Dessert/8 recipes

My husband loves banana cream pie, and I love chocolate, so I decided to combine the two and the result was better than either one of us could imagine. It is delicious, and has tuned out to be a favorite.

Whole wheat funnel cakes swap white flour for nutty whole wheat and sweeten with honey instead of sugar. Crispy spiral fritters with that classic county-fair crackle, drizzled with maple or honey.

Low-fat whole wheat banana cake uses honey, canola oil, and whipped egg whites for a light, tall tube cake with real banana flavor. A lighter banana cake that doesn't sacrifice texture or moisture.

Peanut butter bon bons: soft, chewy peanut butter cookie balls coated in melted milk chocolate. A chocolate-peanut butter treat that looks fancy but uses simple pantry ingredients.

White chocolate cheesecake on an Oreo crust with creme de cacao and a sour cream topping, made entirely in the microwave. Finished with dark chocolate shavings.

A lighter, golden fruitcake with apricots, golden raisins, candied orange peel, and walnuts in a buttery brandy batter. Baked in decorative molds for a gorgeous holiday centerpiece.

Orange cake made in the slow cooker with just 4 ingredients: cake mix, orange juice, eggs, and fresh orange zest. A hands-off, oven-free cake that serves eight.

Applesauce walnut cake made from golden butter cake mix with applesauce, cinnamon, and black walnuts, frosted with mocha frosting. A two-layer shortcut cake with deep autumn flavor.

No-bake butterscotch haystacks coat corn flakes in melted butterscotch and peanut butter, then fold in mini chocolate chips. Crispy, sweet-salty, and freezer-stable. A 20-minute holiday cookie that needs no oven.

No-bake frozen Gold Mine Pie layered with cream cheese filling, caramel drizzle, and toasted coconut-pecan crunch. Two pies from one batch, freezer-friendly for make-ahead desserts.

Low-fat carrot fig cake that replaces oil and butter with pureed dried figs for moisture. Loaded with grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and raisins, drizzled with a simple pineapple juice glaze.

Lattice-topped dried fruit pie packed with prunes, apricots, golden raisins, dried apples, and walnuts under a cinnamon-sugar crust. A year-round pie that brings holiday flavors to any season.

Low-fat chocolate Bundt cake made with russet potato and yogurt for incredible moisture, whole wheat flour, and whipped egg whites. No butter, no egg yolks, all richness.

Chewy oatmeal raisin cookies spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, sweetened with sugar substitute instead of sugar. A built-in lower-fat option swaps half the margarine for applesauce or banana. Diabetic-friendly baking made easy.

Peanut butter cup cheesecake on a chocolate cookie-peanut crust, loaded with chopped peanut butter cups and finished with a vanilla sour cream topping. Make-ahead friendly.

Halloween candy corn bars layer chopped chocolate cookies, salty pretzels, and raisins under a white chocolate drizzle, then top with candy corn and Halloween sprinkles. A no-bake bark-style treat kids can help make.