Dessert recipe collection

Pumpkin Vermont spice cake with four warm spices, split into four layers and frosted with maple-flavored cream cheese frosting. A stunning fall celebration cake topped with pecans.

Whole wheat pumpkin tea cake sweetened with honey and brown sugar, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, and topped with chopped hazelnuts. A lighter autumn loaf for afternoon tea or breakfast.

Pumpkin pecan pie combines spiced pumpkin custard with a broiled brown sugar pecan crumble topping. The best of both Thanksgiving pies in one slice, with five warm spices.

Pumpkin ginger pie with crystallized ginger, brandy, bourbon, brown sugar, and warm spices in a flaky shell. A boozy, spicy twist on classic pumpkin pie topped with sweetened sour cream.

Strawberry punch bowl dessert: pound cake cubes layered with glazed fresh strawberries and vanilla pudding, topped with whipped topping. A make-ahead trifle for picnics, potlucks, and showers.

Quick pumpkin bundt cake using spice cake mix and canned pumpkin, topped with a Kahlua coffee glaze. A semi-homemade fall dessert with rich, warm spice flavor.

In a Cretan zacharoplasteion (sweet shop), we were so intrigued by these coconut pastries (among the newer breed) that I tried them at home. You can expect the potato pastry to be a bit difficult to manipulate, and you can also anticipate compliments on the results. Attractive and tasty, not excessively sweet.

Ralph's Retch, a gleefully gross Halloween drink for kids: strawberry jello chopped into wobbly globs, layered with crushed ice and fizzy strawberry soda. A no-cook party gag that tastes like a sweet slushie.

Randy Pollak's persimmon salad is a molded gelatin salad with orange Jello, hot grapefruit juice, and strained persimmon pulp. A vintage fruit salad served on lettuce with cottage cheese.

Raspberry chiffon pie with a light, airy gelatin filling and a buttery toasted oat crust. Fluffy beaten egg whites give it a mousse-like texture.

Raspberry fudge balls with cream cheese, melted chocolate chips, vanilla wafer crumbs, and raspberry preserves, rolled in chopped almonds. A no-bake truffle-style treat ready to chill.

Raspberry meringues are pink, pillowy egg-white cookies flavored with seedless raspberry preserves. Low-fat, gluten-free, and slow-baked to crisp-shell, tender-center perfection.

Raspberry meringue cookies piped into rosettes and baked low and slow until crisp. Light as air with real raspberry preserves folded into the meringue.

Raspberry Queen of Puddings with a lemon breadcrumb custard base, a layer of raspberry jam, and golden meringue piped on top. A classic British baked pudding served hot.

Raspberry trifle layers jam-spread ladyfingers, fresh raspberries and split almonds with a homemade wine-laced custard, all crowned with whipped cream. A classic English make-ahead showstopper in a glass bowl.

Raspberry apricot pie pairs canned apricot halves with frozen raspberries under a double crust. Almond extract amplifies the stone-fruit flavor for a winter-friendly pie that doesn't need fresh seasonal fruit.