10 Iconic Desserts From TV And Film We Wish We Could Try

Ever been casually enjoying a movie or TV series, only to be hit with some serious dessert cravings? We've all been there. One minute you're flat out on the couch, and the next you're contemplating whipping up a sweet treat. But, can we really be to blame? After all, there's something rather satisfying about the way food is portrayed on screen. Perhaps it's a towering cake, a perfectly plated pastry, or a totally tempting slice of pie. Even animated desserts can get our mouths watering! And, with these decadent creations often woven deeply into the story, they become all the more memorable. Thus, many on-screen desserts have become rather iconic amongst film lovers and foodies, having been recreated by keen home bakers around the world.

From rich, chocolatey cakes that ooze indulgence, to vibrant, sprinkle-topped donuts and ultra-creamy milkshakes, we've rounded up 10 of the most tempting desserts from TV and film. These treats are sure to capture your imagination, leaving you wishing you could reach through the screen and try a bite. Let's be honest, who wouldn't want to sample the freshly baked delights at The Grand Budapest Hotel, or swipe a spoonful of "the grey stuff" just to see what the fuss is about? So, let's kick off this delicious lineup and perhaps get some homemade dessert inspiration along the way.

Anyone who's watched the classic 1996 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's "Matilda" will remember the colossal chocolate cake it features. In one of the film's most iconic scenes, young Bruce Bogtrotter is forced to devour the entire rich, frosting-slathered cake in front of the entire school, under the menacing gaze of Miss Trunchbull. And of course, he succeeds! It's somehow both grotesque and appetizing, and despite the slightly traumatic circumstances, the cake itself is undeniably a thing of beauty. Glossy, dense, and rich with cocoa, it's the kind of bake you'd jump at the chance to sample. But, perhaps just one slice will do.

Over the years, the "Matilda chocolate cake" has inspired countless recreations. These tend to feature multiple layers of rich chocolate sponge, often enhanced with buttermilk for added moisture, or coffee to intensify the chocolatey flavor. When it comes to the frosting, some versions opt for a shiny ganache made with dark chocolate and heavy cream, while others are coated and filled with a sweet chocolate buttercream. Either way, the vibe of this cake is pure indulgence, so if you're tempted to bake your own Bruce Bogtrotter-inspired creation, we guarantee it'll be a hit.

It might be a little lopsided, and it's most definitely misspelled, but Hagrid's birthday cake for Harry Potter is arguably one of the most heart-warming on-screen desserts. This cake appears in the first of the eight-part film series — "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." On a dark, stormy night, Hagrid barges into the remote hut where the Dursleys are hiding out, delivering the clumsy home-baked masterpiece to Harry for his eleventh birthday, before famously announcing, "Yer a wizard".

In the film, Hagrid's cake is round, covered in bright pink frosting, and decorated with green lettering that reads "Happee Birthdae Harry." Upon handing the ribbon-tied cardboard box to Harry, Hagrid apologizes for possibly having sat on it during the journey, and the garish, cracked cake inside is then revealed. But, there's something wonderfully endearing about its imperfect look, which perfectly introduces us to Hagrid's soft and caring side. And, this lovingly-made gift marks the start of a beautiful friendship between the two characters.

Fans have recreated this cake time and time again, generally using a simple chocolate sponge as the base, and topping this with thick vanilla or white chocolate buttercream in those signature colors. It's a bake you can certainly have fun with, and a flavor combination that's easy to get on board with. So, perhaps it's time you whipped this charming birthday cake up for the Harry Potter fan in your life.

This instantly recognizable, cartoon-ified dessert from "The Simpsons" is a simple yet perfectly crafted treat that's had fans of the show drooling for decades. With its vibrant pink frosting and scattering of rainbow sprinkles, it's easy to see why this delicious donut is Homer Simpson's snack of choice. It has the classic round shape, with a hole in the middle, and an irresistibly glossy finish. The bake features in countless scenes of the TV series, whether it's being dreamily devoured at the nuclear power plant or absent-mindedly dropped mid-crisis. And, it's become a key element of the show's branding, even featuring on the poster for "The Simpsons Movie," which was released in 2007.

