There’s nothing like a homemade dessert. Sure, you can stop at your favorite bakery or pick up a ready-mix package at your grocery store, but the most delicious treats are the ones you bake yourself.

Here are two dessert favorites from the Food Network’s Paula Deen who’s known for creating tasty Southern fare. These treats are easy to make and boast sweet results!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (courtesy of Paula’s Home Cooking)

What you need

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)

2 large eggs (room temperature)

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese frosting:

1 pound cream cheese (softened)

2 sticks butter (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries for garnish

Get Cooking!

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake papers.

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in a medium mixing bowl. In a large bowl, gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix them together until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide batter evenly among the cupcake tins (about 2/3 filled). Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, halfway through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until frosting is very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Chocolate Chip Pie (courtesy of Paula’s Home Cooking)

What You Need

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Get Cooking!

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two nine-inch pie plates; set aside.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl. In the bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Next, add one egg at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, and mix until fully combined. Fold in three cups of chocolate chips and if desired, walnuts. Divide the dough between the prepared pie plates and smooth the tops with a spatula.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until pies are golden and slightly firm to the touch, but still soft. Tip: If the pies begin to darken too much before they are baked through, cover with foil and continue baking. Let pies cool completely on a wire rack.

These delicious dessert recipes can be found at www.foodnetwork.com.