgent, if this doesn't wow your guests, nothing will!

Espresso Martini Tiramisu Recipe

Espresso martini cheesecake

Great when entertaining a crowd, this cheesecake can be made days ahead – simply pour over the boozy coffee syrup to serve.

Brown-glazed cheesecake cut into squares sat on a wooden board with a brown marbled background

Clementine posset

Perfect for a dinner party or special meal, these silky clementine possets only need 15 minutes of hands-on time.

Three glasses filled with clementine posset and topped with zest on black plates

Salted caramel and pecan cheesecake pots

These mini cheesecakes are simple to make and perfect for a quick and easy dessert to end your dinner party.

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Pots Recipe

Brioche bread and butter pudding

Rich brioche makes the perfect base for this classic pudding. Swap the lemon zest for orange zest if you prefer.

Brioche bread and butter pudding a round baking dish

Healthy apple crumble

A healthier take on classic apple crumble, this easy dessert recipe tops soft cinnamon apples with a butter-free granola (which also makes a brilliant breakfast).

A green bowl with apple crumble in it

Chocolate orange pots

These olive oil chocolate pots are seriously creamy and indulgent but easy to put together. A decadent dessert requiring only seven ingredients.

Chocolate Orange Pots Recipe with Sea Salt

Croissant bostock with boozy cherries

Usually a piece of brioche topped with frangipane and baked, this twist uses a croissant base, while kirsch-spiked cherries add a boozy note.

Croissant stuffed with cherries and sprinkled with flaked almonds on a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream

Firni

This refined cousin of rice pudding scented with cardamom and pandan is made for special occasions. Served chilled scattered with rose petals and pistachios.

Ground rice pudding with cardamom (firni) in a bowl with a spoon

Turkish delight pan brownies

Spoon these melting, turkish-delight-spiked brownies straight from the pan and serve with generous dollops of ice cream for the perfect indulgent dessert for friends.

Chocolate Brownie Recipe with Turkish Delight

Espresso panna cotta

Check out our recipe for silky smooth espresso panna cotta. This dessert is an ideal way to end a dinner party – it's gluten-free, looks impressive and is ready in no time!

Espresso PannaEspresso Panna Cotta Recipe

Baked figs with amaretto

Jammy figs are roasted with amaretto in this warming autumnal dessert. We suggest serving with creamy mascarpone and crumbled amaretti biscuits for extra indulgence.

White plates topped with mascarpone and halves purple figs

Chocolate sponge cake

This moist chocolate cake is a super simple dessert for all those chocolate lovers out there. Serve with a dollop of cream for ultra indulgence. Check out more baking recipes.

Easy Sponge Cake Recipe for a Basic Chocolate Sponge Cake

Malted milk chocolate traybake

If you like chocolate-covered malted milk biscuits, you'll love this cake. A mixture of Horlicks powder and Maltesers creates the classic flavour.

Malted milk chocolate traybake with a slice taken out

Poached pears with chocolate sauce

A fancy dessert idea that makes the most of Williams pears, smooth dark chocolate sauce and pedro ximénez sherry. And it only takes 25 minutes to make!

Four poached pears with pedro ximénez and chocolate sauce

Pear tarte tatin

Making a classic tarte tatin may be the ultimate pudding showstopper, but combine it with ripe British pears and you’re reaching perfection.

A whole tarte tatin on a white plate with one slice taken out of it

Apple and almond galette

Use shop-bought pastry to recreate this sweet and nutty galette recipe, straight from the kitchen of The Grand Duchess in London.

A round white plate toped with Apple and almond galette scattered with flaked almonds

Classic creme brûlée

Smash through the crunchy caramel top of this classic French pud and you'll reach a velvety, vanilla-infused baked custard underneath.

Four ramekins filled with crème brûlée on a white plate with a blue background and three spoons

Dessert board

Try this simple dessert board that’s great for feeding a crowd, it features shop-bought desserts, and you can design your board to suit your guests.

All sorts of bite-sized desserts and cocktails on a sharing platter

Affogato chocolate mousse

If you're hosting a dinner party and looking for an indulgent dessert that can easily be made ahead, try these creamy, gluten-free puds – ready in 15 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse Recipe with Affogato

Baked egg custard

Our recipe for baked custard is a great way to end a meal – velvety smooth and infused with vanilla, it's finished with a grating of nutmeg.

