Cake

Thin, delicate layers of flourless chocolate cake are filled with silky chocolate-espresso mousse. Begin making this dessert at least one day ahead, and serve it straight from the freezer; the frozen mousse filling has the texture of soft ice cream.

Toni Grekin of Deposit, New York, writes: "This recipe was given to me by my friend Barbara Leeds. It's wonderfully rich and overwhelmingly addictive." Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

This New York-style cheesecake — with a hidden layer of sweet peach compote — is an ideal do-ahead dessert. It also travels well: Just glaze the cake in its pan and chill. When ready to serve, release the sides, then top the cake with fresh peach slices. Begin preparing this at least one day in advance.

A buttermilk layer cake is filled with ginger-scented lime curd, then finished with a sweet and fluffy frosting. Make the lime curd one to two days before assembling the cake.

At the bakery, Rather makes both cupcakes and bundt cake with this recipe. The hint of cinnamon in the batter is a nod toward Mexican chocolate, which often contains cinnamon and spices.

Scots often serve butter and orange marmalade with gingerbread — this recipe goes a step further by incorporating marmalade into the batter.

Wolf Blitzer's family serves this moist, not-too-sweet Bundt cake as a side dish. A warm slice would also be delicious for breakfast. Use the large holes of a box grater to prepare the carrots.

The Middle Eastern tone is part of this cake's appeal. A very nutty cake is suffused with a honey-citrus soaking syrup, much like baklava in concept but flour-free, making it suitable for Passover. A little goes a long way. For large Seder crowds, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch springform pan or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. I serve this cake cut into small squares or diamonds placed in small muffin liner cups. Copeland Marks, in his book Sephardic Cooking, attributes this to Turkish cuisine. Joan Nathan calls it "Tishpishiti" in her book, Jewish Cooking in America and points to Syrian, as well as Turkish roots as does Claudia Roden in her book, Mediterranean Cookery. A nutty classic indeed! My version is inspired by a recipe simply called "Nut Cake," found in From My Grandmother's Kitchen, by Viviane Alcheck Miner with Linda Krinn. If you are interested in Sephardic recipes along with a very engaging family history, this book is a real find.

Trude Reder of Long Branch, New Jersey, writes: "My mother's recipe for linzertorte is one of my favorites. It brings back memories of my childhood and of my mother and grandmother busy baking in the kitchen, the delicious aroma of cinnamon and cloves filling the whole house. I've been baking this dessert for family and friends since my husband and I came to this country from Austria over 45 years ago. Now, I've started teaching my own grandchildren the recipe, hoping they will love it as much as I do." Don't substitute jelly for the jam in this recipe — it might leak from the crust. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 1/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave.

This recipe, all the rage at the turn of the previous century, makes the quintessential layer cake—old-fashioned and toothsome.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Start making this at least one day ahead.

This traditional French dessert combines all the best qualities of custard, pudding, and cake.