84 Recipes For A Baby Shower Buffet Table

Baby shower buffets are a fantastic opportunity to create a wonderfully visual feast full of delightful dishes and divine desserts that can be enjoyed by guests of all ages. They're all about cute, delicate, and fun bites that are easy-to-eat finger foods. They're not about big meaty dishes and loaded-up messy shares. They're about celebrating the future, while serving up some nostalgic dishes that are rich with tradition, even if some are given a modern twist. 

A new arrival on the horizon is a chance for everyone to come together and share in a feeling of expectant excitement and happiness. And what better way of connecting with friends and family, at such a joyful time, than over a beautiful buffet table that celebrates everyone who's part of this story? A baby shower is a great excuse for a party and to share some gorgeous food with some inspired recipes.

Soft, sugary buttercream frosting transforms any cake or cupcake into a reason to celebrate. While you can be creative with so many toppings (and you can add whatever you like on top of this frosting, too), buttercream shines when it's made exactly as it should be. Make sure you don't add salt by using unsalted butter, and get your ingredients ready beforehand so you can add them all together without any delays measuring them out. Mix until it's creamy and light whether you're piping on, spreading over, or using it as a filling.

Recipe: Classic Buttercream Frosting

Just as welcoming a child into the world can complete a family, there's a wonderful culinary synchronicity in pairing chocolate and raspberry. The sweetness of the cocoa brings out the best of the fruity tartness and the raspberry-infused buttercream swirl on top is quite literally the icing on the cake. Of course, there's nothing stopping you switching up your fruit and using strawberries or cherries instead. Make sure you use a good quality, unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe, which is deliciously simple and a perfect sweet addition to a spread.

Recipe: Best Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

These soft, chocolatey cupcakes are perfectly at home on a baby shower buffet table as they're wonderfully light and don't have that dense texture that some cakes have. At the same time, they still gift you with a rich, fudgey flavor. This recipe is for moist cupcakes, too, which are always a hit. While they're yummy just as they are, you can add some color with some sprinkles or a decadent topping with some caramel sauce poured over the frosting. Serve as-is or with whipped cream on the side.

Recipe: Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

Having a little one join the world can be the cherry on top of life's cake, so why not present your baby shower guests with a cake with a cherry on top? Not only do they look great, but cherries also symbolize future happiness and good fortune, making them a feel-good fruit for a baby shower. The buttercream is made using maraschino cherries, and adding a whole cherry and some chocolate sprinkles on top evokes a nostalgic feeling of childhood.

Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Once upon a time, when you were a child, did you love the sweet taste of a candy cane? Relive your childhood as you celebrate the circle of life with a new baby on the way with these delightful Willy Wonka-style cupcakes. Bake a swirling red and white cake by adding four layers of batter in the two colors, topped with soft frosting that has peppermint extract added. Bite into this with a topping of crushed candy canes sprinkled over the top and a whole mini one on each cupcake as well.

Recipe: Candy Cane Cupcakes

Welcoming a baby into the world is the start of a colorful new adventure. And there's no cupcake that embraces that zest for life than a rainbow one. Fun and festive, these treats express joy through all the colors of the rainbow that swirl not only through the cakes, but also the multi-colored frosting. And top with rainbow sprinkles. Add spoonfuls of different colored batter to your cupcake cases, starting with purple at the base. Layer spoonfuls of different colored frosting on top of each other in a piping bag to create the desired effect.

Recipe: Homemade Rainbow Cupcakes

If your buffet table already features frosted cupcakes, then you'll welcome this Mexican festival inspired cake as well. Based on a traditional dessert, the conch shell shape symbolizes good luck and the start of a positive new beginning. These cupcakes aren't as sweet as most either, which makes them perfect for guests who don't love frosting. Use gel coloring instead of liquid so that the texture of the cake is preserved. Make sure to heating water to 110 F to activate the yeast, which is vital for this recipe.

Recipe: Colorful Pan Dulce Conchas Cupcakes

When you're making desserts with bold flavors, there's something to be said for not holding back. And these cupcakes celebrate the tropical taste of coconut. The white color is also perfect for an occasion that's about the innocence and purity of a newborn. Coconut extract is added to the cupcake and the frosting, but what adds that special touch is adding shredded coconut to the batter and sprinkled on top. Not everyone is going to like these, but those who do are going to love them. Garnish with a flower or mint leaf.

Recipe: Moist Coconut Cupcakes

Peanut butter and jelly make everyone feel young at heart. And what better feeling to have at a baby shower than that? Live in the moment with a sweet sensation of nostalgia by serving a vanilla cupcake filled with raspberry jam and topped with creamy peanut butter frosting. You can also use strawberry or grape jam if you prefer. Fill a piping bag with the jelly and insert the nozzle into the center of the cooled down cakes, adding the jam into the middle.

Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes

Creating a buffet table often means that dishes are lined up waiting to go in the oven, so making these no-bake cupcakes is a dream for any host. However, while they're quick to make, you'll need a good five hours for them to set in the fridge. After making a biscuit base, you're going to whip up a creamy filling. Cream cheese can be stiff, so to loosen it up, add lemon juice and vanilla extract before you start whipping, and a spoon of the whipped cream, with the rest folded in later.

Recipe: Easy No-Bake Cheesecake Cupcakes

If ever there existed a cupcake to get everyone talking, then it's got to be these chocolate bacon ones. Make life easier by using a store-bought cake mix and canned cream cheese frosting. Instead of oil and water, this recipe adds butter and milk for a creamier texture. Adding a pinch of salt is a great way to bring out the taste of maple syrup in the frosting. Make sure your bacon is lovely and sweet by rubbing brown sugar all over it and making sure it's browned all over. 

Recipe: Easy Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

A baby is a lucky charm for doting parents, while the joy of lucky charms is reminiscent of the halcyon days of childhood for many. To create chewy cookies with a crispy edge, brown and white sugar are used in this recipe. While adding the toasted oat cereal into the dough, pick out some of the soft marshmallow shapes to decorate the top of your cookies so they look colorful and cute. A good tip is to spray oil on a baking tray before adding parchment paper so that it sticks. 

Recipe: Lucky Charm Sugar Cookies

Beautifully buttery and flaky, angel biscuits are a must for any buffet table that's in honor of a little angel-to-be. Instead of being made with self-raising flour, the lightness comes from using yeast, baking soda, and baking powder. Using frozen butter helps create the signature flakiness, as does grating it, and you only need to pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes beforehand. You can eat these biscuits as they are, and they're great served warm, or add a pot of jam and some cream to eat with them.

Recipe: Angel Biscuits

Say it with love with these customizable heart-shaped cookies. Ideally, you'll need an edible ink coloring pen, but you can also pipe on sweet messages instead. While this recipe uses almond extract, you can swap in lemon or vanilla if you prefer. (And you don't have to make pink hearts, either.) Use any color you like — just make sure to tap your cookies with a toothpick after dipping them in the icing to remove air bubbles.

Recipe: Conversation Heart Cookies

Love is in the air, and what a tender love it is for a child coming into this world. Delicate, pretty, and light, these heart-shaped macarons are stunning. You might want to only make these if you're doing a small spread, as they take culinary skills to achieve that perfect crunch followed by chewiness, and it's best to make them a couple of days before. Slightly jiggle your tray to test if your macarons are done. If they wiggle a lot, they need longer in the oven, but if they keep their shape, they're ready. 

Recipe: Heart-Shaped Macarons

Don't be thrown off by the name — it doesn't have to be the festive season to make star-shaped Christmas cookies. After all, a baby is a little star that shines brightly in the world. The white icing projects a sense of innocence and purity that's apt for a baby shower celebration of a new arrival. Add some spices to contract with the sugary coating, by putting ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the dough. Meanwhile, if you want to color your stars then just add a few drops of food coloring to your icing.

Recipe: Christmas Star Cookies

There's something so exquisitely light and timeless about French meringue. Turning crunchy and gooey loveliness into a cookie, makes for a superbly delicate buffet bite of sweetness. Just as a baby needs time to grow before being born, take your time to nurture these meringues into existence. Whisk up egg whites at room temperature, and use twice as much sugar as a general rule. The key to success is adding the sugar in three intervals. Don't be tempted to turn up the oven to speed up the cooking time — these babies take two hours. 

Recipe: French Meringue Cookies

The swirling design of these pinwheel cookies adds charming, old-style vibes to a baby shower, inspiring a fun playfulness. How a buffet table looks at such an event is part of the appeal. It's not enough to serve delicious desserts — they've got to look yummy, too. Once you've made your vanilla mix, make half of it chocolatey by adding cocoa powder, making sure it's unsweetened, as your mixture is sweet enough already. The key to rolling without your dough cracking is to cool it once it's been rolled out, and roll it slowly. 

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Pinwheel Cookies

If you love gingersnaps, imagine how good they are dipped in white chocolate. Taking time to know what the recipe steps are before you start helps make your baking experience a lot easier. To add greater depth of flavor, try exchanging the dry spices for fresh ones, such as using minced ginger and grating a piece of nutmeg. You can even add some spicy cayenne, black pepper, or allspice if you want an extra kick. A good tip to create uniform cookies, is to lightly smash them down before you bake them. 

Recipe: White Chocolate-Dipped Gingersnaps

Guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone's face, Funfetti is the ultimate celebratory cake. And even better, this recipe turns it into cookie bars. What's not to love? And at a baby shower, where there's likely to be families with kids, they tick all the buffet boxes. Remember, you can choose whatever color frosting and sprinkles you like, too. Before baking, press down the dough down in the tray so the bottom is completely covered. 

