9 Show-stopping Special Occasion Desserts

When you want to really wow ’em with presentation and flavor you need a good recipe to start with. Then just sit back and let the compliments roll in! Flattery aside, there’s nothing more satisfying than watching the faces of your loved ones light up with glee when they take a bite of one of these show-stopping desserts. They look and taste impressive and make a big splash as the finale to a big special occasion meal. Without further ado here are 9 of the most impressive, mouthwatering, delicious desserts to cap off your next feast.

If you have a clear glass serving dish then this is the perfect time to bring it out. Trifles give you a glimpse at the layers of cream or pudding and cake that make up the dish and this heavenly hash version has that rocky road flavor combo that many also know as heavenly hash. This flavor combo has been around for a long time and I think we can safely call it a classic. Get the recipe right here.

When JFK married Jackie Bouvier the occasion was marked with a 3-page spread in LIFE magazine and national buzz about the young senator’s nuptials. The family favored traditional aesthetics and a stunning multi-tier wedding cake with white on white designs all over. But, inside this layered affair was a raspberry filling that delighted the tastebuds. This vanilla cake with the raspberry became a tradition for presidents after he became POTUS, being served for many a presidential inauguration and birthday. You don’t wanna miss this one! Get the recipe here.

If you’re not sure about serving a cake or if you just want a French influence to your meal then this is the ideal dessert. A big stack of eclair-like profiteroles dipped in either sugar syrup or melted chocolate is a real centerpiece type of dessert. There are a lot of steps to the recipe, but it’s well worth it in the end! Get the recipe here.

What many people love about the traditional Italian dessert tiramisu is the deep, rich coffee flavor. But not everyone loves coffee or wants to have a coffee-infused dessert in the evening. That’s where this limoncello tiramisu comes in. Delicate, spongy lady finger cookies are soaked with limoncello instead of coffee liqueur for a bright and sunny taste. Rich mascarpone cream acts as the filling and the whole thing is a wonderful treat that you’ll want to savor each bite of. Check out the recipe here.

Poke cakes have been around for a long time, but only recently have they gotten really popular. They are easy to make and offer a really tender cake that’s been soaked with syrup or pudding in the holes you poke in the cake. This one is soaked in a butterscotch sauce. I have a used bourbon butterscotch to make this cake and let me tell you that is the way to go! Sprinkle some crumbled Heath bars over the top of the frosting and you have a very fine dessert indeed. See how to make it here.

There’s a moist cake underneath a layer of creamy filling, topped by peaches and dusted with cinnamon sugar in this stunning cake. What’s not to love?! And, because this recipe uses canned peaches you can make it all year round for a really special dessert. Just make sure you have a springform pan on hand. Get the recipe here.

If you even needed a reason to make anything mocha this no-bake mocha pie is it! There’s no baking or even heating up a burner with this easy dessert. Yet the rich coffee flavor is the perfect foil to a thick crust made from crushed Oreo cookies. This is one dessert that your guests will think took a lot more effort than it did. That’s ok, they don’t need to know! Find out how to make it here.

This fruit and nut cake has long been a Southern tradition, but first originated in the Caribbean. The distinctive cake is made with 3 or 4 layers, each topped with sumptuous cream. This one is a stunner of a cake and one that will have your friends and family licking their plates clean! Get the recipe here.

If you’ve ever had Earl Grey chocolate bars then you have an idea of how that flavor combo might be perfect for a cake. This cake is very simply frosted on top but open it up and you’ve chocolate chips, lemon zest, and a cake brimming with flavor from the addition of brewed Earl Grey tea. To top it off the frosting is also infused with the bergamot flavor of Earl Grey for a mouthwatering experience. See how to make this cake right here.