When we think of spices and cooking, we immediately think of hot and spicy curries and meat dishes. Spices can enhance the flavors of sweets and desserts too. Cinnamon is a common spice used in many desserts. It combines well with cakes made with fruit. There are many ways in which we can include spices in sweet dishes. Here are some simple and easy-to-make sweet dishes that incorporate superfood spices well.

Spiced chocolate plum smoothie
Blend three pitted ripe sweet plums, ½ cup non-dairy milk, one or two pitted dates, one teaspoon ground chia seeds, one tablespoon cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, a tiny pinch of cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and turmeric. You can also add a banana to make the smoothie thick.

Tea leaf cookie
Grind two tablespoons of leaf tea into powder. Mix in one teaspoon of ground cardamom, one teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½-teaspoon ground ginger, ½-teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼-teaspoon ground cloves, two pinches of salt and two pinches of pepper. In a bowl, beat one cup butter, ½-cup white sugar, and one teaspoon vanilla extract until creamy. Add the tea mixture and beat well. Fold in two cups of all-purpose flour until a thick dough is formed. In a flat surface roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness and cut cookies using a cookie cutter. Arrange in a baking tray with cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Mango yogurt
Blend one cubed ripe mango, three tablespoons brown sugar, two teaspoons of freshly ground star anise, one teaspoon freshly ground cardamom, one tablespoon juice and two cups of plain Greek yogurt and serve in tall glasses. You can increase the quantity of yogurt based on the consistency you prefer.

Lebkuchen
Take a two-cup glass measuring cup, add one and a third cup honey and 1/3 cup sugar and melt in a microwave. Sieve together one teaspoon baking powder, and one teaspoon baking soda and two cups all-purpose flour. Add honey mixture and stir well. Add one cup candied mixed fruit, one tablespoon light sesame oil, ¼-teaspoon ground ginger, ½-teaspoon ground cardamom, two teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Add about one to one and a half cup all-purpose flour and knead into a stiff dough. Spread into a pan and bake until an inserted toothpick comes clean. Cut into squares and it can be stored for two weeks. This is a great sweet dish that uses superfood spices for cooking.

Spiced pumpkin cake
In a bowl, beat one ½ cups of white sugar, and ¾ cup butter until smooth. Add three eggs one by one and blend. Add 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and one teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix two ½-cup all-purpose flour, one teaspoon baking powder, and one teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl. Keep adding egg mixture and sour cream alternately. Mix ½-cup brown sugar and two cups brown sugar separately. Pour 1/3 of the cake mixture in a 10-inch Bundt pan sprayed with cooking spray and cinnamon sugar. Pour the brown sugar filling, Repeat the process. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for about 40 minutes. Transfer to a plate and slice.

These are the five sweet dishes that use superfood spices in a great way to enhance the flavor.