Recipe: Colorful Funfetti Cookie Bars

Cool whip cookies are lemony, light, and perfect for a baby shower table of delicate delights. They look lovely and are easy to make with just a few ingredients. For an airy texture, don't overwork the mixture, or your cookies may come out tough. Another good tip is to use a spatula to fold in the cool whip only until it's mixed in with the batter, and not any longer. After coating doughy balls in powdered sugar, use a spoon to get them out so you don't ruin the finished effect.

Recipe: Easy Cool Whip Cookies

If your baby shower buffet is an al fresco affair, or you want to conjure up memories of fun family camping trips, then these s'more-like cookies are a must. Gooey and chocolatey, with soft marshmallows, you don't need a campfire to create this traditional taste, and they're a lot less messy, too. Use whatever colored mini marshmallows you like, and while this recipe uses dark chocolate chips, you can use milk chocolate or any type you prefer. Mix your marshmallows in separately from the chocolate chips so you can stir them more gently.

Recipe: Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Bring some New York style and a touch of cool class to the table with these dramatic-looking black and white cookies. A must when baking these beauties is to leave a good gap of 5 inches between each cookie because they spread out. Agave is used to make the icing shiny, but you can use honey instead. Dutch cocoa powder is also recommended, but you can use normal chocolate powder if you don't mind your icing being harder. Use a butter knife or rubber spatula to frost your cookies. 

Recipe: Classic Black And White Cookies

Baby showers are supposed to be fun and lighthearted, so if you like the look of these colorfully delicious deviled eggs, you don't have to wait until Easter to make them. This recipe presents pretty pastels with pink, blue, yellow, and green, but you can choose whatever colors you like. Before you pipe in your egg yolk filling, make sure your dyed hard-boiled egg whites are completely dry. If you don't have a piping bag to hand, spoon the mix in instead. 

Recipe: Easter Deviled Eggs

Quiche is a traditional buffet dish, especially for during the day, which is the most likely time that a baby shower is being hosted. What's great about this recipe is that rather than messing around cutting a big quiche into slices, guests can grab bite-sized, miniature versions. Made with ham and tomatoes, you can use whatever ingredients you like. The lack of pastry means they're lovely and light too, and once they're ready, loosen them from the muffin tray with a knife and simply tip onto a plate and serve.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Mini Quiches

While chicken nuggets are a classic all-American finger food snack, cauliflower nuggets are a fabulous alternative. They're not only ridiculously delicious but are also a great choice if you don't want your buffet table to be weighted down with big, meaty dishes. Add flavor with onion powder, smoked paprika, and some garlic, and throw in a few chili flakes if you like heat. Once you've blended your mix together, including whatever cheese you like, add extra breadcrumbs or some flour if it's too wet to shape. Serve your baked nuggets with mayo, sweet chili sauce, or ketchup.

Recipe: Cauliflower Nuggets

A big bowl of pasta is a popular dish at any party. It's easy to make and is a crowd-pleasing staple. For a more refined spread and buffet-style food you can eat with your hands, make these fun and fabulous air-fryer pasta skewers. Kids love these sticks of tomatoey, basil, and mozzarella covered pasta too. This recipe uses rigatoni, but you can also use ziti. Baste both sides of the pasta with marinara sauce and put your skewers into your fryer before topping with cheese to stop it spilling. Garnish with fresh basil.

Recipe: Easy Pasta Skewers

Instead of a big loaf of bread, these soft, one-bite pretzels are so moreish, especially when served with a cheese sauce or some mustard. Your dough will be ready to proof when it comes away from the side of your mixing bowl. To get the right size, roll the dough into ropes no more than a half inch thick and make a cut every inch. After giving your pretzel bites a bath for a minute in warm water and baking soda, make sure you shake off any excess liquid before baking.

Recipe: Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Some buffet snacks are the full-flavor package, such as these crispy, buttery pastry cases with a cheesy, spinach, and marinated artichoke filling. Easy to make, they look impressive enough to grace any baby shower party table. While this recipe uses Neufchatel cheese, you can use cream cheese instead. Key recipe points are to make sure that your puff pastry is thoroughly thawed before adding your squares to your cupcake tray. If you can't get ahold of freshly marinated artichokes, use canned ones and add some Italian seasoning.

Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Bites

Before any sweet potatoes are born, baby shower guests can go goo-goo over how good these sweet potato fritters are. This version is sweet and salty, and to achieve that classic crispy on the outside fritter taste the trick is to squeeze out as much water as you can once you've grated your sweet potato. You may want to add a few dips to the table too, such as a mayo, guacamole, or hummus. A sprinkling of fresh chopped herbs adds an attractive splash of color that contrasts beautifully with the vibrant orange. 

Recipe: Sweet Potato Fritters

Beautiful buffet food adds to the lovely atmosphere of a baby shower. It's not about decadence and over-indulgence, but that doesn't mean to say your dishes can't sparkle magnificently. These cranberry and brie bites do just that, offering a stunning sweet-and-savory contrast with sugar-coated cranberries and cheese on a honey-drizzled, bite-size slice of toasted baguette. A sprig of mint adds the finishing touch, while you can make homemade rosemary salt for sprinkling on each bite at the end, by mixing the chopped-up leaves of the herb with salt.

