Baking

"I recently went to the Good News Café in Woodbury, Connecticut, with my husband and some of our friends," says Phyllis Hertzberg of Englewood, New Jersey. "For dessert, I ordered a chocolate cupcake, and it was absolutely divine—rich and gorgeous. Everybody had a bite, and we all thought it would be a nice addition to your magazine." More like individual flourless chocolate cakes, these "cupcakes" would make a sophisticated dessert for a dinner party. They are delicate and may crumble on top, but don’t worry, since they're served upside — down with a glaze spread over them.

Look for whole cardamom pods in the spice section of your supermarket or in Indian markets (do not substitute ground cardamom). And if your store doesn’t carry blood oranges, use navel oranges instead.

"This is the cake I bake for most family events," writes Mary Charlotte McCall of Tallahassee, Florida. "I started making it years ago because my three new stepdaughters liked it so much. It's always a hit at big parties, club meetings and kid-related events."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon enhance this easy-to-make cake.

This impressive dessert features two classic components: the buttery sponge cake known as genoise and the rich frosting known as ganache. Making the genoise and syrup ahead eliminates last-minute fuss. Any leftover ganache can be chilled, rolled into balls and presented as another classic: truffles.

For an extra burst of orange flavor, mix some unsalted butter with grated orange peel to accompany these homespun biscuits.