Daou Cabernet

Cherries and chocolate are natural partners that make desserts such as this simply scrumptious! The marbled effect is easily achieved by layering the two contrasting batters. —Sandra Campbell, Chase Mills, New York

A good olive oil cake isn’t overly sweet, so it can just as easily be a breakfast treat or an afternoon snack as a dessert. —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

This moist and delicious chocolate cake is usually the first dessert to go. People even eat the crumbs. It’s always my top choice for holiday dinners. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

This Moscow mule cake is my favorite cake I’ve ever made from scratch. It’s so moist and flavorful, and it reminds me of my favorite cocktail. —Becky Hardin, St. Peters, Missouri

This blueberry coffee cake is my go-to recipe for all of our holiday get-togethers because it’s perfect for breakfast or dessert. It’s easy to make, and it’s the most delicious coffee cake I’ve ever had. —Susan Ober, Franconia, New Hampshire

This Key lime pound cake was inspired from a basic pound cake recipe that I like to play around with. It’s now the only cake requested at every gathering. The unfrosted cake freezes well. —Pat Stewart, Canton, Georgia

This fabulous cake and caramel frosting are so tender, it melts in your mouth. It’s been a family favorite since the ’70s and it goes over really well at church potluck meals. —Anna Jean Allen, West Liberty, Kentucky

This margarita cake is perfect for a picnic on a warm day. You’ll be surprised at how closely it tastes like the real thing. These other margarita dessert recipes are delicious, too. ?—Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

Inspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas

I belong to a Christmas village collectors’ club and we all bring a potluck dish to our monthy meetings. The cake is always a hit. It’s one of my family’s favorite Thanksgiving desserts, too, and disappears before the pumpkin pie does. —Debby Powers, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Cake. Doughnuts. Now you don’t have to choose between the two. Impress your family with this easy jelly-filled cake. Try your best to center the jelly in the middle of the half-filled Bundt pan so that it will not leak out the edges of the cake. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

Orange and lemon beautifully complement the raspberry flavor in this dense cake. Add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for a pretty finishing touch. —Pat Harlow, Cataldo, Idaho

I adapted a basic pound cake recipe from my great-aunt for this treat. It makes a moist cake that pops out of the pan perfectly. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Tangy ginger, tart lemon and puckery cranberries make this melt-in-your-mouth cake as crisp—and gorgeous—as autumn. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Everyone loves the rich flavor in this decadent cake made with four types of chocolate. —Anna Hogge, Yorktown, Virginia

Citrus trees grow abundantly in California, and I’m always looking for new recipes which use the fruit from the orange and lemon trees in my yard. This lemon pound cake is one of my favorites! My mother passed this recipe down to me. —Richard Killeaney, Spring Valley, California

A moist cake and generous frosting are filled with the fabulous flavor of caramel. The candied pecans are almost a dessert by themselves!—Jennifer Rodriguez, Midland, Texas

Mint pairs with a silky, mild chocolate flavor for this colorful, beautiful cake that will be the talk of the holiday buffet. —Heidi Kelly, Norwood, Missouri

Holiday breakfasts would not be the same at our house without this delicious coffee cake. Whenever I take it anywhere, everyone raves about it and wants the recipe. —Susan Walschlager, Anderson, Indiana

When you want an extra-special dessert for the holidays, it’s hard to beat a seasonal homemade cake. I like to drizzle mine with a simple but elegant glaze flavored with amaretto. —Jackie Howell, Tucson, Arizona

This peanut butter Bundt cake with frosting is heavenly to me. I use smooth peanut butter, but crunchy would work, too. —Karen Holt, Rock Hill, South Carolina

This luscious lemon poppy seed cake recipe uses cake mix and pudding mix for an easy dessert highlighting the classic flavor combination. —Betty Bjarnason, Egbert, ON

Fluffy white homemade frosting tops this rich chocolate almond cake. Sliced toasted almonds on top add a little crunch. —Sherri Gentry, Dallas, Oregon

I experimented with aniseed this past holiday season and fell in love with the licorice flavor. It really enhances the gingerbread spices and fig sauce in this extraordinary cake. —Shelly Bevington-Fisher, Hermiston, Oregon

A cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It’s a wonderful potluck pleaser with its “surprise” cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! —Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario

This delicious red velvet pound cake is the perfect combination of flavors. Make sure the cake has cooled before icing it; for extra crunch sprinkle some roasted pecans on top. —Robin Smith, Old Fort, North Carolina

“A big piece of this moist cake is a chocolate and coconut devotee’s dream,” notes Johnnie. “You should see my husband, children and grandkids smile when I serve it.”

