“When we took a look at how people are consuming dessert, one thing became clear: Our tastes are evolving and becoming more educated,” says Kay Logsdon, editor of The Food Channel. “We see society trending toward a more casual—and less stuffy—lifestyle. On one hand, we demand less-processed foods and cleaner labels, but we still allow ourselves to indulge in sweet little rewards that get us through the day.”

By partnering with CultureWaves^® (www.culturewav.es), the International Food Futurists^® and Mintel International (www.mintel.com), The Food Channel has been able to identify the most significant food trends in dessert for 2011, from the evolution of the ever-popular cupcake to the new raw-food movement. The Top Ten Dessert Trends in 2011, sponsored by MARS^® Foodservices, are:

1. The Next Cupcake Is...
It’s time to accept that the cupcake has gone from fad to trend to icon, and the movement now is more around its evolution than its dissolution. Today we’re seeing cupcake fondue, un-iced versions, savory varieties, flaming cupcakes and shapes that are fat, skinny and mini—even cupcakes on a stick. It seems a new cupcake boutique bakery opens up every time you turn around. They’ve become almost as ubiquitous as ice-cream parlors. In short, the next cupcake is … still a cupcake.

2. Sweet, Heat, Salty and Tart
High-end chocolate candies have led the way here with ingredients like bacon, soy and jalapeños. Now we’re seeing lots of sweets packing heat from peppers and fiery spices. Salty-sweet continues to be a popular flavor combination with candy playing a role here, too; we suspect people who are trying to cut back on sodium may be satisfying their craving for that salty taste by getting just a little touch of it with salty-sweet candies and desserts—whether consciously or unconsciously. Lots of us are also trying to curb our sugar intake, and opting for fruit-based desserts that are as tart as they are sweet.

3. Wedding Cake Off the Guest List
It might seem like a sacrilege, but for a growing number of brides and grooms, creativity now trumps tradition. It's becoming another way for the young couple to show their personality by replacing the old-fashioned cake with a cheesecake bar, strawberry shortcakes or a table full of pies or gourmet doughnuts. Among the most popular new choices today are macaroons, cake pops and ice-cream floats. It’s part of an overall trend toward a more casual—and less stuffy—lifestyle.

4. Behold the Power of Protein
People are looking for more than a sugar buzz from desserts today. They’re craving a protein boost, whether it’s from a fortified smoothie or a sweet cheese nibble from Laughing Cow. We’ve read about the protein punch we can get from nuts—two handfuls are better for us than one!—so let’s top that dessert with some walnuts or pecans. Responding to European influences, even some midscale restaurants are starting to offer up cheese trays as part of the dessert course. We see protein-rich Greek yogurt used as a topping with fresh fruit, and now that eggs have been upgraded on the health scale by the USDA, look for things like egg custard to get more play.

5. Desserts for Grownups
Call this trend the maturing of America’s sweet tooth. We’re seeing milkshakes with a splash of rum, wine paired up with gelato, and beer partnered with donuts. Restaurants are also using liquor add-ons to chocolate desserts as a way to boost check averages and offer the guest a little something extra. Want a shot of Bailey’s in that hot fudge sundae? It’s just an extra $2.50.

6. Whole Grains and No Grains
This is a food trend that’s all about health. Whole grains are huge. If you can treat yourself to a satisfying dessert and also get a few grams of fiber, that’s a win-win. We’re seeing brown-rice puddings, oatmeal-crisp dessert toppings and pies made with whole-grain crust. On the flip side, there are those who—due to restricted diets—need to avoid grains altogether. More and more restaurants are accommodating those needs, including on the dessert menu. It’s become trendy, even for those with no need to go gluten-free. For years, we couldn’t in good conscious put gluten-free on any top 10 list because the quality just wasn’t there, unless you count flourless chocolate cake. Now it’s a trendy call-out, and the dessert selection goes way beyond one cake.

7. Desserts in the Raw
Today you can find raw and vegan versions of cupcakes, cheesecake, ice-cream cakes, moon pies, tiramisu and many more. Sure, it’s a bit on the fringe side, but it’s getting bigger all the time. Appliances like Yonanas can turn raw fruit into an ice-cream- or sorbet-like dessert. Perhaps the bigger picture here is a demand for foods that are far less processed. Fewer ingredients, cleaner labels and, please, no high-fructose corn syrup.

8. A Touch of Sweetness All Day Long
This trend is about frequency, not quantity. In tough economic times, we seek to soothe ourselves with small rewards and little luxuries. Maybe it’s a slice of pastry at breakfast or fresh organic strawberries added to the oatmeal. At lunch time, we might order the Cinnamon Twists at Taco Bell to cap off our cheesy double-decker taco meal. Perhaps we swing by Starbucks for a cake pop afternoon snack. After dinner at home, it might be just a piece of good quality chocolate from Dove or Ghirardelli. Dessert is no longer about death-by-chocolate overindulgence; it’s now about sweet little rewards that help get us through the day.

9. A Hint of Floral
Subtle hints of floral have begun to sprout up in the dessert category. We’re seeing lavender, especially, with little touches of it in baked goods such as cupcakes and macarons. You can find lavender syrups, and lavender-infused sugars in teas and yogurts served in some restaurants. Edible flowers, always popular as a garnish, are coming back in vogue as part of the aromatic and flavor experience.

10. Dessert Theatrics
We’ve had the tableside prep of the Caesar salad and the fresh guacamole. It’s only natural that this has started to creep across the menu. It began with tableside s’mores, and Brennan's in New Orleans is renowned for its tableside Bananas Foster. Now we’re seeing egg creams prepared tableside at Eleven Madison Park in New York. Alinea in Chicago does some amazing things, not just tableside, but table top, arranging an array of dessert ingredients on the table in front of the guests, who then can complete and customize the assembly of the dish. It’s dessert theater at its best.

11. (Bonus) The End of Shareable
Maybe it’s our germophobic tendency, but going in with the same spoon for bite after bite has gotten old. Keep your germs, and your desire for bread pudding, to yourself. Also, sharing a dessert is often a compromise; one of you doesn't get what you want. When you're sharing with a bigger group it gets worse. When the dessert gets passed around, what goes around may not come back around. Today, more diners are saying they want apple pie with a big scoop of ice cream. Get your own!

Photo: This Coconut Black Rice with Grilled Pineapple featuring a timbale of sweetened Chinese black rice speaks to diner demand for whole grains—even in desserts. Courtesy of Indian Harvest/Rob Yuretich.