Recipe: Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites

You can make these soft, moreish bites in advance, then simply pop them in the microwave before serving as they're best enjoyed warm. This recipe calls for you to fry your diced-up onion, peppers, and ham to enhance the flavor before adding to the eggy mix. However, if you're short on time or don't have enough pans free because you're cooking other dishes, you can add them raw. If you do cook the ingredients, make sure you let them cool before adding them to the eggs so they don't cook.

Recipe: Starbucks Copycat Egg Bites 

Sometimes, it's the simple pleasures of life that provide the most joy, whether that's welcoming a new addition to the family or enjoying a classic shrimp cocktail. There's no need to create a huge range of intricate dishes for a baby shower buffet when you have a platter of succulent shrimp for guests. The dip is made from sugar and spice and all things nice, such as Worcestershire sauce and horseradish. Although the recipe calls for hot spicy sauce, leave it out for a mellower taste. Use tail-on shrimp for an easier dipping experience.

Recipe: Homemade Shrimp Cocktail

These Vietnamese-style spring rolls made with rice paper are divinely light. Tips to make these delicate rolls include using shrimp that aren't too big while also using Persian cucumbers so that you don't need to peel and de-seed. While the sauce is made using crunchy peanut butter, you can use the smooth variety and just throw in a few chopped up peanuts. It's a good idea to make this dip first so that by the time you've made your rolls, the flavors have infused. Flag up this dish for peanut allergy sufferers.

Recipe: Shrimp Spring Rolls

When you're at a party for a few hours at least, it's nice for kids and grown-ups to have a bowl of something that they can keep dipping into. Kettle corn is a winner, and certainly healthier than chips or fries. And, if you make it yourself you can make it as sugary and as salty as you like. You can use butter in place of oil with this recipe, but either way make sure the fat doesn't reach smoking point or your kernels will burn, not pop. Test with one kernel first. 

Recipe: Easy Kettle Corn

Nori seaweed around soft sushi rice, with a crunchy cucumber center, less is more when it comes to certain buffet delights. These rolls are simple yet pretty, and they are ridiculously tasty. They look the part for any party, and they're also fun to make so older children could help as a way of celebrating the imminent arrival of a younger sibling. Cook each cup of rice with 50% more water, and make sure your salt and sugar seasoning that's added is nicely balanced. Add a soy, hoisin, or sriracha dip.

Recipe: Easy Cucumber Rolls

Moreish and mess-free, taquitos work at buffet parties because they're so neatly wrapped, meaning there's no need for cutlery. Your only challenge is to make enough Mexican rolls, as guests are bound to want more than one. Thankfully, you only need three ingredients to make them, although you can add extra toppings if you like. Sour cream, salsa, and guacamole go well, while cilantro and green onions add pep. Heat your tortillas on the stovetop as they can tear if you warm them in the microwave and bake in a single layer.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Baked Taquitos

As guests walk around enjoying baby talk, they want buffet foods that they can eat while standing up. These soft-centered delights are made with cans of crescent rolls, so all you have to do is add some filling and roll the pre-cut triangles. This recipe includes pecans but if you want to go nut-free then try adding some pumpkin seeds to create some crunch. You can swap the nuts out, too, and use pine nuts or any other variety you like. You can omit the marshmallows if you prefer, too. 

Recipe: Best Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls

These air fryer corn ribs are a fun and cute baby shower snack. (And they're less messy than chowing down on a big ole corn cob.) It's not easy to cut into a cob, so use a sharp knife, and after spearing the corn use a rocking motion to slice. After halving your cob vertically, each half is cut into four strips to create your "ribs." Olive oil creates a marinade to brush on — make sure the corn is completely covered. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Corn Ribs

Traditionally made ravioli is a bit sloppy for a celebratory buffet. But this recipe reinvents the Italian classic so that the ravioli are crunchy and full of flavor. They're a great finger food that's so different that everyone will be raving about them. It's best to use frozen ravioli for this recipe as they're easier to work with. For the coating, Parmesan works well with the panko because it adds a nice cheesy tang without turning the outside of the parcels gooey. Serve marinara or pizza sauce on the side for dipping. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli

Cheesy rice balls add Italian buffet-style joy to parties. One of the main elements of making these is cooking a risotto first using Arborio rice. However, if you're pushed for time, you can take a shortcut and use ready-made risotto instead. Buy mozzarella in a block or ball as you need to cube it. When you come to frying, fill your pan with enough oil to cover the arancini or use an air fryer. A marinara sauce dip goes well, and you can customize your balls with different seasonings or cheese, and adding a meat filling. 