Two of my biggest loves in life—chocolate and coffee—come together in this velvety pound cake. Grate some extra chocolate on top and thank me later. —Rachel Bernhard Seis, Taste of Home Senior Editor

The nutty aroma and delicate fruit flavor make this cake special enough to serve to company. Strawberry or raspberry preserves can be used as a tasty variation. —Sharon Mensing, Greenfield, Iowa

This tender pound cake is the first one I mastered. You’ll want to eat the browned butter icing by the spoonful. It tastes like pralines. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida

Whether garnished with fresh berries and sprigs of rosemary or just served plain, this rich cake is fabulous. It bakes to a beautiful golden brown and it’s definitely a keeper! —Edgar Wright, Silver Spring, Maryland

This recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend. Teaming chocolate with butterscotch for a marble cake makes it more flavorful and colorful than the usual chocolate-vanilla combination. This rich family favorite is very moist and keeps well.
-Pam Giammattei, Valatie, New York

Next time you make cake from a mix, try my easy and delicious recipe. The pears and syrup add sweet flavor and prevent the cake from drying out. And since there’s no oil added to the batter, this tender fall-perfect cake is surprisingly low in fat. —Veronica Ross, Columbia Heights, Minnesota

For years, my co-workers were taste testers as I worked on a recipe for pumpkin cake. This version wins, hands down. —Gilda Smith, Santee, California

Inspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas

You don’t have to spend a lot of time to serve an elegant and delicious dessert. Just mix up the batter in one bowl, bake and get ready for people to love this moist dark chocolate cake recipe. —Christa Hageman, Telford, Pennsylvania

My husband, Ken, loves this tube cake with its bits of crystallized ginger. Feel free to drizzle it with a lemony glaze. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, NJ

We named this a “pina colada” cake because it has coconut, pineapple and rum. It’s a soothing finish at the end of a big spread. —Debra Keil, Owasso, Oklahoma

My Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia

Now that I’ve retired from teaching, I have more time to bake. This buttermilk pound cake is the one I make most often. It is a truly southern recipe, and one I think can’t be topped—once people taste it, they won’t go back to their other recipes with buttermilk. —Gracie Hanchey, De Ridder, Louisiana

Holiday breakfasts would not be the same at our house without this delicious coffee cake. Whenever I take it anywhere, everyone raves about it and wants the recipe. —Susan Walschlager, Anderson, Indiana

When our son and daughter were teenagers, our house was the hang-out for their whole group of friends. This rich chocolate almond cake was a regular on the menu. —Char Safley, Raleigh, North Carolina

Baked in a pretty tube pan and drizzled with icing, this breakfast cake will be a highlight of your holiday menu. I adapted the recipe from one of my grandmother’s. —Shaunda Wenger, Nibley, Utah

Bake this up when you want to treat your family to something special and sweet. The raspberries and mint add a springtime freshness, too. —Carly Curtin, Ellicott City, Maryland

Mixes make this light cake easy, and a fluted tube pan gets it holiday party-ready. Go for the pistachios on top—the extra crunch is worth it. —Dina Crowell, Fredericksburg, Virginia

I was determined to make a healthier version of this pumpkin- and spice-laden cake. Judging by the compliments, it worked. Even a picky 4-year-old eater asked for more.—Krista Frank, Rhododendron, Oregon

I made this for a holiday dinner with my family. Everyone loved the cran-orange flavor and the sweet glaze drizzled on top. For a fun variation, add 2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut when including the orange juice to the batter, and sprinkle the finished cake with toasted coconut. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania

This citrusy, golden-brown cake looks especially beautiful baked in a fancy fluted pan. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh fruit. —Donna Pochoday, Morristown, New Jersey

This pound cake is the best! Oven temps will vary, so if the cake is not done after 1 hour and 20 minutes, continue baking in 5-minute intervals. Use fresh, not bottled, lime juice for the glaze. —Jo McFarland, Sterling, Virginia