For a decadent chocolate torte, bake genoise in a sheet pan and quarter it -- then layer the pieces with two kinds of mousse and top with chocolate shards.
This orange-curd-filled cake topped with Mrs. Milman's chocolate frosting was Martha's father's favorite. Make it as a birthday treat for someone special in your life.
Who says vegan desserts can't be decadent? The bottom layer of this two-tier chocolate cake is covered with mocha icing, while the top is blanketed with ganache.
Don't be fooled -- these rich-looking desserts may look like a cheesecake had a baby with a molten chocolate cake, but they're much lower in fat thanks to the nonfat cottage cheese taking the place of...
This family-friendly dessert is a kosher take of an ice cream sandwich with layers of matzo crackers spread with ganache and mint chip and chocolate ice cream.
For the Fourth of July, a pair of pound cakes iced with lightly sweetened whipped cream and topped with blueberries and raspberries will garner grateful salutes.
Leveling the tops of the cakes helps them to stack neatly and makes a smooth surface for frosting. For easier trimming, refrigerate the cooled cake layers for about an hour before slicing off the tops...
Fresh strawberries, seedless raspberry jam, and vanilla ice cream are layered between moist yellow cake for a three-layered frosted dessert that's just right for summer.
Crunchy roasted cocoa nibs give this cake an unforgettable texture; pepper-flecked icing adds a slightly punchy finish. The recipe comes from chef Kierin Baldwin of New York's The Dutch restaurant.
Indulge in a slice of rich chocolate cake made with buttermilk, butter, and plenty of cocoa powder. It's topped with a super easy buttercream recipe that uses marshmallow cream for the base, plus two kinds...
Although its meringue peaks make it look exactly like a pie, underneath the topping is a moist, lemon-flavored cake. This recipe, featured on "Martha Stewart Living" TV and brought to us by executive chef...
A classic vanilla sponge cake like this one is an invaluable recipe -- we love piling layers of this delicate cake with lemon semifreddo for our Lemon Semifreddo Cake.
Cornmeal and finely ground almonds make delicious shortcakes, and when stuffed with berries and cream, they're even better. It's a delightful summer dessert that's perfect for a crowd.
Simple almondy cake batter is baked and spread with raspberry jam and a thick layer of whipped cream before it's rolled, chilled, dusted with sugar, and sliced for dessert.
This Layered Fruitcake with Creme Fraiche Frosting makes enough batter for a three-layer cake; to make the towering six-layer cake pictured, make two separate batches, rather than simply doubling the ingredients....
Rich and buttery, this French cake is named for its resemblance to a banker's bar of gold. We've added flecks of orange zest to punctuate the classic almond-flavored batter and baked it in a tart pan,...
In Kentucky and its environs, this dessert once served as a wedding cake; neighbors and friends might have each brought a layer, and the hosts would add the filling. We plumped up dried apples in cider...
Use the leftover caramel from this rich, sweet-and-salty frosting to give your cake or cupcakes (like our One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes) an extra-special swirl effect.
Proof positive that you don't need frosting to create a spectacular cake! Here, Martha adorns this eight-layer showstopper with fresh berries, edible flowers, and powdered sugar.
The incredibly tasty Apple Dump Cake is a super easy dessert, despite the not-so-great name! Apple pie filling, cake mix, and butter are layered in a 9 x 13 pan and baked until golden. This is a perfect...
A luscious, no-bake cheesecake with a rich, chocolate cookie crust can be put together in a snap before chilling for an hour. Due to its delicate stature, it's perfect for an intimate gathering or simple...
The frosting may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and re-whip with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment before using.
In this strawberry shortcake that feeds a crowd, a tender biscuit cushions a cloud of lightly sweetened cream and a tumble of juiced-up berries. Peaches, plums, or nectarines can be swapped in for the...
The cake layers are brushed with brandy syrup and filled with mincemeat, a spiced and spiked mixture of dried fruits traditionally served in holiday pies.
Is an upside-down cake upside down when it's baking or when it's served? In this lightly spiced version, the base-later, the top-combines ripe black plums and red raspberries. Inverted onto a serving dish...
This recipe is a stone-cold project, but trust us--it's worth every step. Four layers go into a bowl: a no-bake cheesecake batter, a blend of freeze-dried cherries and cookie crumbs, ice cream spiked with...
This beautiful flag sheet cake makes a festive addition to the dessert table at a patriotic-themed party. This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living, July 2001.
This recipe makes four blueberry and four strawberry shortcakes. If you prefer to make just one flavor, simply double the amount of whichever berry you choose, and don't divide the dry ingredients between...