Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
A minister’s wife gave me this recipe…and my family loves it. It’s a great treat to share. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas
Easy Pecan Pie Bars
I am always searching for fast and easy recipes to take to the teachers’ lounge. The staff goes nuts for these shortcut pecan pie bars. —Kathro Yoder, Defiance, Ohio
Peach Melba Trifle
This dream of a dessert tastes extra good on a busy day—you can make it ahead of time! If you don’t have fresh peaches handy, subbing three cups of the canned ones works, too. —Christina Moore, Casar, North Carolina
Chocolate Mint Creams
This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone’s cookie request list. I make at least six batches a year and give some away as gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri
Moist Chocolate Cake
This cake reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania
Not Your Mama’s Seven-Layer Bars
The addition of dulce de leche makes this a decadent new take on traditional seven-layer bars. You can cut this recipe in half and make it in an 8×8-in. pan. —Andrea Barlow, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Carrot Dump Cake
Our family loves carrot cake so much, I experimented to find an easy way to make it so we could enjoy it all the time. This super moist dump cake version makes my family smile when it suddenly appears on the table. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Dutch Apple Pie Tartlets
These adorable mini apple pie pastries make a delightful addition to a dessert buffet or snack tray. The recipe calls for convenient frozen phyllo shells, so they’re surprisingly easy to prepare. The lemon curd filling adds a unique flavor twist. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
Mamaw Emily’s Strawberry Cake
My husband loved his Mamaw’s strawberry cake recipe. He thought no one could duplicate it. I made it, and it’s just as scrumptious as he remembers. —Jennifer Bruce, Manitou, Kentucky
Orange-Pistachio Divinity
Old-fashioned divinity candy is even yummier with a hint of refreshing orange zest and bits of crunchy pistachios. Store-bought versions just can’t compare! —Lorri Reinhardt, Big Bend, Wisconsin
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
To make a dairy-free dessert, I created chocolate peanutty bars. My kids and their friends gobble them up. —Dawn Pasco, Overland Park, Kansas
Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake
When my family is planning a get-together, I can count on three or four people asking if I’m bringing this. If you don’t have a chocolate cake mix, use a white or yellow one and stir in 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
All-American Sheet Cake
My sweet and tangy sheet cake piled with fresh whipped cream and juicy fruit is so good, you might just want to eat it for breakfast. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Snickerdoodle Blondie Bars
When asked to bring a dessert for my boys’ football team to share, I whipped up these unique blondies and was instantly named “the greatest mom” by all. —Valonda Seward, Coarsegold, California
Citrus Mini Cakes
These moist, bite-sized muffins are melt-in-your-mouth good. With their appealing look, they really dress up a party table. The recipe makes a big batch, so there’s plenty to please a crowd. —Linda Terrell of Palatka, Florida
Dark Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
Croissants make an incredible base for this rich, chocolaty bread pudding. I prefer dark chocolate, but semisweet or white chocolate work, too. Garnish with your favorite nuts. —Jennifer Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California
Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake
Mixes make this light cake easy, and a fluted tube pan gets it celebration-ready. Go for the pistachios on top—the extra crunch is worth it. —Dina Crowell, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
My mother insisted that my grandmother write down one recipe for her when she got married in 1942. That was a real effort because Grandma was a traditional pioneer-type cook who used “a little of this or that ’til it feels right.” This treasured recipe is the only one she ever wrote down! —Janet Hall, Clinton, Wisconsin
Almond-Coconut Lemon Bars
Give traditional lemon bars a tasty twist with the addition of almonds and coconut. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Chewy Salted Peanut Bars
My rich bars are studded with the all-American peanut. I like to think famed peanut farmer Jimmy Carter would approve. —Ann Marie Heinz, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Because I’m our town’s postmaster, I can bake only in my spare time. When I do, I especially like pound cakes. This one tastes great as is, or tucked under ice cream and chocolate syrup like a hot fudge sundae! —Karen Conrad, East Troy, Wisconsin
