cake

If you're responsible for bringing the dessert to a bridal shower, look no further than this decadent, special occasion treat which feeds a large group of people. Petit fours are miniature layered cakes that take a long time to prepare, but as all will attest, they are so worth it. These are taller than your average petit four, but that's because there are four layers of sour cream-cheese pound cake with sweet cherry preserves filling. The bride and the rest of her party are sure to love the towering tiers of sweetness. To see how it's done, in photos, keep reading.

When my mom took me shopping to pick out a cake for my third birthday party, I perused the cake case and almost immediately zeroed in on a pure white coconut layer cake, crowned by a single gleaming red maraschino cherry. Now, this wouldn't seem out of the ordinary, except for one key factor: I hated coconut (and still do).

Not looking to tempt a meltdown, my mom gave in and had the cake boxed up for the celebration. Later, after blowing out the candles, I refused to try even the tiniest taste, instead gobbling up the maraschino cherry with glee, sated by that single cheery cherry. Today, my mom likes to joke that she could have gotten away with just buying a jumbo-size jar of maraschino cherries, with better success for all parties involved.

So when my mom mentioned that my (much younger) brother requested a carrot cake for his birthday, I panicked slightly. Would he be expecting the carrot cake equivalent of that notorious coconut cake? Were his eyes filled with dreams of piped frosting carrots, rather than the contents within? Craftier folk might have practiced piping diminutive carrots ad nauseam until they came out with bakery-level precision. But I know my limitations: my shaky hands are capable of a clean and simple frosting job at best, so I trudged on, and held my hopes high that my brother would be wise beyond his years and enjoy the cake for its sweet and spicy flavor, rather than a deftly packaged product.

Keep reading for the recipe.

Valentine's Day involves going all out to show your loved one you care, and this floral pudding cake with fluffy meringue surely does just that. It's a mouthful that's as delicious as it sounds.

The recipe holds true to the original, from an enchanting cookbook called Vintage Cakes, but I changed up the flavor profile quite a bit so that these pudding cakes taste of chamomile and rose (instead of lemon). If you have access to edible roses, sprinkle the petals throughout the cake. Otherwise, the rose water will be strong enough to express that floral flavor.

If you've never made a pudding cake before, here's the deal. There's only one cake batter involved, so you don't need to make both a pudding and a cake. When the batter bakes in the ramekin, half of it rises to the surface to form a cake, while the bottom half remains viscous and pudding-like.

But this is no ordinary pudding cake — it's topped with marshmallow-y meringue, which is lightly toasted in the broiler. The meringue is so pillowy, sweet, and addictive that you should just plan on scraping the bowl clean.

Once the cakes emerge from the oven, it's extremely fun to crack them open and scoop up a bite. Impress your Valentine this year by making this three-tiered treat.

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a day of overindulging on chocolate. This 96-calorie chocolate cake is an elegant dessert that contains no flour and includes healthy ingredients like sweet potato to help hold all the chocolatey goodness in.

Make the entire recipe as a single cake, or cut the recipe in half to make just enough for yourself and a date. As a sweet finish, the extra orange zest can be used to write a love note on top of the dessert.

See the recipe when you read more.

Gluten-free doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the fun. Here's a delectable cake recipe that will trick your eaters into thinking it's the real deal. This mix is quick and easy and only requires one bowl for the process, meaning less dishes for you. Forks and knives to that!

Keep reading for the recipe.

When it comes to baked goods, looks can occasionally be deceiving. Take this cranberry-swirled gingerbread cake: slightly unassuming in appearance, it's an unlikely contender for crowd favorite when placed side by side with luscious pies, or an elegantly frosted chocolate cake.

That is, until the first bite is consumed. The batter, deeply spiced and spiked with bittersweet molasses, is a strong contender for my favorite gingerbread tasted to date. A hefty swirl of sweet-tart cranberry sauce simply gilds the lily, firmly placing this cranberry-swirled gingerbread in my cake hall of fame.

Despite its unconventional nature, chances are, this year it'll have a place at my Thanksgiving table, and many more times throughout the season to come. I urge you to look beyond aesthetics and do the same.

Keep reading for the must-make recipe.