Recipe: Traditional Arancini

Bring the full-on flavors of El Salvador to the table with these stuffed corn tortillas. This recipe puts refried beans and some shredded cheese in the center, but you can add whatever you like. Keep in mind that you need to make the balls of tortilla dough big enough to completely cover the filling. Keep up the South American taste sensation by serving your fried pupusas with the fresh taste of cilantro and avocado, along with some tomatoes. Avocado and lime salad add some zest, too. Traditionally, these are served with a Salvadorian coleslaw or tomato sauce dip. 

Recipe: Easy Pupusa

Every buffet table needs a star, and these Jamaican-inspired jerk chicken skewers are the bomb. To cut the chicken thighs into bitesize chunks make them the same size as the length to the first joint of your index finger. With scotch bonnets added for some heat, this recipe isn't so hot it's not a family-friendly dish, but it still gives just the right kick. (Of course, vary this if you think it needs to be milder or hotter.) Don't worry if you don't have pimento seeds; you can use allspice instead.

Recipe: Spicy Jerk Chicken Skewers

Bang, bang. This dish explodes with taste, and the heat is flavorsome rather than a huge chili hit. (Naturally, you can add more Sriracha if you want a more fiery dip.) And while the recipe calls for this to be made with mayonnaise, feel free to switch this to crème fraîche or yogurt. Make life easier by using raw shrimp that's already been shelled and de-veined. Just make sure they're dry before coating. And if you want a crispier texture, use panko breadcrumbs in place of cornstarch.

Recipe: Best Bang Bang Shrimp

Light, fluffy bites feel more at home at a baby shower than a heavy snack, and recipes such as these splendid little soufflés are perfect. (And no, they're not as difficult to make as a full-size soufflé.) You're just adding a whisked up egg and milk mixture to a muffin pan and then spooning in your other ingredients. That way, you get a good amount of goodies in each morsel. Bacon and sausage bits complement this dish, so add these into the grated cheese mix. Let them cook a little before serving. 

Recipe: Mini Egg Souffles

There's something appealingly retro and wholesome about green tomatoes — they evoke a traditional, homely feeling that's nurturing and nourishing. In terms of portion size, it depends on the size of your tomatoes. It's vital that your tomato slices are properly dry before you dredge them in flour. Otherwise, you won't get a nice thin and even layer. Think ahead, and place a wire rack over an aluminum foil wrapped baking tray for your coated tomatoes. When done, serve with either a homemade dip or some store-bought ranch dressing. 

Recipe: Air Fryer Green Tomatoes

This grab-and-eat snack adds color and a fruity, savory flavor to buffets. Don't worry about soaking the wooden sticks — you don't need to. For this dish, the twist is in adding coconut to the marinade and sprinkling some coconut flakes on top of the finished skewers. Aim for two pieces of each ingredient per skewer, and serve with some coconut-lime rice or as they are — just make sure the chicken is cooked through. 

Recipe: The Pioneer Woman's Hawaiian Chicken Skewers With a Twist

If you've got a sous vide, these creamy, velvety bites are a brilliant buffet addition. There's no issue with using store-bought roasted red peppers, and you can play around with the ingredients however you like. Suggestions include adding green bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, or zucchini. You can also add different cheeses, such as cheddar or Parmesan. These are cooked in Mason jars, so a good tip is tightening the lid and then unscrewing it one turn so it's easy to undo later. 

Recipe: Sous Vide Egg Bites

Most people love pizza, and this crowd-pleaser is an ideal sharing dish for a baby shower catering for guests of all ages. Simply cutting your dough into a heart shape before you bake it adds to the theme of the event: a celebration of life and love. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to create the shape, and bang these pizzas out using store-bought pizza dough and pizza sauce. Leave a little dough sauce-free at the edges. And while you can use whatever cheese you like, mozzarella is a great choice. 

Recipe: Heart-Shaped Pizza

It's interesting how a classic sharing dish can be turned into individual portions for a buffet. This cute-as-can-be jarcuterie idea is fantastic and practical, as each guest gets their fair share. And they're easy to grab, eat, and socialize at the same time. The jars look so creative and charming, and the fact that they're so simple to make adds to their appeal for the host. Long crackers that stick out of the jars are ideal.

Recipe: Easy Jarcuterie

Because you need to dip into this luxurious dessert when the chocolate is melted, you might want to present it to your guests as an extra-special sweet treat separately. Nothing says celebration like a chocolate fondue, and if you add your fruit, cookies, pretzels, and marshmallows around your serving pot, it's going to look spectacular. Unlike cheese fondue, you don't need to keep the heat on with a candle underneath this dish, which makes it safer if there's lots of kids around who are going to want to dig in straightaway. 

Recipe: Classic Chocolate Fondue

Sometimes, you've got to go big so your guests go home feeling happy and full. And the best buffet tables tempt with terrific dishes that look just as good as they taste. Add to this, the popularity of Mexican food for partygoers of all ages, and the practicality of serving up food that can be easily eaten without needing a knife and fork. Turning a traditionally individual dish into a supersized sharing one is so clever and this giant burrito makes perfect sense. Add the rice, bean, and avocado with sour cream layers horizontally.

