Cake Flour

Editor's note: This recipe is from chef Wolfgang Puck. My mother would always begin baking in early December and keep it up right through the holidays. But she wasn't working frantically the whole time. She just knew that the earlier you start your holiday baking, the more you'll be free to enjoy the big celebrations. The ingredients in her cookies promote tenderness and retain moisture so that they stand up well to storage for several weeks when properly packed. My mother's Linzer cookies not only stay moist thanks to their ground hazelnuts and raspberry jam, but they actually improve in flavor as their subtle blend of spices matures. They remain one of my favorites.

These are made with wedges of a moist, rich cake and served with a sauce that blends cooked and fresh strawberries.

This is one of our most popular cakes at the bakery. Half of the customers love it because they haven't eaten it since their grandmother made it when they were kids, and the other half because they think the red color is really neat. But everyone thinks it's delicious.

This four-layer stunner may just render all your other chocolate-cake recipes obsolete. A generous amount of sour cream keeps the cake layers tender, and the frosting is a glossy triumph. It's a natural fit for practically any get-together—from a simple family birthday celebration to an elaborate dinner party.

Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of time-honored ingredients—sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon—will have your guests clamoring for the recipe.

Homemade pound cake hits all the right notes—it's buttery, rich, and immensely satisfying. This version is classic, with hints of lemon and orange, perfect with afternoon tea.

Nothing says festive as eloquently as a towering white coconut cake, and this particular one is breathtaking. Better yet, it's delicious—we've brushed each layer with a syrup made from coconut water and sugar to ensure that every bite is succulent. Shreds of delicate fresh coconut far surpass the packaged kind.

This recipe was created by Melissa Murphy of the Sweet Melissa Patisseries in Brooklyn, New York. To make the Lemon-Raspberry Wedding Cake, make this recipe three times. Use the first batch to make two 9-inch-diameter cakes. Use the second batch to make one 12-inch-diameter cake and one 6-inch-diameter cake. Use the third batch to make a second 12-inch-diameter cake and a second 6-inch-diameter cake.

Several traditional southern themes — pecans, Caribbean spices, and, of course, thick, tangy cream cheese frosting — come together in this gorgeous layer cake that's both down-home and elegant.

This big-deal cake can be made a day ahead.

This recipe can easily be halved to make one pie. It's great with whipped cream.

A sumptuous chocolate-caramel ganache alternates with layers of cake sweetened with chestnut cream.

These dainty tea cakes took many of us back to our childhood. A few drops of kirsch gives them a faintly eastern European air.

Pouding Chômeur
This dessert shows the English influence on Quebec cooking. "Unemployed man's pudding" is made from ingredients that are inexpensive and abundant in the area. You'll find it on the menu at diners and cafßs all over Montreal.

Crostata con Crema di Formaggio e Marmellata di Arance Amare Florentines aren't big dessert-eaters, so many menus have a limited array of sweets. Not so at Zibibbo. Chef Vitali's delicious selection includes this cream cheese tart, which is one of the restaurant's most popular desserts. What to drink: An estate-bottled Vin Santo. Try: Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano.

Don't be concerned if the pudding cracks a bit when you invert it onto the plate; it will taste just as good.