There are donuts, danishes, and, of course, plenty of dark chocolate… but then I struggled to come up with more. Here’s a challenge: before you read on to the list of 21 desserts that start with D, see how many you can list. Try it, it’s fun!
1. Depression Cake
It might have a somber name, but there’s nothing depressing about this delicious cake! How can anyone name a tasty chocolate cake “depression cake?” Well, it’s more to do with the ingredients that are used – or aren’t! This cake goes all the way back to the Great Depression when eggs and milk were scarce, but people still wanted something sweet. So, they made a chocolate cake with what they had, and it came out kind of amazing. You’ll have to try it to believe it.
2. Dirt Cake
Here’s another dessert with a less-than-appealing name! Dirt cake might sound, well, dirty, but it’s really just about the look of the tasty cookie crumbs on top. This cake needs just seven ingredients, including Oreos and instant pudding. The filling is super light and creamy, and the “dirt” top gives excellent texture. This would be perfect for serving at Halloween with some gummy worms sticking out of the top!
3. Dundee Cake
Dundee is a town in Scotland, and this cake is more or less the Scottish version of an English fruitcake. It’s very light and tender and loaded with dried fruits and almonds. There’s also a lovely citrusy flavor to the cake that you’ll get from orange zest and apricot jam, mixed right into the batter.
4. Devil’s Food Cake
If you’re looking for death by decadent dark chocolate, this devil’s food cake is a must-make! The key to getting the absolute BEST chocolate flavor in here is to use coffee. Don’t worry; you won’t taste it! In the magic of baking, coffee just enhances chocolate, making it deeper and more intense. As if that’s not enough, this cake is covered in dark chocolate ganache, ensuring every bite is rich and devilishly good.
5. Dulce de Leche Donuts
This double whammy might be my favorite on the list. What’s better than thick caramel and scrumptious donuts? If you’ve never made your own dulce de leche before, don’t panic. You can make it in your slow cooker overnight. Just cover it with water (leave the tin unopened) and let it cook on low for about 8-12 hours. Super simple!
6. Dame Blanche
Coming from the Netherlands and Belgium, this ice cream sundae is a heavenly mix of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and lots of chocolate sauce. You’ll need the best quality ice cream for this, so look for something with vanilla bean flakes if possible! If you like texture in your sundae, feel free to add some mini-chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the top.
7. Bisquick Donuts
I love donuts as much as the next baker. But who has time for proofing and resting? I want them now! This recipe is such a fantastic shortcut, using Bisquick to cut the prep down. They’re fried until golden, and all you’ll have to do is drop dollops in the oil – no need to roll and shape them. When they’re still hot, roll them in cinnamon sugar and serve them with chocolate sauce or caramel for dipping.
8. Danish Pastry
Danish are some of my favorite treats for breakfast. A lot of places do them, but in other countries, you might get something totally different. If you ask me, a Danish is a laminated sweet dough (like a croissant) that gets filled with something sweet. I’ve had them with different jams, fresh fruit, and even sweet cheese fillings. The beauty is, one batch of dough will make any number of tasty treats.
9. Kentucky Derby Pie
How shall I describe this pie? It’s big, rich, sinfully sweet, and impossible to resist. Not only does this baby have bourbon, chocolate, and pecans, it also has a pecan-pie-like filling that’s gooey and sticky, AND some salted caramel cream for good measure. When I say the filling is like a pecan pie, I’m serious. But it’s also sort of like a thick chocolate chip cookie. It’s soft, chewy, and insanely good!
10. Dutch Baby Pancake
If you’ve never made a Dutch baby, drop what you’re doing and get in the kitchen! It’s like a giant pancake/crepe, and it’s made in a skillet – that needs to be hot! If you’ve ever made popovers, you’ll know the thin batter needs to be poured into a hot pan before being baked. It helps the whole thing rise to perfection. Serve it with fresh berries, bananas foster, or lashings of Nutella and whipped cream.