In real life, plenty of bakeries have taken inspiration from this animated icon, crafting their own pink-iced versions. In 2018, Krispy Kreme launched its take on the donut. With a soft and fluffy dough as the base, the "Simpsons D'ohnut" was glazed, then dipped in a strawberry-white chocolate icing, and topped with those all-important rainbow sprinkles. Sadly, this decadent delight was only available for a short period in Australia, and has since been discontinued. You can, however, currently pick up a giant version of the Simpsons donut at Lard Lad Donuts, which is found in Springfield at Universal Studios Orlando. Or, if you fancy recreating this treat at home, try following our classic glazed donut recipe, and mixing up a simple icing glaze with powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a few drops of pink food coloring.

Tiana's beignets in "The Princess and the Frog" are the kind of bake that'll have you dreaming of taking that first pillowy bite the second you see them on screen. They're golden, fluffy, and completely irresistible. What's more, they're based on a real-life dessert. Popular in New Orleans, where they are thought to have been introduced by French settlers, beignets are deep-fried pastries with a crisp exterior and soft, airy middle. They are typically coated with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Beignets make several appearances in the Disney movie, perhaps most memorably in the lively "Down in New Orleans" scene, where Tiana whips them up in Duke's Cafe. Although the pastries are animated, they still look ridiculously appealing as they're being drizzled with honey, finished with a flurry of powdered sugar, and served up to the hungry guests.

To make your own batch of beignets, you'll first prepare a yeasted brioche-style dough with ingredients like flour, sugar, evaporated milk, egg, and butter. Some recipes also see the mixture flavored with vanilla extract or a pinch of nutmeg. And, there's also the option to achieve that puffed-up texture with baking powder or soda rather than instant yeast. Once the dough has been rolled out and cut into small rectangles, these pleasing portions are deep-fried until golden, before they're drained on kitchen paper, and the sugar is added.

Quentin Tarantino's 1994 Oscar winner, "Pulp Fiction," is a firm favorite amongst movie fanatics. And, one of the scenes it's best known for takes place in a diner, where the effortlessly cool Mia Wallace orders a milkshake. But, this creamy concoction is no ordinary shake, because this one costs a whopping five dollars (yes, that was a pretty hefty price to pay back in 1994!). After Collins has ordered, protagonist Vincent Vega's is quick to remark, asking, "Did you just order a five dollar shake? That's a shake. That's milk and ice cream. That's five dollars. You don't put bourbon in it or nothing?". But, Vega is later put in his place when he tries a sip of the drink. "God damn! That's a pretty f***ing good milkshake!" he exclaims.

The shake itself isn't a towering sundae or even particularly impressive-looking. Instead, it's a deceptively simple, classic vanilla ice cream shake, served over ice with a glistening maraschino cherry on top. Since the exact makeup of the shake is not revealed in the film, this has left the recipe open to interpretation by die-hard "Pulp Fiction" fans. Many have tried to emulate its cool and creamy decadence, often whipping up versions made with the rich trio of milk, heavy cream, and ice cream, as well as vanilla bean paste for the ultimate sweet, aromatic finish.

If there's one dessert synonymous with the '90s cult TV series "Twin Peaks," it's cherry pie. In the show, FBI agent Dale Cooper displays an unrelenting enthusiasm for a slice of this wholesome treat, enjoying it at the town's Double R Diner on many an occasion.

Whilst cherry pie has been around long before "Twin Peaks" hit our screens, this version appears to have everything you could possibly want in the classic American bake. It's flaky, with a golden crust and vibrant, glossy cherry filling. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, it makes for the ultimate comforting treat. Throughout the two seasons of the show, the dessert becomes an ever more prominent feature, inspiring fans to create their own fruit-filled creations at home.

When digging through the special features on the Blu-ray edition of "Twin Peaks," one Reddit user even managed to find the alleged original recipe for the pie. Surprisingly, the recipe instructs bakers to make the crust with Crisco (a type of shortening), rather than butter. This is mixed with flour and ice water before the dough is chilled overnight, then rolled out to create the base and lattice topping. For the filling, sour frozen cherries are simply heated with cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt until syrupy, then poured into the pie shell, ready for baking.

