Pennsylvania Dutch cake-and-custard pie: a soft cake batter and a spiced applesauce-molasses custard poured into one crust bake into two distinct layers, finished with a coffee glaze. A clever heritage dessert.
Italian Bolognese pinwheel cookies filled with thick fruit jam, rolled jelly-roll style, and sliced into spirals. Use fig, sour cherry, quince, or apricot jam. Makes 4 rolls.
Malted coconut marble cake baked in a tube pan with swirled vanilla and chocolate malt batters, topped with coconut frosting browned under the broiler. A retro bakery-style cake with a toasty malt flavor.
Orange chocolate crunch cake with fresh orange segments baked into the batter, topped with a crunchy layer of brown sugar, chocolate chips, and walnuts. No butter needed.
Fudgy, chewy brownies packed with over a pound of chocolate: semisweet in the batter and Swiss dark chocolate chunks folded in and scattered on top. Walnuts add crunch. An overnight rest deepens the flavor and gives you clean-cut bars.
Crispy, golden Indian potato bondas made with a genius shortcut: instant mashed potatoes! Spiced with mustard seeds, turmeric, ginger, and green chilies, then dipped in gram flour batter and fried until irresistibly crunchy.
Slow cooker cheesy chicken quiche with fork-tender chicken breasts topped with a fluffy cheddar-egg batter. Set it and forget it for a hands-off brunch or easy dinner that practically cooks itself.
Sourdough bread dumplings are steamed, not boiled, so they puff into light, tangy loaves studded with toasted bread cubes. Slice and serve alongside goulash, roast pork, or any saucy braise that begs to be sopped up.
Coffee cake muffins with a Ghirardelli dark chocolate crumble swirled through. The crumble is spiked with orange zest, cinnamon, instant coffee, and pecans. Egg-washed tops bake up golden and glossy.
Savory bite-sized biscuits stuffed with sautéed mushrooms, shallots, and ham, then topped with herb cream cheese. The buttery dough chills overnight for flaky layers. Makes 2 dozen party-ready appetizers.
Vintage ribbon cake: plain vanilla and spiced molasses batters layered in stripes with a tart lemon-raisin filling between. An old-fashioned American cake worth reviving.
Moist quick bread studded with apples, apricots, and walnuts spiced with allspice and cinnamon for a fruity breakfast loaf perfect with coffee or tea.
A showstopper lattice pie with three layers: almond cream cheese, fresh raspberries, and glazed cherries, all in a flaky homemade vinegar crust. Bake-sale worthy.
Bachelor's Buttons are old-fashioned drop cookies with a buttery vanilla dough topped with half a cherry before baking. Crisp edges, soft centers, and adorable enough for a cookie tray or holiday tin.
Buttery sour cream coffee cake studded with bittersweet chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts, baked in a fluted bundt pan. Rich, moist crumb with no frosting needed. Serves 12.
Buttermilk pancakes studded with fresh unpeeled apple chunks and warm cinnamon. This Canadian Townships recipe cooks up fluffy in a cast iron skillet. Drizzle with pure maple syrup.