The holidays are when guests come in ready to celebrate, gather with family and friends, and treat themselves, and dessert is a big part of that. With kitchens already stretched thin, building out a complicated dessert menu might not be at the top of your list right now. The good news is you don’t need one to give your guests something memorable at the end of the meal. 

Your Guests Want Dessert This Season   

Dessert is a big part of the holiday experience. In one diner survey, 61% said a special dessert is the add-on they’re most likely to order with a holiday meal, and 88% said they’re willing to spend more over the holidays than on a regular night out. Group celebrations are a big part of the season too, with 52% of diners planning holiday outings of eight or more people, from office parties to family reunions to pau hana with friends. The demand doesn’t stop at your dining room, either. Among guests ordering restaurant food for their holiday gatherings, 63% plan to include dessert, which makes whole cakes and cheesecakes an easy add for takeout and catering orders. 

What They’re Ordering 

When guests treat themselves over the holidays, they tend to reach for rich, familiar favorites. Cheesecake ranks second among the most-ordered Thanksgiving desserts, right behind pumpkin pie, and it’s the top Thanksgiving dessert order in eight mainland states. Chocolate is another clear winner. Chocolate cake and chocolate pie both land in the top ten Thanksgiving desserts, and chocolate cake is the most loved cake variety overall, with over half of consumers saying they love it. Chocolate also ties with New York-style as the most loved cheesecake flavor, so a classic NY cheesecake is a safe bet for almost any table. On restaurant menus, chocolate cake and lava cake are among the most common cakes you’ll find, and holiday diners are especially drawn to seasonal flavors like chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In short, guests want indulgent, crowd-pleasing desserts that feel special without being complicated. 

No Pastry Chef? No Problem. 

Brickfire Bakery desserts, a Y. Hata exclusive, line up with exactly what guests are ordering. The Broadway NY Style Vanilla Cheesecake covers the classic cheesecake craving, while the Sinful Seven Chocolate Cake gives chocolate lovers a showstopping slice. The Chocolate Lava Divine Cakes bring that rich, gooey finish in a single-serve size, and the Regal Red Velvet Cake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Landslide round out your menu with festive color and something a little different. Brickfire Bakery desserts are made in GFSI-certified facilities, and the cakes and cheesecakes come in a thaw-and-serve format, so you get high-end desserts without needing pastry chef labor in your kitchen. Each one arrives pre-sliced, which keeps portions consistent plate after plate and makes it simple to quote group and catering orders by headcount. Y. Hata also carries the Lawler’s Colossal Chocolate Eruption Cake for an extra-large chocolate option. 

Simple Plating Ideas 

Brickfire Bakery and Lawler’s desserts are ready to impress straight out of the box, with rich flavor and a polished look your guests will notice from the first bite. Serve them as is, and you’ve got a dessert menu you can count on, but with just a few simple touches, they can also become signature desserts that feel like they were made in-house. A drizzle of lilikoʻi butter, a handful of macadamia nuts, or a scoop of coconut ice cream brings in local flavor your guests will remember. A creative presentation, like a cake slice perched on top of a milkshake, turns a classic dessert into something guests want to photograph and share. None of these ideas take extra labor or a pastry chef, just a few ingredients your kitchen likely already has on hand and a couple of minutes at plating. Here are a few easy ideas to get you started. 

Lilikoʻi Butter Cheesecake

Plate a slice of Brickfire Bakery Broadway NY-style vanilla cheesecake. Warm lilikoʻi butter to loosen, drizzle over the top, and finish with whole toasted macadamia nuts. Let a little of the sauce pool on the plate for an extra-indulgent look. 

Why It Works: Sweet, tangy lilikoʻi butter balances the rich, creamy cheesecake, and the whole macadamia nuts add crunch and a local touch. It’s a simple way to give a classic cheesecake a flavor guests won’t find just anywhere. 

Chocolate Eruption Banana Shake

Fill a glass mug with a banana milkshake and rim the top with chocolate sauce. Layer on sliced bananas and whipped cream, then top with a slice of Lawler’s Colossal Chocolate Eruption Cake. Finish with a caramel drizzle and a banana chip. 

Why It Works: Turning a cake slice into a shake topper creates an over-the-top, share-worthy dessert that’s perfect for holiday social media posts, with no extra baking required. It also makes a fun, shareable treat for groups looking to celebrate. 

Coconut Lava Cake

Serve a Brickfire Bakery Chocolate Lava Divine Cake with a scoop of coconut ice cream. Top with toasted coconut flakes and dark chocolate shavings. Dust the plate lightly with cocoa powder for a finished look. 

Why It Works: Cool, creamy coconut balances the warm chocolate center, giving a classic dessert an island twist. The single-serve size also makes it easy to plate quickly during a busy dinner rush.

There’s Still Time to Stock Up Before Thanksgiving   

The holidays are a time to celebrate, and the right dessert gives guests one more reason to come back. With Brickfire Bakery desserts, you can offer the cheesecakes and chocolate cakes your guests are craving without adding work to your kitchen. And there’s still time to add them to your menu before Thanksgiving, so you’re ready for holiday dinner service, large group reservations, and catering orders all season long. Contact your Y. Hata account manager today to secure your holiday desserts!