If you're thinking that this whimsical, pastel-colored pastry stack looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson movie, that's because it is. In "The Grand Budapest Hotel," the courtesan au chocolat plays its own starring role. Crafted by the fictional pastry chef Herr Mendl, this delicate tower of cream puffs is nothing short of a masterpiece.

This dessert might appear somewhat fiddly to recreate, but doing so is certainly not unattainable. The recipe can be easily broken down into three key elements. These are the three choux pastry buns (each one smaller than the other), the chocolate creme filling, and the pastel-toned fondant icing. A simple choux dough can be mixed up with flour, water, butter, eggs, salt, and sugar, then piped into balls and baked. For the filling, you'll need milk, semi-sweet chocolate, egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and cornstarch. And finally, there's the icing — a simple combination of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. For the most authentic look, you'll want to split the mixture into three, tinting one section purple, one pink, and the other green.

To assemble the courtesan au chocolat, pipe the creme into each bun, dip the buns in the icing, and stack them up with the largest on the bottom and smallest on the top. You can also add some more intricate piping work in the form of swirls, beads, or borders, if desired. And, a coffee bean placed on top makes for an elegant final flourish.

Next up, we have the famous strudel moment in "Inglorious Basterds." Served up to Colonel Hans Landa and Shosanna at a swanky Parisian restaurant, the strudel boasts a flaky, golden crust, generous apple filling, and delicate dusting of powdered sugar. In a menacing move that's intended to test whether Shosanna is Jewish, Landa instructs her to "Wait for the cream", knowing that this addition would not be kosher. The waiter then dollops the fluffy whipped cream atop the strudel slice, making it appear even more tempting.

Here, the strudel is used as a deceptively sweet prop in a deeply sinister conversation, but outside of the film's context, it's impossible not to crave that exact dessert. Thankfully, you can absolutely make your own apple strudel, opting for the convenience of store-bought puff pastry and the delicious sweet-tart taste of Granny Smith apples. Most recipes also feature warming spices like cinnamon and allspice, and the addition of raisins for extra chewy, fruity sweetness.

In a world of betrayal and brutal battles, lemon cakes serve as a light-hearted symbol of innocence in "Game of Thrones." These zesty, sunny bites are frequently mentioned as Sansa Stark's favorite treat, often enjoyed during regal social gatherings. And, her penchant for this dessert completely makes sense. In the far North where Sansa lives, citrus fruits would've been deemed a precious commodity, since they couldn't be grown nearby, and would've been difficult to preserve and transport in from other areas.

Though the TV series doesn't exactly make it clear what these cakes consist of, fans mostly seem to envision them as individual, handheld desserts, rather than a larger bake that requires slicing. Some interpretations see the lemon sponge layer decorated with an elegant lemon slice, whilst others fill them with lemon curd, or top them with a layer of fluffy meringue.

There are endless ways to make a lemon cake, whether that's a fuss-free pound cake or a multi-layered showstopper. If this has got you craving a sweet, citrusy hit but time isn't on your side, why not try whipping up a super quick, single-serve lemon mug cake, instead?

This strange-looking swirl of grey, piled atop what appears to be a cracker, has long been sparking intrigue amongst Disney fans. In "Beauty and the Beast," the line "Try the grey stuff, it's delicious!" comes from Lumiere during the song "Be Our Guest," as he presents a platter of food to Belle. This mystery animated foodstuff is seemingly something whipped, with a thick, pipeable consistency, but the story doesn't offer much more insight than that.

Head to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, and you can sample The Grey Stuff for yourself at Be Our Guest Restaurant. Here, it's interpreted as a sweet, plant-based, frosting-like dessert. This is swirled onto a scalloped sugar cookie and decorated with glittery sugar pearls. However, many claim that the makers of the film in fact intended this concoction to represent a savory pate, perhaps made with chicken liver. Clearly, one of these options is a lot more appealing than the other, especially when it comes to pleasing picky children on a Disney vacation. So, we're glad Disney decided to go down the sweet road with this one!