I made 7 of Ina Garten’s most popular desserts, and the best one was the easiest to make

I’ve made many of Ina Garten’s dessert recipes, including her incredible mocha icebox cake.

In her very first cookbook, “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,” Ina Garten wrote that “a homemade dessert is a special reward.” And she’s been gifting her fans wonderful recipes for over two decades.

Garten gave up a job at the White House to run a 400-square-foot specialty food shop called Barefoot Contessa. She turned that store into an empire that includes 13 cookbooks and a 22-year run on the Food Network.

Garten’s cookbooks helped me get back into baking, and now I’ve been slowly making my way through many of her sweet treats — including one she says is so good it’ll make “grown men weep.”

Here’s how they all stack up.

In seventh place is Ina Garten’s tiramisu.

Ina Garten’s tiramisu.

Garten’s tiramisu is featured in her cookbook, “Family Style,” and an early episode of her show, “Barefoot Contessa.”

The Food Network star said she wanted to whip up the classic dessert for her husband Jeffrey.

“Tiramisu was to the 1990s what Pasta Pesto was to the ’80s — it was done, done, and overdone,” Garten wrote in her cookbook. “Now that it’s not so pervasive, I dragged out my old recipe and rediscovered a dessert that’s delicious, can be made in advance, and requires no cooking!”

Garten’s tiramisu features Italian ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, and dark rum.

Garten’s tiramisu also features brewed espresso.

To make Garten’s tiramisu — which serves eight — you’ll need:

• 6 extra-large egg yolks at room temperature
• 30 Italian ladyfingers (Garten recommends the brand Savoiardi)
• 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 ½ cups brewed espresso
• ½ cup good dark rum
• ¼ cup sugar
• Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated
• Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Garten’s tiramisu has a nice flavor, but it’s a bit forgettable.

Garten’s tiramisu is super easy to put together.

Garten’s tiramisu is very quick and easy to put together, which is always a huge plus. But I wasn’t able to find the Savoiardi ladyfingers she recommends at my grocery store, and the American ladyfingers I used were far too fluffy to work well with her recipe.

I thought the filling tasted lovely, especially with the punch of dark rum. But I still prefer my dad’s delicious no-bake chocolate cake, which has a similar flavor but a far better texture thanks to the use of Nilla wafers.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s tiramisu here.

Taking the sixth spot is Garten’s apple spice cake.

Ina Garten’s apple spice cake.

This apple spice cake was among the many recipes that Garten developed while working at her Barefoot Contessa store.

“We used to have all kinds of cakes like this out on the bakery counter, and you could come buy a whole cake, but you could also buy a piece,” Garten said in an early episode of her “Barefoot Contessa” show.

“It’s not fancy,” she added. “Just really delicious and earthy, and you always want to come back for more.”

Garten’s apple spice cake features Granny Smith apples, rum, raisins, and pecans.

Ingredients for Garten’s apple spice cake.

To make Garten’s apple spice cake, you’ll need:

• 1 ½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and ¼-inch diced
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecan
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark-brown sugar, lightly packed
• ½ cup dark rum (Garten recommends Mount Gay)
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• Vanilla ice cream for serving
• Caramel sauce for serving

Garten’s apple spice cake is a lovely fall dessert.

Garten’s apple spice cake out of the oven.

There’s a flurry of delicious fall flavors in Garten’s apple spice cake. The rum-soaked raisins reminded me of caramel, infusing some sweetness to the tart Granny Smith apples. Each bite was filled with the delicious nuttiness of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and I loved the surprising zing of the orange zest.

The cake wasn’t too sweet, so I even enjoyed a few slices at breakfast during the week. But I recommend following Garten’s instructions and pairing it with ice cream and caramel for the “perfect dessert.”

In fifth place is Garten’s chocolate cake with mocha frosting.

Garten’s chocolate cake with mocha frosting.

Garten has many chocolate cakes in her recipe repertoire, but she says this chocolate cake with mocha frosting is a “dessert everyone will remember.”

Garten’s cake features Kahlúa, instant espresso powder, and bittersweet chocolate.

Garten’s chocolate cake also features cocoa powder and vanilla.

To make Garten’s chocolate cake, which serves 12, you’ll need:

• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅔ cup half-and-half
• ⅔ cup hottest tap water
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

To make the frosting, you’ll need:

• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (diced), at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon Kahlúa
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garten’s chocolate cake was deliciously moist, but the frosting couldn’t compete with some of her other desserts.

Garten’s chocolate cake was springy and light. 

Garten’s chocolate cake with mocha frosting has a fantastic texture that reminded me of her Beatty’s Chocolate Cake (more on that soon). The cake is springy and light and the chocolate flavor is well-balanced thanks to the addition of Kahlúa and espresso.

But the mocha frosting didn’t stand out to me compared with the buttercream in Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. Although it was easier to make than the latter dessert and definitely still tasted delicious, I just didn’t find myself craving seconds or thirds as I have with other Barefoot Contessa desserts.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s chocolate cake with mocha icing here.

Taking the fourth spot is Garten’s blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake.

Garten’s blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake.

Garten’s blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake appears in her most recent cookbook, “Go-To Dinners,” where she writes that everyone who makes this recipe “can’t believe how easy it is!”

She also shared the cake on Instagram in celebration of Mother’s Day this year.

