Dessert/7 recipes

Chocolate syrup cake bakes up moist and rich with a thin batter that turns into a fudgy 9x13 sheet cake. A vintage one-bowl dessert built around a full bottle of chocolate syrup.

Citrus chiffon cake made with fresh orange juice, orange and lemon zest, and whipped egg whites for a cloud-light crumb. A 10-inch tube pan classic dusted with powdered sugar.

Fat-free cocoa squares with applesauce instead of butter or oil. A hot cocoa-brown sugar sauce poured over the batter before baking creates a gooey, self-saucing chocolate dessert.

Hazelnut double chunk cookies with toasted hazelnuts, chopped semi-sweet and white chocolate, and a splash of Frangelico. Half the nuts are ground into a paste that makes the dough incredibly rich and nutty.

Buttery pecan coconut cookie balls with a hint of almond, baked golden and finished with a tropical pineapple honey glaze or a roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 6 dozen bite-sized treats.

Old-fashioned Southern tea cakes made with buttermilk, vanilla, and self-rising flour. Soft, lightly sweet rolled cookies that taste like Grandma's kitchen. A big-batch heritage recipe.

Old-fashioned Christmas sugar cookies made with a full pound of butter, sour cream, and baking soda. The dough chills overnight for easy rolling and clean cookie cutter shapes.

A Southern classic bundt cake made with butter cake mix, sour cream, and a hidden ribbon of cinnamon-brown sugar-nut filling swirled through the center.

Mango mousse cake with a sponge cake base, fresh mango puree mousse set with gelatin, toasted almonds, raspberry jam, and whipped cream. An impressive layered French-style dessert.

Pumpkin cheesecake pie made entirely in the microwave with a graham cracker crust, cream cheese filling, and pecan topping. Lemon and orange zest brighten the rich pumpkin custard.

Pear and apricot tart layers fanned pears and apricot halves over almond paste filling in a buttery almond pastry, then glazes with apple jelly. A bakery-worthy fruit tart for special occasions.

Coca-Cola Cake with Buttermilk and Baked-In Marshmallows recipe

Cranberry ice with raspberry wine or liqueur, churned in an ice cream maker for a tart, refreshing low-fat frozen dessert. Garnished with fresh mint and sugared cranberries.

Marbled caramel mocha cheesecake with swirled chocolate and coffee layers on a crushed Oreo crust. Dark brown sugar, milk chocolate chips, and a slow bake for a crack-free finish.

No-bake French mint cupcakes with melted semi-sweet chocolate, butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract frozen in paper cups. Rich, fudgy, and truffle-like with a nutty crunch.

A yeast based risen bread-like cake that's filled with a spiced apple mixture with an attractive lattice style presentation.