Recipe: Giant Burrito

An al fresco, summer baby shower is the perfect occasion to serve homemade ice pops. They're so juicy, and the pineapple, mango, and passion fruit flavors pop, while the coconut milk and honey adds a creamy, silky essence. While you use a blender, you still need to chop your fruit, so make sure you use a sharp knife so you can cut the pineapple close to the skin. Run warm water over the molds to get your pops out, and increase the temperature or do this for longer if they won't budge.

Recipe: Homemade Ice Pops

Making fresh lemonade elevates a family-friendly celebration. Forget store-bought varieties; making a homemade version with lemons, sugar, and water is a way of showing you care. Quality is just as important as quantity at a baby shower, and socializing can be thirsty work, especially if it's a daytime do in the summer. Add mint or basil for a grown-up finishing touch, and use limes in place of lemons if you love limeade. Make sure your syrup isn't grainy and add it according to how sweet you want your lemonade.

Recipe: Classic Lemonade

If you don't want alcohol to be the big buzz at a baby shower, switch out the hard liquor for a child-friendly mocktail that adults can enjoy, too. And because margaritas are so darned delicious, if you're going to choose one virgin cocktail, then make it this one. The citrusy notes of freshly squeezed lime juice, orange extract, and grapefruit juice, with honey, creates real depth of flavor. Use a fork to get all the juice out of your limes, and if you don't want to salt the whole rim of the glass, salt half.

Recipe: Margarita Mocktail

A refreshing mojito — without the boozy after-effects — is so good to sip at a buffet, with those exceptional citrusy notes and sparkling water mix. You can also muddle in some berries with the lime and mint leaves, and add a few as garnish too. A good tip to stir your long mocktail is to use a chopstick if you don't have a bar spoon. Because you're bruising the mint, make a jug and serve it straightaway so the herb doesn't brown, and garnish with a sprig of mint and a wedge of lime.

Recipe: Best Alcohol-Free Mojito

Homemade lemonade is an incredibly thirst-quenching drink and is ideal for a baby shower held in the garden on a summer's day. Add a creative twist with some watermelon juice as it pairs so well with lemons. You want to be getting a medium or large watermelon for this recipe, so you can get enough juice out of it. Taste test after mixing, and you can add more sugar if you want to sweeten your juice. To serve, add crushed ice, lime slices, and mint leaves to a glass, pour, and enjoy.

Recipe: Homemade Watermelon Lemonade

While homemade strawberry lemonade is sweet and citrusy all by itself, you can also turn it into a grown-up cocktail with some rum, vodka, or gin too. Just keep an eye on your pan when making the strawberry concentrate so that it doesn't burn. You can make this ahead of time and freeze, too. To get just the right level of flavor, be sure to add three times as much water to your juice concentrate. Strawberries and lemon slices add an attractive garnish to each glass as well.

Recipe: Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

If life gives you lemons, then make lemonade, so the adage goes. For this recipe, choose lemons that have a little give to them when you squeeze them, as that's when they're nice and ripe. If you don't want to use heavy cream, you can also make this drink using condensed milk, or opt for a dairy-free version using coconut milk. For extra creaminess add some whipped cream to the top. There's nothing wrong with this coming from a can if you don't have the time or energy to whip up fresh cream. 

Recipe: Whipped Lemonade

The mellow, mild taste of green tea is perfect for this strawberry-based, baby shower cooler, while the strawberries add a tart, sweet note. If you don't want to make drinks that are too sugary, then use a healthy, alternative sweetener to sugar. Use good sized, bright red strawberries that are perfectly ripe. Chill in the fridge or if you're short on time then stick your pitcher of juice into the freezer before serving. You can even turn this drink into popsicles or berry-flavored ice cubes to add a hint of flavor to plain water.

Recipe: Strawberry Sweet Tea

Most people think of fruit when they consider making a smoothie, whether banana or blueberries. Inject some fun and childhood flavors with this peanut butter and jelly smoothie recipe, which is so deliciously creamy, salty, and sweet. Use frozen strawberries, not fresh, to create that classic smoothie coolness. If you want to create a more indulgent drink, add some Nutella as well. To finish, drizzle some melted peanut butter on top.

Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter And Jelly Smoothie

Soft drinks don't have to be boring, and a baby shower is the ideal occasion to get creative with some refreshing concoctions. Berry-licious, the green coffee bean powder in this recipe adds a little kick. When you come to straining your steeped hibiscus flowers, you can also use a coffee filter. And if you don't have a dedicated muddler, then a fork or the back of a spoon can crush up your blackberries. Don't forget to leave some whole so you can use them as a garnish.

Recipe: Copycat Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refresher

There are so many fabulous non-alcoholic drinks to make for a party, but you can't go wrong with sweet tea. It tastes so good, and it's affordable and easy-to-make. Don't leave the teabags in for longer than 10 seconds, so that the tea doesn't taste bitter. While serving with ice cubes, chill the tea first so they don't melt too quickly. You can also make an Arnold Palmer with half sweet tea and half lemonade.