11. Greek Diples Recipe
If you’re not a fan of baklava because you think it’s too sweet, this might not be the recipe for you. Or it’s just the middle ground you’re looking for! These are a cross between a cookie and pastry, and they get rolled up or folded before being doused in sweet, honey syrup and chopped walnuts. The traditional method is quite time-consuming, needing you to fry them one at a time, rolling the dough around a fork. If you don’t have the time (or patience!), try cutting strips and tying them into little bows instead.
12. Deep Fried Mars Bars
These have been a Scottish favorite for years, but I don’t think I’ve seen them too much over here in the States. Let’s change that! Deep fried Mars Bars are exactly what you think, and, yes, they’re incredibly wicked. You’ll need to work in batches here, and these are best served right away while they’re still warm.
13. Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffles
I know if you see a counter full of stunning little truffles, it might be hard to think of making them at home for yourself. Can I tell you a secret? It’s just chocolate and cream. That’s it! Obviously, the better the chocolate, the better the truffles! To get the best truffles, you need the proper ratio of chocolate to cream so that it will set. So always be sure you have about twice as much chocolate as cream.
14. Dark Chocolate Tart
Here’s another dessert that looks way more impressive than it really is. Yes, you’ll need to make pastry (or buy a ready-made shell), and you’ll need to ensure your ganache is silky smooth, but the chocolate really does all the heavy lifting. Once you have your pastry baked and cooled, all you need to do is pour the chocolate into the case. It will settle and smooth out on its own, leaving you with a flawless, restaurant-quality finish.
15. Strawberry-Rhubarb Dump Cake Recipe
Strawberry and rhubarb are a match made in heaven. The colors and the contrasting tart and sweet flavors compliment each other so well, and if they’re in season, I highly recommend stocking up! For this cake, you just need a handful of ingredients, and there’s no mixing required – not even a mixing bowl! As the name would suggest, you just need to dump everything in the baking dish (in the right order) and let the oven do its thing.
16. Disney Dole Whip Recipe
Disney’s Dole Whip is one of those things that takes you back to your childhood. I remember wandering around the Magic Kingdom in total awe, ice cream in hand, and a smile on my face. Even now, Disney recipes give me all the feels, and this one is so easy to recreate at home! Just blend ice cream with frozen pineapple and pineapple juice until smooth. Boom, done! I’ve even made this with mangoes, and it was unbelievably scrumptious!
17. Dirt Pudding
I would love to say, “the kids are gonna love these,” but the last time I put them out, the grown-ups got there first! That being said, I know the kids will love the creamy pudding and crunchy cookie crumbs, not to mention, the gummy worms on top!
18. Old-Fashioned Date Squares
Dates are used a lot as a natural sweetener in many vegan recipes and in darker desserts, like sticky toffee pudding. But they’re not usually the star of the show. These oat bars let those sweet flavors shine, and they’re wonderfully chewy, thanks to all that fruit. You’ll need to take out the pits and boil the dates to soften them. If you like them with texture, just give everything a stir. But if you want them more jam-like, blitz it with an immersion blender (don’t put the hot dates into a blender or food processor!).
19. Death By Chocolate Recipe
Is there such a thing as too much chocolate? I don’t think so! This dessert is a fantastic mix of fudgy brownies and chocolate pudding, layered in a glass with some Cool Whip to help it stand out. You can make the brownies yourself or just buy some brownie bites or a box if you want to speed things up. This is even better with some chocolate sauce drizzled over and extra chocolate shavings on top.
20. Dessert Dumplings
I have to admit; this one was new to me! Dessert dumplings? What?! Picture this: tender, fluffy dumpling smothered in sweet blueberry sauce, served warm with some whipped cream or ice cream. Doesn’t that sound like a dream? Just like with chicken and dumplings, you’ll need to make your dough and then cook the dumplings right in the hot sauce.
21. Do Nothing Cake
This is my kind of cake. I know, I’m a baker! And I do love baking. But sometimes, I just want something sweet without the effort. For this simple cake, you’ll just need to stir together sugar, flour, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and pineapple. The cake will bake and then is covered in a thick layer of butter, sugar, and evaporated milk, along with coconuts and chopped nuts for crunch. I like this warm, right out of the pan. But if you have the patience to let it cool, you can slice and serve. Click on a star to rate it!
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