Three glass ramekins of custard with silver spoons on a blue napkin

Nougat and pistachio ice cream

Elevate your dinner party effortlessly with this no-churn ice cream. Amp up the fancy factor with chocolate-dipped ice cream cones.

Chocolate-dipped cones of pistachio ice cream topped with nougat pieces

Raspberry chocolate pots

You only need three ingredients to whip up this silky and decadent pudding – and none of them need any fussing with.

Tall glasses filled with chocolate mousse and topped with raspberries on a grey background

Classic banana split

With just five everyday ingredients, this old-school dessert couldn't be easier: serve bananas with hazelnuts, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and cocktail cherries.

A blue enamel tray holding two blue plates of banana split, drizzled in chocolate sauce

Brioche ice cream sandwiches

Ice cream is stuffed into sweet brioche buns to make an effortless dessert.

Brioche ice cream sandwiches

Chocolate torte

Friends will be impressed by this decadent dessert, combining chocolate with a moreish base of biscuits and hazelnuts.

A man in an apron grating chocolate onto a chocolate torte

Christmas tart

Fill a shop-bought tart case with brandy-soaked dried fruit and two types of almond for an effortless festive dessert, best eaten with brandy butter.

A Christmas tart with one slice taken out of it

Warm molten chocolate and salted caramel tarts

Serve these decadent chocolate tarts with vanilla ice cream to impress dinner party guests. The recipe is from Italian restaurant Luca.

A chocolate tart on a white plate with a marble background

New York cheesecake

This creamy baked dessert makes the perfect make-ahead dessert – it’ll also go down a treat with everyone at the table.

A white plate topped with a creamy cheesecake set against a pink background

Easy treacle tart

This simple yet moreish recipe for the classic treacle tart is perfect for Sunday lunch with family and friends. It only requires five ingredients, most of which are store cupboard staples.

Classic Treacle Tart Recipe

White chocolate mousse with blackberries

Planning a dinner party? This simple yet sophisticated dessert from The Bath Arms in Wiltshire is made with easy-to-find ingredients and is ready in less than 20 minutes and honeycomb.

A small glass dish of white chocolate mousse with honeycomb on top

Nutmeg custard tart

London restaurant Fenn’s silky, nutmeg-spiced custard tart, lifted by a sweet and slightly tart apple compote, is a tailor-made dinner party dessert that’s guaranteed to impress everyone at the table.

a white plate on a wooden background, with a slice of custard tart and dollop of apple compote

Butterscotch budino

A sophisticated dessert that’s sure to impress your guests, check out this sweet Italian custard dish flavoured with butterscotch, a kick of whisky and a salted caramel topping.

A small glass filled with a butterscotch mousse and topped with whipped cream

Matcha tiramisu

Sweet mascarpone cream and bitter matcha are a match made in heaven in this vibrant dessert. You'll only need five ingredients for this no-cook recipe.

A bright green tiramisu on a circular serving plate

Calvados-poached pears with cardamom custard and sesame brittle

Looking for a stylish autumnal pud? Look no further, these calvados-poached pears – served with sweet-savoury sesame brittle and lashings of silky cardamom-infused custard – will be just the ticket.

plated filled with poached pear with a pot of custard and green linen napkin

Blood orange and amaretti trifles

Our individual trifles make a quick and easy dinner party dessert using seasonal blood oranges, and they're ready in just 15 minutes.

Blood Orange Trifle Recipe With Amaretti

Lemon self-saucing pudding (Lemon surprise pudding)

This zesty pudding is easy to whip up and can be ready in an hour. Make one simple mixture and as it cooks it separates into a light sponge on top and zesty lemon curd beneath.

Spoon in a yellow lemon pudding with a crisp top

Cheat's ginger, salted caramel and rum cake

Transform simple ginger loaf into this boozy cake in just 25 minutes by soaking in rum and caramel then layering with boozy caramel cream.

Rum and Ginger Cake Recipe with Salted Caramel

Black treacle financiers

These delicate black treacle financiers are served at the close of the set menu at The Water House Project, an ethically focused fine-dining restaurant in east London.

