I just love the cool, refreshing taste of peppermint. It one of my favorite holiday flavors. Any time I can work it into a holiday dessert, I am so excited. This is my Mom’s classic cheesecake recipe that we have decked out for the holidays. We started with a chocolate cookie crust, a creamy cheesy filling that we infuse with peppermint extract to give it a slight peppermint kick. Topped with crushed candy canes, we add a final crunchy peppermint note and a nostalgic splash of red and white, which makes this cake so Christmassy!

Carrot cake is a classic. This is my take on my Mom’s recipe. The carrot cake batter is not light and fluffy, its more dense like a muffin batter. So I’ve added yogurt and I love the traditional addition of crushed pineapple to add flavor and help keep it moist. The cake is studded with roasted pecans and then covered in a decadent cream cheese icing. Just a slice of heaven. A perfect way to end a delicious spring meal.