There’s always something new in the sweet world! We’ve found the most exciting trends to look out for the next time you’re on the hunt for a sweet treat! Some of these are reinventions of the old classics and others are a little bit more out there… Whatever you fancy, we’ll help you find the perfect on-trend dessert.
Read on to find out who the new [sweet] kids on the block are!
Dessert Boards
This new food trend is basically a reinterpretation of the charcuterie board. Instead of gorgeous cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, olives, nuts, and jams, the dessert board is full of sweets. A dessert board is littered with candy, chocolate, fruit, cakes, marshmallows, and sauces. If you want a cohesive, aesthetically pleasing dessert board you can easily make one in a single colour! A pink themed dessert board is very on trend, particularly around Valentine’s Day. It is made with pink wafers, strawberries, red vines, and pink gummy hearts!
Sweet Boxes
Sweet boxes are at the top of the trend forecast. Sweet boxes are beautiful gift boxes filled with a collection of sweets and cakes. Sweet boxes make the perfect gift! You can pick and choose what you want inside and add any personalised decorations. Sweet boxes are so on trend that all your friends will be begging for one!
Doughnuts
On trend doughnuts are completely unrecognisable to the humble glazed ring. Toppings, fillings, and flavours are all the rage at the moment. In 2022, people particularly love pistachio, peanut butter & jam, apple crumble, and lemon meringue doughnuts.
There’s also a massive market for fun and playful doughnut toppings. Doughnuts are piled high with sprinkles, chocolate, cereal, or other edible decorations. It’s definitely a “bigger the better” kinda trend! While the toppings and the flavour combinations are ever changing, that gorgeous dough will always remain the same. Doughnuts are well and truly a modernised classic!
Edible Hampers
Edible hampers are an oldie but goodie. An edible hamper will always be a sweet trend! They are a perfect, delicious gift for any occasion. You can even treat yourself to one! Edible hampers are filled with chocolates, cakes, condiments, and other amazing snacks.
If you’re sending off an edible hamper it’s a good idea to personalise it to the max. A hamper filled with someone's favourite things will make them feel extra special. Edible hampers are always classy and always loved. It’s for this reason they are on trend now!
Drip Cakes
Drip cakes are an uber-luxe cake decoration trend. The drip effect occurs when icing or ganache is poured over the top of the cake and drips down its edges. The drip creates an elevated, luxurious cake. Drips can be done in creative rainbow colours, gold leaf, or ombre. To make the cake even better, add some colourful icing and extravagant decorations. Whatever theme you choose, a drip cake is guaranteed to be a showstopper!
Sweet Bouquets
A bouquet made of sweets? Sign me up! Sweet bouquets are a huge trend right now! A floral arrangement made from chocolate is the most popular sweet bouquet. They can also be made from candy or doughnuts! You can make sweet bouquets at home or they can be purchased from a professional. This trendy bouquet is sure to impress all your friends and family!
Chocolate Smash Hearts
Chocolate smash hearts are super on trend! You’ve probably seen them all over your social media. It’s a thin, heart shaped chocolate shell that is filled with candy, chocolates, and glitter. The recipient of this amazing gift smashes the chocolate with a wooden hammer and unleashes a delicious surprise inside. It’s basically a pinata but entirely edible and much prettier! Chocolate smash hearts come in all sorts of colours and themes. You can find one for any occasion!
High Tea
Nothing is quite as chic as high tea! Even in 2022, this old classic is at the top of our trend report. High tea is a mid-afternoon luxury. Enjoy bubbly champagne or the finest loose-leaf tea, accompanied by a selection of delectable cakes and sandwiches.
High tea is trending now because it is a classy, luxurious, Instagram-friendly experience. What's not to love? You will feel royalty for a couple of hours as you feast on extraordinary sweet treats. Next time you’re feeling fancy, head to the poshest hotel near you and let your inner queen loose.
