Cocoa

The following is a moist and chocolaty cake suitable for many occasions. Use it to form the base for Tepee Birthday Cakes .

Intense chocolate flavor accented with orange highlights this lovely layer cake.

This pull-out-all-the-stops cake for special occasions may be prepared in steps in advance and glazes on the day it is to be served.

This dense orange cake, drizzled with orange glaze, is always a favorite at the annual P-Patch harvest banquet.

Tender chocolate shortbread topped with a rich chocolate ganache just might be the perfect gift for the chocoholics on your list. For an elegant accent, decorate the shortbread with gold leaf, place the cookies on a tray or round platter lined with gold-colored tissue paper, and wrap it all up with cellophane and gold ribbon.

We used waxed candy/muffin liners for these cupcakes, which kept them from sticking and helped them develop attractive domed tops. (Spraying your muffin tins will keep them from sticking but tends to result in flat-topped cupcakes.) The liners are available by mail order from Sweet Celebrations, (800) 328-6722. They are not always well labeled; ask for item #601524 (red) or #502332 (white with gold).

Make this showstopping dessert even more stunning by garnishing it with fresh raspberries and mint sprigs.

For more information about melting chocolate, see Meltdown.

This recipe creates enough batter for a 3-quart bundt pan, but it can also be baked in smaller pans, though baking time will vary accordingly.

Sifting powdered sugar over the cooled cookies adds a festive touch. (It would also be an easy kitchen project for the kids.)

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 10 hr (includes soaking raisins)

"This is the cake I bake for most family events," writes Mary Charlotte McCall of Tallahassee, Florida. "I started making it years ago because my three new stepdaughters liked it so much. It's always a hit at big parties, club meetings and kid-related events."

This impressive dessert features two classic components: the buttery sponge cake known as genoise and the rich frosting known as ganache. Making the genoise and syrup ahead eliminates last-minute fuss. Any leftover ganache can be chilled, rolled into balls and presented as another classic: truffles.