Recipe: Copycat McDonald's Sweet Tea

If there's a cake equivalent of a party popper, it's a Funfetti dessert. The incredible amount of multi-colored sprinkles in the sponge and on the top makes you want to smile. It's fun and captures the essence of childhood wonder, in a rainbow cake. If there's one cake that's fit for a baby shower buffet table it's this one. This recipe is all about the sprinkles so make sure you use rainbow jimmies and not anything smaller or crystal sugar. Use an icing scraper to smooth out the frosting before adorning it with color.

Recipe: Funfetti Cake

Brownies are supposed to be decadent, but they can still have some goodness in them, too. Sweet potatoes make this version nutritious, and they make the texture lovely and gooey. They're also pretty simple to make. Your main challenge is when mixing the dry ingredients together, as you're only using a small amount of baking soda, so you need to give this mix a good whisk so it's evenly distributed. Make sure you add the sugar to the dry ingredients and not to the sweet potato and peanut butter.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Brownies

A baby shower can be full of surprises. Bring that concept into your dessert table too, with a rainbow sherbet cake, an explosion of vibrant colors wrapped in white whip. You can use a vanilla angel cake, or any flavor you like, and for the sherbet choose three different flavors or a large tub of rainbow sherbet. To get even layers use a large serrated knife to cut through the light sponge. Frozen whipped topping works better than whipped cream.

Recipe: Rainbow Sherbet Cake

A four-layered moist cake with creamy buttercream frosting needs no fanfare, while the beautiful green ombre color inside enhances its appeal. To get a great contrast between the shades of the sponge, build up the color slowly so that you can get just the right difference in intensity from light to dark. To get the graduated color on the outside, use a palette knife on the buttercream to blend it.

Recipe: Green Ombre Cake

Fried balls of dough are the ultimate buffet dessert, as guests can eat them straight from the table. These Spanish beauties are amazing rolled in a sugar and cinnamon mix. You can also top them with granulated sugar, confectioner's sugar, or a spicy syrup. Fry them in batches, as they'll expand in the hot oil and keep the temperature up. As they rise to the surface, get an even fry on them by flipping them over with some heat-proof tongs.

Recipe: Authentic Spanish Buñuelos De Viento

Relive a childhood dessert dream of eating cookie dough. And what better place to do that than at a baby shower? Thankfully, there's no raw egg in this recipe, or any eggs at all. And an important safety step in this version is cooking the flour through, too. Leave out the vanilla extract if you don't want even a tiny amount of alcohol in the mix, and customize such as by adding sprinkles, cocoa powder, or raisins. You can make a gluten-free and dairy-free version of this dough as well.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Edible Cookie Dough

It's sometimes cool to add a dessert to a buffet party that everyone knows and loves. And whoopie pie is an all-American classic. Soft and chewy cooked on the outside with a light, airy vanilla center, these handheld pies are a popular choice. If you've already got a lot of chocolatey offerings on the table, then you can also make strawberry pies instead, or another flavor such as pumpkin and maple syrup. A good tip is using a cookie scoop to divide the batter so you get a more uniform batch of pies.

Recipe: Whoopie Pies

If you like following recipes but also customizing them, these sweet parcels are for you. While this version puts pumpkin in the middle, glazed with a brown sugar icing, you can use other fruity fillings such as cherry or strawberry. If you like the pumpkin idea but want to spice it up a little, add some cinnamon and nutmeg into the purée. Simple tips include not filling the tarts too close to the edges and making sure the pieces of dough are sealed by pinching them together or crimping with a fork. 

Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin PopTarts

If you don't want a chocolate overload, then use Greek yogurt to make these sophisticated-looking dipped strawberries. Of course, a drizzle of chocolate complements the visual effect. Use a good, dark chocolate if you can, but you can also melt chocolate chips and thin out with coconut oil. Vanilla yogurt is yummy, but any flavor is fine, as long as it's smooth, without any bits. Dip a fork in the melted chocolate and swing across the strawberries to create a drizzle design, and serve some of the hot chocolate to dip too, if you like.

Recipe: Yogurt-Dipped Strawberries

Gingerbread men conjure up thoughts of storybooks and make-believe and are perfect for celebrating the magic of bringing a new baby into the world. Expect the dough to be thick when making these cookies. And if it looks crumbly because there are so many dry ingredients, just keep beating until they come together. It's essential to chill the dough before baking; otherwise it'll spread out, and the shapes will not be as distinct. Decorate however you like with decorating icing gel, which gives better control to add a big smile on the faces. 

Recipe: Gingerbread Men

Guests have their cake and eat it, too, with these fruity, juicy cherry pies. Turn a big pie idea into mini versions for a buffet and you don't have to bother slicing at the table. Use pre-packaged roll-out pie crusts and a can of high-quality cherry filling if you want to save time on creating these dessert babies. A Mason jar lid is ideal for cutting circles in the pastry. 

