How to make showstopping desserts like the stars of Netflix's 'Bake Squad'

Two stars of Netflix's "Bake Squad," Ashley Holt (a former TODAY food stylist!) and Christina Tosi (the chef-owner of Milk Bar), know a thing or two about baking. So today, they're joining us to bestow their sugary, sage wisdom upon us — by making two showstopping desserts: a vanilla checkerboard cake (with a mesmerizing mirror glaze) and a truffle croquembouche to steal the show at any party.

Vanilla Checkerboard Cake with White Chocolate Mirror Glaze by Ashley Holt

"I’ve had many vanilla cakes in my life and this will always be my go-to recipe," says Holt. "It’s not too sweet and it's perfectly moist with a nice, tight crumb. It freezes well and is a great base recipe to build off of. Experiment with different mix-ins like chocolate chips, blueberries, orange zest, sprinkles, etc."

Truffle Croquembouche by Christina Tosi

"We love to make a croquembouche (a very classy cone-shaped display) out of our cake truffles at Milk Bar," says Tosi. "It is so easy to assemble and it always ups the ante of any dessert spread. Our version is different from the classic French version because we use cake truffles instead of the traditional cream puffs. Get creative and use any combination of cake truffle flavor you’d like."

Enjoyed those sweet, showstopping recipes? Try these next:

Christina Tosi's Corn and Blueberry Sheet Cake by Christina Tosi

Creamiest Cream Puffs by Ashley Holt