“For Mother’s Day, let mom sleep in while you bake her my Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake,” she wrote in the caption. “It’s so easy to make — and who wouldn’t love cake for breakfast?!!!”

Garten’s cake also got the top spot in my ranking of Barefoot Contessa breakfast recipes.

Garten’s blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake features ricotta, lemon, and sour cream.

Garten’s breakfast cake also features vanilla and lemon zest.

To make Garten’s breakfast cake, which serves eight, you’ll need:

• 2 cups (12 ounces) fresh blueberries
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Sifted powdered sugar, for dusting

Garten’s breakfast cake is a delicious dream that I’d happily eat after any meal.

Garten’s blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake was delightfully light and zingy. 

The sweet blueberries and zingy lemon keep the overall flavor interesting, and the cake was also extremely easy to whip up in the morning.

I made the cake for my mom just before Mother’s Day and she was also a fan.

“This was superb,” she declared after trying her first few bites. “I give it a 10/10.”

Garten’s recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, and it’s one I’ve loved making for everyone.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake here.

In third place is the recipe for Garten’s famous “outrageous” brownies.

Garten’s outrageous brownies.

Garten’s outrageous brownies were a huge hit at her Barefoot Contessa store, which she ran for 18 years after leaving a job at the White House.

Garten’s brownies are also featured in her first cookbook, “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.” In the recipe description, Garten says her brownies were so popular at Barefoot Contessa that she sold “like a thousand a week.”

Garten’s outrageous brownies feature tons of chocolate.

Garten’s brownies also feature chopped walnuts and instant coffee.

To make a serving of 20 (large) brownies, you’ll need:

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 ounces bitter chocolate
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 3 cups chopped walnuts
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons instant-coffee granules
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Garten’s outrageous brownies are outrageously good.

Garten’s outrageous brownies were decadent and delicious.

Garten’s outrageous brownies taste incredible, so I’m not surprised that they used to fly off the shelves of her store. The brownies are decadent and delicious and don’t take much time or effort to make. I love how the walnuts provide some contrast to the rich chocolate — each bite is moist and gooey, with just a bit of satisfying crunch.

Whenever you need a great dessert to bring to a party or gift a relative or friend, Garten’s outrageous brownies are a surefire hit.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s outrageous brownies here.

Taking the second spot is Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake.

Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake.

Garten actually got the recipe for Beatty’s Chocolate Cake from her friend Michael Grimm, who frequently appears on “Barefoot Contessa.”

The cake was named after Grimm’s grandmother Beatty, who would bake it for her husband and the customers on his milk deliveries, said Grimm’s friend Monte Mathews, who shared the famous cake’s origin story on his blog Chewing The Fat.

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake features freshly brewed coffee, cocoa powder, and semisweet chocolate.

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake also features vanilla and instant coffee. 

To make Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, you’ll need:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for pans)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk (shaken)
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The chocolate frosting requires:

• 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
• 2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 1 extra-large egg yolk at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (such as Nescafé)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate cake blew me away.

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is deliciously rich yet fluffy and moist. 

When I first tested and reviewed Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, I wrote that Garten’s cake is “packed with chocolate and still light as air — a true feat.” It’s deliciously rich yet fluffy and moist, and the buttercream is truly the perfect icing on top with its hint of sweetness.

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake still tastes great days later, making it perfect for leftovers. While it’s not the quickest or easiest cake to make, the work was extremely worth it. This is a cake you make for someone you really love.

And our winner is Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake.

Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake.

Garten previously told Epicurious the mocha chocolate icebox cake was one of her go-to recipes, and was inspired by a “fabulous caterer” friend.

“I thought it was such a good concept that I was going to do it with something more interesting,” she said. “So I took Tate’s chocolate-chip cookies, and I added Kahlúa and cocoa powder. I made it into mocha whipped cream and then layered those and put it in the refrigerator, and, oh my God, it makes grown men weep.”

Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake features Tate’s chocolate-chip cookies, Italian mascarpone cheese, and Kahlúa liqueur.

Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake also features instant espresso powder and semisweet chocolate.

To whip up the cake at home, you’ll need:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages of Tate’s Bake Shop chocolate-chip cookies
• 12 ounces of Italian mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups of cold heavy cream
• ¼ cup of Kahlúa liqueur
• ½ cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• Semisweet chocolate (for the garnish)

If you can’t find Tate’s Bake Shop at your local supermarket, Garten recommends using another thin, crisp chocolate-chip cookie for the recipe instead.

Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake is one of my favorite desserts, period.

Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake is one of my favorite desserts.

Garten’s mocha chocolate icebox cake was the first dessert I had made from scratch in a long time, and it’s beyond simple and fun to whip up.

The cake looks extremely impressive thanks to its 10 layers, which you can easily see in each slice, and it tastes even better. Tate’s Cookies give the cake a rich and buttery flavor that will satisfy every sweet tooth, and I loved how the mocha whipped cream paired with the crunch of the chocolate-chip cookies. This is also one of those cakes that gets better with each day it sits in the fridge, which was a delightful treat to look forward to as my family and I finished it all week.

It might not make a grown man cry, but anyone who tries this cake will be thinking about it for a long time. I know I still am, and I can’t wait to make it again and again.