As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back at the sweet recipes you returned to again and again. These are the 10 most-viewed dessert recipes on our site in 2025 – a mix of heritage bakes, festive favourites and a few bold surprises.

10. Honey-and-strawberry parfait with mint salsa

If you’re after an impressive summery dessert, this honey-and-strawberry parfait by Motheba Makhetha delivers. It takes a little effort to prepare the individual elements, but once assembled, the layers are beautiful and fresh. The strawberry-and-mint salsa adds brightness, making this parfait feel light, elegant and perfect for warm-weather entertaining.

 

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honey-and-strawberry parfait with mint salsa recipe

9. Peppermint Crisp trifle with chocolate shards

This indulgent trifle by Abigail Donnelly riffs on a beloved South African classic. Creamy, crunchy and unapologetically nostalgic, it's became a festive-season favourite and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser whenever it appears on the table.

peppermint crisp trifle recipe

8. Flapjack cheese platter

Part of Khanya Mzongwana's dinner party series, this flapjack cheese platter is made for hosts who don’t consider dessert their strong point but still want to wow everyone. Instead of an elaborate pudding, you bake flapjacks, pop a Camembert in the oven and serve everything with honey, fresh fruit and berries. It’s relaxed, clever and proof that dessert can be effortless and impressive at the same time.

 

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flapjack cheese platter recipe

7. Citrus-and-almond sheet cake

Featured in the Easter issue, this citrus and almond sheet cake by Abigail Donnelly is made for sharing. Big, generous and designed to feed a crowd, it’s the kind of cake that anchors a celebration table. Finished with piped edges, citrus gummy sweets and tiny slices of lime, orange and grapefruit, it's as visually striking as it is delicious.

citrus-and-almond sheet cake recipe

6. My ouma’s pampoentert

Few desserts are as comforting as pampoentert. Herman Lensing shared his grandmother’s recipe, which is nostalgic and rooted in family tradition. Created as part of a Valentine’s Day menu, this pumpkin tart proves it doesn’t need a special occasion to shine.

 

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ouma's pampoentart recipe

5. Milk tart cheesecake

What do you get when you combine milk tart and cheesecake? Deliciousness! Zaynab Paruk adds a decadent cream cheese layer to classic cinnamon-scented custard, creating a dessert that’s rich, indulgent and totally moreish. It’s familiar, elevated and completely irresistible.

 

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milk tart cheesecake recipe

4. Garden party loaf cake

This was one of the most divisive and talked-about desserts of the year. Described as "edible runway meets modern teatime", the garden party loaf cake is an unapologetic showstopper by Bianca Strydom. The sweet loaf itself is classic, but it’s decorated with piped buttercream and finished with peas, mange tout, dill and fennel fronds, turning the cake into a playful, garden-inspired centrepiece that sparked plenty of conversation.

 

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Garden party loaf cake recipe

3. Sufganiyot doughnuts

Traditionally eaten during Hanukkah to honour the miracle of oil that burned for eight days, these fluffy, golden sufganiyot are impossible to resist. Comedian and cook Tracy Klass shows us how to make the perfect fresh doughnut at home.

 

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sufganiyot recipe

2. Aimee’s rugelach

Rugelach means “little twists” or “little corners” in Yiddish – a fitting name for these flaky, generously filled pastries. This version by Tracy Klass's daughter, Aimee, pairs cinnamon spice with the brightness of orange peel, and the instruction to be generous with the filling pays off, as it oozes into a sticky, toffee-like layer. They freeze beautifully, but judging by the views, they’re usually eaten long before that.

 

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Aimee's rugelach recipe

1. Bee sting cake

Taking the top spot for 2025 is Zaynab Paruk’s spin on the classic German bee sting cake. A pecan caramel topping replaces traditional sliced almonds, while a simple baking powder batter stands in for yeast, making it more approachable without sacrificing flavour. Clever and deeply satisfying, it’s no surprise this was the most-viewed dessert recipe of the year.

 

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bee sting cake recipe