Make It a Baking Project Kind of Weekend

Sometimes you want to dig into a sweet treat that takes a little extra effort.

A great dessert is always worth it, but weekends are made for those recipes that take a little extra time—and these sweet recipes are as beautiful as they are delicious.

1. Banana Cake with Caramel Buttercream and Dark Chocolate Glaze

As if Wendy Boys’s caramel-banana pairing wasn’t close to perfection, the finishing chocolate glaze puts this cake from gorgeous to sublime.

2. Paris-Brest

Featuring choux pastry, creamy praline mousseline and crunchy candied hazelnuts, the Paris-Brest was originally created in the late 1800s to commemorate a bicycle race between Paris and the city of Brest—hence the bicycle wheel shape. It’s now a top seller at Edmonton’s Duchess Bake Shop.

3. Grapefruit, Mezcal and Burnt Honey Cake

This cake is smoky and moist. The grapefruit holds the smokiness of the mezcal so that the flavor permeates the entire cake without overdoing it—you taste a little bit of everything in each bite, all the flavours in balance.

4. Lemon Cream Tart Made with Real Lemon Cream

Lemon cream is a little richer than lemon curd (and requires a modicum more effort), but it’s worth it for this showstopper dessert.

5. Chocolate Éclairs

Once you master choux pastry (it’s easier than you think), you’ll want to whip these up every weekend.