A small bowl of financiers against a grey background

Salted peanut and honeycomb rocky road

These salted peanut and honeycomb rocky road squares are a great twist on a classic and will please everyone. Plus, they're really easy and only take 15 minutes of work.

Honeycomb Rocky Road Recipe with Peanuts

Chocolate tahini and baharat pots

The woody spices in baharat (a Middle Eastern spice blend) work beautifully with dark chocolate and nutty tahini in this rich and super-simple dessert.

Chocolate and Tahini Dessert Recipe Pots

Vegan brownies

Bake a batch of our decadent vegan chocolate brownies for an indulgent teatime. Our unique recipe is super chocolatey, so vegan and non-vegan friends and family will enjoy. Check out more vegan desserts here.

Vegan Brownies Recipe

Vegan chocolate mousse

Silken tofu is the secret ingredient for this smooth and creamy (and totally vegan) chocolate mousse recipe. It makes a quick and easy yet impressive dessert.

Vegan chocolate mousse

Healthy chocolate cake

We've given classic chocolate cake a healthy twist by using sweet potatoes, sticky dates and almond milk. Using dark chocolate and cacao powder gives it a wonderful richness.

A chocolate cake on a glass cake stand with a slice taken out of it

Chocolate soufflé

This easy-to-follow recipe will guarantee light, fluffy and chocolaty soufflés for your loved ones.

Four white ramekins filled with chocolate souffles, set on a wooden board

Salted caramel popcorn soufflés

Popcorn and salted caramel combine in these showstopping soufflés. This recipe comes from Miro in Mayfair.

A salted caramel popcorn soufflé in a ramekin on a plate with a small pot of sauce

Vegan lemon drizzle cake

A delicate, zingy vegan lemon cake made without eggs, milk or butter! The key to that lemony tang is a decent lemon extract (we use Nielsen-Massey).

Vegan Lemon Cake Recipe

Rum-roasted pineapple and spice pie

The vegan pastry in this comforting pie is deliciously crisp and crumbly, with extra texture from the chia seeds. Plus, it's packed with rum-soaked roasted pineapple and plenty of spice.

Pineapple Pie Recipe with Rum

Chocolate éclairs

Take your éclairs to the next level with this step-by-step recipe. Fluffy choux buns are given a crispy craquelin topping, then filled with whipped cream and covered in a chocolate glaze. Try more French desserts here.

Chocolate Eclair Recipe

Vegan apple crumble

All you need to do is swap butter for melted coconut oil to make a totally vegan apple crumble. Check out classic apple crumble here.

Vegan Crumble Recipe

Vegan sticky toffee pudding

Let warming spices and a rich toffee sauce (made with homemade cashew cream) do the talking with this vegan sticky toffee pudding recipe.

Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Bakewell tart

Create a classic British bakewell tart with step-by-step help. Try this recipe with other seasonal fruits such as strawberries or cherries, if you like.

Bakewell Tart Recipe

Eton mess

A classic English dessert that makes the most out of succulent, sweet British strawberries by combining them with meringue and cream. This heavenly pud is ready in just 10 minutes.

Eton mess recipe


Boozy knickerbocker glory

Nothing says summer quite like our boozy knickerbocker glory with Pimm's jelly. This will be a hit with adults! Dip the wafer in icing or melted chocolate, then in sprinkles, if you like.

Boozy Knickerbocker Glory Recipe

Cranachan

This super simple raspberry dessert is the perfect light end to a meal. Made with just a handful of ingredients, you can whip up glasses of cranachan for a crowd in just fifteen minutes.

Four pots of Cranachan, a traditional Scottish dessert

Blueberry and mascarpone slice

Use ready-made puff pastry and make the blueberry compote ahead for a speedy assembly job here. This dessert is ready in just 35 minutes and is ideal for your next summer dinner party.

Rectangular pastry topped with mascarpone, blueberries and mint leaves

Kashmiri saffron baba

Matching white chocolate with saffron, cardamom, coffee and dark rum, this decadent pudding is sure to impress guests.

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Baba topped with chantilly cream and edible flowers

Rose and pomegranate meringues

Ruby-red pomegranate seeds and fragrant rose water are the stars in this festive meringue dessert, served with fresh mint and edible rose petals.

Several meringues on serving plates with a bright red sauce on top

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