Crinkle-Top Chocolate Cookies
When I baked these moist, fudgy cookies for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they’re lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Bars
If you’re looking for something other than pumpkin, these sweet potato bars are a yummy alternative. Make them ahead—they’re even better refrigerated overnight. —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
Tropical Carrot Cake
I look forward to August because our family reunion means fun and great food, like this classic cake with the special flair it gets from pineapple. My great-aunt gave me this recipe, and I always make it for the reunion. —Victoria Casey, Enterprise, Oregon
Blueberry-Lemon Upside-Down Cake
I was young when I married, so I watched my mother-in-law to learn baking. This cake with fresh blueberries is one of her beauties. —Bonnie Roberts, Newaygo, Michigan
Chocolate Malt Crispy Bars
This chunky, chewy malted milk chocolate bar is a feast for your eyes. Malted milk flavor fills this bar from top to bottom. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Berry Dream Cake
I use cherry gelatin to give a boxed cake mix an eye-appealing marbled effect. It’s so festive-looking. Top it with whatever fruit you like! —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee
Aunt Lou’s Fresh Apple Cake
My Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia
Chocolate Chip Cookie Blondies
This recipe has been used in my family as long as I can remember. My mom would make these for us when we were young and I have continued the tradition to my own family. When my husband and I were engaged, I would send these to him during his deployment overseas. In no time, he and his buddies would have the entire container emptied. These are the best chocolate chip brownies you will ever taste! —Amanda Green, Salisbury, Missouri
Pear Cake with Sour Cream Topping
This is a great way to combine bread and fruit for an all-in-one breakfast. The cake is very tasty and the unique topping is simply delicious. —Norma Bluma, Emporia, KS
Black Forest Dump Cake
I make a Black Forest cake the easy way: Dump everything into a dish and let the magic happen. Give it a cherry topping by reserving two tablespoons of juice from the canned cherries and stir into whipped cream. —Meghan McDermott, Springfield, Missouri
White Texas Sheet Cake
This cake gets better the longer it sits, so I try to make it a day ahead. My mother-in-law introduced this deliciously rich sheet cake to me. With its creamy frosting and light almond flavor, no one can stop at just one piece! —Joanie Ward, Brownsburg, Indiana
Fudge Nut Brownies
There’s no brownie recipe or mix I’ve ever tried that’s better than this! And it’s so easy—you can mix it in one bowl in just a few minutes. My husband’s grandmother passed the recipe on; now our son makes these brownies for after-school snacks. —Becky Albright, Norwalk, Ohio
Peach Cobbler Dump Cake
This peach dump cake recipe gives you the best of two worlds: sweet, tender cake with a beautifully crisp cobbler topping. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, and dessert’s golden. —Keri Sparks, Little Elm, Texas
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
I make these moist bars whenever I have ripe bananas on hand, then store them in the freezer to share later at a potluck. With creamy frosting and big banana flavor, this treat is a real crowd-pleaser. —Debbie Knight, Marion, Iowa
Lemony Coconut Macaroons
These chewy gems have refreshing lemon flavor. They freeze well and thaw easily in the fridge, so you can cure a craving anytime. —Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana
Brownie Mocha Trifle
By using instant pudding and a convenient box of brownie mix, there’s nothing to the preparation. The result is moist and chewy. And the layers look so pretty spooned into a glass trifle bowl. —Louise Fauth, Foremost, Alberta
Toffee Pecan Bars
Curl up with a hot cup of coffee and one of these treats. The golden topping and flaky crust give way to the heartwarming taste of old-fashioned pecan pie. —Dianna Croskey, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
Lemon Berry Dump Cake
This sweet-tart cake recipe is so much fun to make with my grandkids. They love just “dumping it all in” and watching it magically become a pretty, delicious dessert. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Cranberry Crunch Cake
New Jersey is known for its cranberries, and this cake is a delicious way to use them. The marshmallows melt and seep through the cake, making it moist and very tasty. It’s great for brunch or just with a cup of coffee! —Adelaide Krumm, Manasquan, New Jersey
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Annamarie Higley