Recipe Sifter

Christmas tree cake cut from a 13x9 sheet cake into a tree shape, frosted green and decorated with peppermint candies, pretzel rod trunk, and a gumdrop star. Festive holiday show-stopper from one boxed mix.

Oatmeal pumpkin cookies fold pumpkin puree, rolled oats, chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts into a cinnamon-spiced dough. Drizzle with lemon glaze or top with chocolate candies. Makes 96.

Three layer no-bake fudge with a chocolate-coconut-graham cracker base, creamy vanilla filling, and glossy semi-sweet chocolate top. No cooking required.

Hot fudge pudding cake that creates its own chocolate sauce as it bakes. Cocoa batter topped with sugar and hot water, the oven transforms it into cake over fudge sauce.

Old-fashioned chocolate cream pie with a silky stovetop cocoa custard thickened with cornstarch, finished with butter and vanilla and poured into a baked crust. Classic chocolate pie, no meringue mix required.

Lemon cornmeal cake with a hot lemon glaze and crushed blueberry sauce. A rustic single-layer buttermilk cake with a tender crumb and gritty cornmeal bite, finished with bright citrus shine.

Giant oven-puffed pancake (Dutch baby) with lemon, vanilla, and butter, topped with black cherries, sliced almonds, and powdered sugar. A dramatic 30-minute brunch.

Shareable apple oatmeal cookie pizza topped with melted chocolate, pecans, and vanilla glaze for a fun party dessert that feeds a crowd on one pan.

Chocolate lovers beware, this dessert is sure to satisfy your tastebuds and keep you in the holiday spirit with a minty taste.

Double chocolate cheesecake with a chocolate wafer and macadamia nut crust, sour cream topping, and frozen chocolate shavings. A rich, creamy no-crack baked cheesecake.

Chocolate thumbprint cookies with a double-chocolate base and a creamy peanut butter filling in the center. A bakery-style cookie that looks fancier than it cooks.

Mini upside-down cheesecakes with warm pineapple sauce: 4 individual muffin-tin cheesecakes flipped onto a pool of glossy pineapple sauce. Ready in 50 minutes.

Orange-kissed cheesecake on a chocolate graham cracker crust, made lighter with nonfat cottage cheese and reduced-fat cream cheese. Bright citrus meets dark cocoa in every forkful.

Chocolate drop cookies are soft, cake-like buttermilk cookies made with melted unsweetened chocolate and chopped walnuts. An old-fashioned drop cookie recipe that yields 3 dozen.

It was nice and moist, if a tad on the heavy side. The recipe is actually for cupcakes, but can make one big layer. The frosting is outstanding, a definite keeper.

Zucchini carrot bread with grated vegetables, cinnamon, and chopped nuts baked into two moist loaves. The double-veggie combo adds moisture and natural sweetness. A garden-season staple.