You would never guess that fruity olive oil is the secret ingredient in this light, lemony cake. Grated lemon zest and fresh thyme are added to the batter for sweet and savory combination, while a glaze of confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and butter is drizzled on top.

Get the recipe:  Mini Olive Oil Cakes With Lemon Glaze

Browse more of Food Network’s olive oil recipes.

Start preparing for Cinco de Mayo with this easy dessert. Using your favorite boxed brownie mix, add ground chipotle chile powder and cinnamon to the batter for a Mexican twist on a traditional dessert. Top each brownie with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream.

Get the recipe: Mexican Brownies

Browse Food Network’s Cinco de Mayo feast for more Mexican-inspired recipes.

After April showers come May flowers, right? Well May is just around the corner and soon spring will be in full bloom. Take advantage of longer days, warmer temperatures and fresh springtime produce with these fair-weather dessert recipes.

Grilled Banana Splits from foodnetwork.com are almost too cute to eat and extremely easy to put together. Simply wrap a split, unpeeled banana in aluminum foil, grill for a few minutes and top with your favorite sweet condiments. This creative dessert will please all the kids (and kids at heart) at your table.

For a unique twist on a classic favorite, try Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes from food2.com. Layers of fresh strawberries and whipped cream are nestled between two soft chocolate chip biscuits in this satisfyingly sweet sandwich.

Get more springtime sweet recipes »

Have last minute dinner guests? Dress up store-bought spinach ravioli with a homemade sauce tossed with plump San Marzano tomatoes, Italian salami and fresh basil — dinner will be ready in 20 minutes.

Get the recipe: Spinach Ravioli With Tomato Sauce

Browse Food Network’s pasta recipes for more dinner ideas.

Easter is right around the corner and while everyone’s busy preparing for the main course, whether it be ham or lamb, don’t forget to end your holiday meal with a sweet.

Food Network has rounded up Easter desserts for everyone at the dinner table:

Easter cupcakes: 11 adorable holiday cupcakes with one vanilla cupcake batter.

Just Desserts Buffet:  Soothe your Easter sweet tooth with a buffet featuring Giada’s classic Easter pie and Paula’s family recipe for carrot cake.

Get the recipes to five more favorites »

In honor of National Grilled Cheese Month and Los Angeles’ annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (taking place Saturday April 23), we’re diving into the cheesy world of previous Invitational winners. This year’s event will draw more than 200 competitors, all hoping to take home the grilled cheese title in one of three categories: classic, freestyle and dessert.

From savory to sweet, each of these award-winning sandwiches pack a flavor punch:

Grilled Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork (pictured above) by Dave Danhi of The Grilled Cheese Truck

Three-Cheese Grilled Cheese by Mathew Michaud

Grilled Cheese with Dates and Prosciutto by Shaelyn Clements

Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Thousand Island Dressing by Greg Morris of Oaks Gourmet

Grilled Pound Cake with Mascarpone by Robert Atallah, Jr.

Which one will you try first? Tell us in the comments below.

The best parts of a Peep are the little eyes and nose. No, for real. They’re tiny dots of chocolate and everyone knows that chocolate and marshmallow is one of the more amazing comfort food combinations (right up there with peanut butter and jelly). The problem is that there’s not enough chocolate on the bunny or chicks face to really satisfy. The good people at Just Born recognize the wonder of marshmallow Peeps + chocolate and came out with chocolate-covered Peeps a few years ago. They’re more expensive than the original though, and the chocolate coating is sort of chemical-y tasting. So it’s best to do-it-yourself. Homemade chocolate fondue is super-easy to make (tip: you can even make it in the microwave), and assorted Peeps and fruit and whatever else you like to dip look quite festive on a platter. Make it for Easter, or after Easter with all the leftover candy.

Get Paula Deen’s easy chocolate fondue recipe »

Tired of missing out on Easter morning festivities like egg hunts because you’re preparing breakfast? It’s time to join in on the fun thanks to Paula Deen’s French toast casserole, which can be prepped the day before and baked off the morning of. Finish it off with her decadent praline topping, made with butter, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon.

Get the recipe:  Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Browse Food Network’s Easter menu, complete with recipes for all-day eating!

The typical grocer sells some 50,000 different products. The typical shopper buys the same 264 over and over again. The point of this blog? To persuade you to take a second look at some of the 49,736 foods that don’t usually land in your cart.

Cardamom, for example. This spice aisle resident is a master of blurring the sweet-savory line. Yet most people know it only (if at all) for the rather dull cookies named after it. But cardamom is way more than a cookie, and it belongs on the dinner table as much as in desserts.

First, the basics. Cardamom is a seed that is related to ginger and originated in India (both of which explain why it makes frequent appearances in Indian sauces, chutneys and rubs). The taste is citrusy and floral, as well as warm and peppery.

Cardamom is sold whole (black seeds in a greyish-green pod) and ground (a fine greyish-blue powder). While the flavor is best when you get whole pods and grind them as needed, raise your hand if you can admit that’s too much trouble.

Find out what to do with cardamom »

Put all of that Easter candy to good use by making dessert a family affair. After dinner, set up a cupcake toppings bar and offer your guests a choice of sweets like jelly beans, chocolate covered cookies and fruit that will complement Melissa d’Arabian’s white chocolate frosting.

Get the recipe:  Easter Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

Browse Food Network’s Easter menu, complete with recipes for all-day eating!