Cake

From Goldie's by the Bridge, North Tarrytown, New York.

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

This fluffy Lady Baltimore cake is layered with toasted pecans, dried figs, raisins, and frosted in a thick, luscious Swiss meringue.

From the White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island.

Begin preparing this a day ahead.

At Valentino, pastry chef Michelle Robie cuts the cake into individual heart shapes and sometimes serves them with a blood orange sauce.

Begin preparing the dessert a day ahead.

While the cheesecake has been around for centuries, it was perfected in the 1920s by New York delicatessens. It first appeared at Arnold Reuben’s eponymous restaurant on East 58th Street and soon was featured at Lindy’s on Times Square and at Junior’s in Brooklyn. Marmalade tops this luscious cake; it also has citrus peel in the filling.

Loosely translated, tiramisù means "pick me up," and it has been picked up on practically every menu in America. Since the early eighties, it has been one of the most famous Italian-American desserts, and like spaghetti and meatballs, it is far more prevalent here than in Italy. Purchased angel food cake makes this especially easy.

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.

Cups of steaming cappuccino inspired this chocolate cake accented with cinnamon and coffee. It's a perfect dessert for any birthday celebration. The velvety cake is easily cut into layers, each of which will hold a generous quantity of frosting.