Recipe: Mini Cherry Pies

Putting cake on a stick and covering it in chocolate is nothing short of culinary genius. Add these cake pops to a baby shower buffet and the faces of guests of all ages will light up with delight. And when you add Oreos, this recipe goes next-level. If your cream cheese and cookie mix is too wet, freeze for a short time so it's easier to make ball shapes. Don't freeze the balls for longer than 15 minutes before dipping them in chocolate so they're lovely and soft when you bite into them.

Recipe: Best Oreo Cake Pops

You can't help but fall in love with these one-bite strawberry cheesecakes. The buttery graham cracker crust, velvety cream cheese and sour cream topping, and strawberry slice are divine. Because they're small and not overpoweringly filling, guests can enjoy them and still have room to sample other desserts on the table. If you can't resist, add some chocolate chips into the batter and bake this until the cheesecake looks firm on top. While they're not complex to make, they need a few hours of fridge time to chill before serving. 

Recipe: Mini Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

When you're hosting a buffet, you need some easy-to-make classics that aren't going to let you down. Drum roll please for the New York cheesecake. The beautifully white simplicity of this dessert's design, along with each forkful promising such creaminess, makes it a hands-down favorite. This recipe adds in lemon juice and zest, sour cream, and eggs which elevate the texture and taste. Run a knife around the cheesecake as it cools in the tin to stop it cracking, and chill overnight. Serve with plain, with drizzled chocolate, or stewed fruit.

Recipe: Classic New York Cheesecake

Petite and pretty, these mini fruit tarts add French-style sophistication to buffets, which only enhances the celebratory atmosphere. They're super sweet to look at without the taste being too sweet. What's great is that you just have to thaw frozen phyllo cases before filling them, so there's no need to bake anything. Choose a vanilla or lemon pudding, and don't overfill to keep that delicate look. Cut your kiwi and strawberry pieces nice and small, and don't overcrowd the top of the tart. Serve with lemon zest on the top if you like.

Recipe: Mini Fruit Tarts

Beautiful desserts that look complicated to make, but just aren't, are the best. Cannoli might be an Italian classic, but these sweet rolls are right on trend today. If you're looking for tips to make the shells, they're not here, as the beauty of this recipe is using store-bought ones, which saves a lot of faff. Cinnamon and chocolate chips are added to the ricotta, and on top. Feel free to break from tradition with other toppings such as chopped unsalted pistachios, shredded coconut, dried or fresh fruit, or even a drizzle of caramel.

Recipe: Easy Cannoli

Bring a British sweet named after a well-to-do English school to the table, and you have one of best strawberry desserts ever. You can't go wrong with broken meringue, heavy cream, sugar, and strawberries, so that every spoonful is a crunchy, creamy, fruity, and delicious 'mess'. Buy in meringues to speed up prep time and don't bother cutting your strawberries evenly or breaking your meringues into uniform pieces. The messier the better. Only combine the meringue with the cream and sauce when it's ready to serve so it doesn't lose its irresistible crunch.

Recipe: Easy Eton Mess

Because baby showers are wonderful for taking picture-perfect photos of a splendid party, why not celebrate with these trendy Instagram brownies? The original recipe was a viral hit, and this variation adds an extra ingredient, with some semi-sweet chocolate chips, too. Use a wooden spoon when adding them so they don't break up in the batter. If you want your Insta icon designs to pop, make sure your brownie squares are neat and even, and only ice them when they've properly cooled.

Recipe: Rosanna Pansino's Instagram Brownies With A Twist

The trio of layers that appear as if by magic in this recipe range from crispy, to creamy, and dense. Serve this dessert at a buffet, and it'll magically disappear pretty quickly, too. To get the consistency just right, use 2% fat milk and all-purpose flour, not cake flour. The cake should still wobble in the middle when cooked and needs to be left for an hour to firm up before serving. Get creative by adding cocoa powder or cinnamon into the batter or some fruit and chocolate chips once it's baked.

Recipe: 3-Layer Magic Cake

Jell-O might be just fine at a party for kids, but turn it into a parfait, and you've just made a dessert everyone's going to love at a baby shower. If your oven's chock-full of other buffet delights, then you'll welcome a sweet that needs no heat, with no cooking required. You can use sugar-free Jell-O, and whatever flavor you like, and a lite Cool Whip. Match the chopped fruit on top with the flavor of your dessert. Try an on-theme idea and serve your parfaits in baby food jars. 

Recipe: Easy Mini Jell-O Parfait

These enchanting cake pops are perfect for cherishing a baby-to-be. While they look so lovingly created, you can take a shortcut by using store-bought cake mix and frosting. They're pretty in pink, but if you haven't got any melts this color, add some red food coloring to vanilla almond bark. Make the pops big enough to bite into and enjoy, but not so heavy they might fall off. Dip the sticks in the melted coating before pushing in, so they stay in place. Sprinkle with fairy dust or white nonpareil sprinkles.

Recipe: Starbucks Copycat Cake Pops