Dessert recipe collection

Easy Boston cream pie made the no-bake way: a split yellow cake layer sandwiched with silky vanilla pudding, then crowned with a glossy chocolate-cream topping spiked with almond extract.

The shredded zucchini makes this cake very moist, and the topping adds a nice crunch. Whenever zucchini is in season I freeze some, shredded, in 2 cup amounts so I can make this favorite anytime of the year.

Moist coffee orange fudge bundt cake doctored from a German chocolate cake mix with Kahlua, orange zest, sour cream, instant pudding, and chocolate chips. Bakery-quality from a box.

Moist chocolate truffle cake with melted semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa, butter, and whipped egg whites. Dense, fudgy, and barely set in the center. Just a dusting of powdered sugar.

Molasses elephant cookies are soft, spice-laced drop cookies with cinnamon, ginger, and a splash of cider vinegar, decorated with raisin or date faces. A vintage kids' cookie made for tiny artists.

Molded chocolate mousse set in a loaf pan with gelatin, coffee, rum, and whipped egg whites for lift. Sliceable dinner-party dessert topped with vanilla whipped cream.

Lime Jello salad mold with crushed pineapple, cottage cheese, lemon juice, and whipped cream folded in at just the right thickness. A creamy, tangy retro gelatin salad for potlucks and holidays.

Mom's apple cake loaded with five fresh apples, crushed nuts, and cinnamon in a one-bowl oil batter. No eggs, no butter, and incredibly moist. Swap applesauce for oil for a lighter version.

Mom's homemade apple pie pairs a flaky shortening crust with canned apple filling for a from-scratch taste in half the time. Brushed with milk and dusted with sugar, the top crust bakes up golden and crackly.

Mom's secret sweet potato pie with boiled sweet potatoes, nutmeg spice, corn syrup, and a custard filling that sets perfectly for clean slices every time.

Flourless-style chocolate almond cake made with toasted ground almonds, melted dark chocolate, and just a quarter cup of flour. Light, fudgy, and lifted by whipped egg whites for a fallen souffle texture.

Eggnog cake with rum, orange and nutmeg, layered with eggnog cream filling and chocolate frosting. Festive holiday layer cake for Christmas dessert tables.

Old-fashioned homemade apple pie with a flaky oil crust, McIntosh apples spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and a hot vanilla glaze brushed over while the pie is still warm. The glaze is what sets this version apart.

Lady Baltimore cake is a tall white layer cake filled with fruit and nuts, then covered in fluffy boiled icing. The genteel Charleston dessert that's been a Southern wedding cake for over a century.

Mom's lemon sponge pie separates as it bakes into a tangy lemon custard layer below and a fluffy cake-like sponge on top. A heritage two-layer pie made with one filling.

Mini cheesecakes with graham cracker crusts, sweetened condensed milk filling, and a glossy raspberry pie filling topping. Two-bite individual cheesecakes baked in a muffin pan, ready in 20 minutes.