Coconut

Begin preparing this a day before serving.

In our test kitchen, Philadelphia-brand cream cheese gave us good results. This frosting would also be delicious on carrot cake or gingerbread.

My grandma "Sweet Pea" was considering sharing her persimmon pudding recipe with Epicurious, but was afraid some Yankees wouldn't understand it. This pie is just as sweet though, and very simple to prepare.

In keeping with the tradition of southern desserts, this pie is sweet. Dr. Stallworth uses buttermilk in the filling to provide a hint of tang, but northerners may want to accentuate it even more by adding a tablespoon of fresh lemon or lime juice to the filling.

Dorothy Williams of Vancouver, British Columbia, writes: "To celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, my husband and I spent a week in Victoria, British Columbia. We particularly enjoyed Abigail's Hotel, where we had some delicious carrot-coconut cupcakes." For a lovely breakfast muffin, omit the cream cheese frosting.

Intense chocolate flavor accented with orange highlights this lovely layer cake.

These cookies are perfect with a cup of tea.

This classic southern dessert is very rich and sweet and should be served in small wedges.

Dried cherries and apricots highlight this impressive version of a southern classic.