The different types of baby shower desserts include special orders, no bake, and homemade desserts. Traditional dessert options include cupcakes and layered or sheet cake. Healthier baby shower desserts include fruit muffins, miniature fruit tarts, or fruit smoothies. No bake desserts, such as pre-packaged cheesecake mixes, fruit bowls or salads, and fruit or vegetable gelatin molds are quick and easy baby shower desserts.
An iced layer cake decorated with a baby shower appropriate theme can serve as a table centerpiece and as dessert. Cakes come in a variety of sizes from traditional two-layered versions to many-layered cakes. Themed or character sheet cakes can be ordered to customers' specifications using their choice of cake flavor, icing, and decorations. Sheet cakes can be made in various sizes to serve the number of guests attending the shower.
Cupcakes are an easy dessert to make, and require minimal ingredients and baking time. These homemade desserts can be baked and decorated a day before the baby shower and then stored in the refrigerator to retain freshness. Rather than baking their own baby shower cupcakes, shower guests can place an order, in advance, at the bakery section of their local supermarket.
An alternative to traditional iced cupcakes is fresh-baked muffins. Fruit based muffins provide a somewhat healthier option compared to a more sugary dessert. Muffins are available or can be made in flavors such as blueberry, oatmeal raisin or cranberry, providing a more nutritious yet still flavorful dessert.
Fruit bowls, platters, and salads are a healthy and nutritious baby shower dessert that usually use an assortment of fresh seasonal fruit. Watermelon slices or honeydew and cantaloupe melon balls make a delicious fruit platter served with dip. Additional items to add to bowls and platters include grapes, strawberries, and assorted nuts. Ambrosia and Waldorf salad are sweet desserts made with fresh fruit that are ideal as baby shower desserts.
Gelatin molds are creative no bake desserts that can be made with fruit, vegetables or a combination of the two. Preparation for gelatin desserts is quick, and easy and gelatin molds can be prepared in advance. The gelatin-based dessert can be sliced or scooped into individual servings and topped with whipped cream.
Additional no bake desserts include platters of individual mini-cheesecakes made with pre-packaged mix. Delicious homemade dessert options that have minimal stovetop preparation include creamy banana pudding or melted chocolate into which strawberries or bananas are dipped. Marshmallow and puffed rice cereal treats or an assortment of fresh gourmet cookies from a bakery specializing in made to order items are popular finger food desserts.