Olive Oil Cake
Olive oil cake is an Italian classic! Thanks to the internet, this well kept secret is now trending. Olive oil makes for a richer, moister, and flavourful cake. The best olive oil cake is made with a hint of lemon or orange. If you want to try out the trend but aren’t convinced, you can add a splash of olive oil to your favourite cake for extra moistness.
Reduced Sugar
The reduced sugar trend is an offshoot of the dietary shift toward health and wellbeing. People are actively looking for healthier options, especially when they want to satisfy their sweet tooth. The reduced sugar essentially changes the sugar content of desserts, in turn making them healthier options.
You can now find reduced sugar alternatives of all your favourite snacks. Cookies, chocolate mousse, cakes, and cheesecake, amongst other things, all come in reduced sugar versions. However, the sugar in these sweets are usually replaced by artificial sugar substitutes which aren’t always healthier!
Plant-Based
Plant-based sweets are hugely popular at the moment! Demand for plant-based desserts and treats has grown tremendously in the past couple of years. Consumers want to see all their favourite sweet treats made without animal products (even the ones made with dairy products!). As a result, companies have started to be responsive to consumer demand.
Cheesecakes, milkshakes, chocolate, and ice cream can all be found in plant-based versions. We predict this trend to keep getting bigger and bigger as the plant-based diet becomes more mainstream.
Realistic Cakes
Cakes that don’t look like cakes are everywhere right now! The internet is full of cakes that look like real things. Talented cake makers have sculpted cakes into burgers, coffee cups, appliances, and even animals! The only limit is their imagination. Could you be fooled by a realistic cake? Or are you confident you will be able to guess the real cake?! Good luck (you’ll need it!).
Coffee and Tea Infusions
Coffee and tea infusions are very on trend in the dessert world. Coffee and tea are loved by millions of people all over the world. It’s a no-brainer to include these delicious, caffeinated flavours in desserts. And it’s definitely going down a treat, as this trend has skyrocketed in 2022.
Earl grey cake, espresso chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate mocha mousse all deserve an honourable mention! Get your caffeine and sweet fix at the same time with this delicious trend!
Blondie
A blondie is a white chocolate brownie! They are top of the trend charts because a blondie is just delectable! People are obsessed with this new interpretation of the classic brownie. If you’re a fan of white chocolate, you will love this trend.
Just like a brownie, the blondie is made with flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and chocolate. This means a blondie has the same amazing fudgy texture as a brownie.
Cookie Dough
Cookie dough is very trendy! You can get cookie dough flavoured ice cream, chocolate, or milkshakes. Or, you can opt for real, homemade cookie dough! Cookie dough is the batter that is used to make a batch of cookies. It is made with eggs, flour, brown sugar, a dash of milk, and a handful of chocolate chips.
If you’re eating cookie dough uncooked you do need to be cautious of raw eggs and flour as they can carry harmful bacteria. It shouldn’t put you off making the most of the trend, it’s just something to be aware of!
Peanut Butter
It seems like peanut butter is always on trend. And 2022 is no exception. Peanut butter makes for the best snacks that are a mix of sweet and savoury. Peanut butter sweets were originally only found in the United States. When the whole world started to get a taste for this delicious treat, peanut butter entered the trend charts and hasn’t left since.
Peanut butter with chocolate is the most popular sweet, however, peanut butter cookies and peanut butter cheesecake are also well liked. Peanut butter shows no sign of slowing down either. It will always be a staple on the trending list.
We obviously include a range of chocolate hampers that include peanut butter filled awesomeness such as our Reeses chocolate hamper.
New Kids On The Block - The Latest Sweet Trends
There you have it! Those were the trending sweets and desserts of 2022. Whether you are revisiting an old classic, or are looking to try something a bit crazy, these trends are for you! Be adventurous and try a couple of things you haven’t heard of before! Trends are great to experiment with and broaden your horizons. Book in for some high tea, try a plant-based dessert or make a drip cake at home. Trends are just all just a bit of fun!