dessert anytime. Here are a few cake recipes for you to try.

*** Buttermilk chocolate cake with mocha/chocolate glaze 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1 cups sugar 5 large eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk MOCHA CHOCOLATE GLAZE 1 cup strong black coffee 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a large, 12-cup (10-inch) bundt pan, preferably nonstick. Set aside.

Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and melt it over, not in, very hot water. Whisk to smooth then set aside. Meanwhile cream the butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add the sugar gradually, beating on high speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate.

Sift the flour a second time with the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, alternately add the buttermilk and dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

When the batter is blended, turn it into the prepared pan and even the top with a spoon. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan, on a rack, for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a large cake platter.

When the cake has cooled make the glaze: Melt the chocolate with the coffee over very hot water in the top of a double boiler. Whisk to smooth, then wait several minutes so the glaze thickens slightly. Spoon the glaze over the cake, covering as much of the surface as possible. Slice and serve.

Store the cake covered, in a cool spot; a foil tent will do if you haven't a dome lid.

*** GENOISE Basic Sponge Cake Makes about 8 servings 5 large eggs, at room temp.

1 cup sugar pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sifted unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled lukewarm Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch cake or springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of wax paper and butter and flour it also.

Put the eggs in a bowl of very warm water for 1 minute to warm them slightly, then break them into your mixing bowl. Begin beating the eggs on medium-high speed, gradually adding the sugar and salt with the mixer going.

Turn the mixer onto high speed and continue to beat for another 4 to 6 minutes, until the batter is quadrupled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when it falls from the beater. Add the vanilla and beat for a few more seconds.

Sift the flour directly over the beaten eggs about one-third at a time, gently folding it in with a large rubber spatula after each addition.

When there are no more visible streaks of flour, gently fold in the melted butter about half at a time. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes. When done, a tester will come out clean from the centre of the cake and the sides should shrink away slightly from the pan.

Cool the cake on a rack, in the pan, for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pan. Place a piece of wax paper on a cooling rack.

Quickly invert the cake onto your hand, pull off the wax paper, then flip the cake onto the paper with the bottom of the cake facing down. Cool completely, wrap the cake in plastic, and refrigerate until serving.

Cake makes everyday a sweet occassion SPICED BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE Makes 8 to 10 servings 1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 1 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 1 teaspoons orange extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus finely grated zest of 1 orange 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup (scant) buttermilk Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 5- by 9-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with wax paper and butter the paper.

In a bowl, cream the butter, gradually adding the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth and fluffy after each addition. Mix in the orange extract or vanilla and zest.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Mix about one-third of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Blend half of the buttermilk into the batter, followed by another third dry, the rest of the buttermilk, then the rest of the dry. Mix the batter until uniformly blended.

Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and level the top. Bake for about 65 to 70 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan, on a rack, for 15 minutes. Invert the onto a plate, then turn it back over so it rests on the rack on the wax paper bottom. Peel down the sides of the paper. When cake cools, finish serve.

*** JIM'S FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE 6 ounces (1 1 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 cup sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 4 large eggs, at room temperature Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment or buttered wax paper. Cover the (outside) bottom and sides of the pan with a double layer of aluminium foil, to make it waterproof; if you have it, use wide foil. Pour about 3 inch of hot water into a shallow casserole large enough to hold the springform pan. Place it in the oven.

In a heavy medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over the lowest possible heat. Add the chocolate and swirl the pan so the butter runs over it. Turn the heat off but leave the pan on the burner until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth.

Scrape the melted chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix the sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl then blend them into the melted chocolate on the lowest possible speed.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs just to liquefy them, then gradually blend them into the batter on the lowest speed.

When the batter is smooth, scrape it into the prepared pan. Place it in the centre of the casserole and bake for about 50 minutes; when done, the sides of the cake will have risen somewhat, and the centre to a lesser degree. The centre may still look slightly undercooked, but that's okay.

Cool the cake in the pan, on a rack, to room temperature. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. When almost ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a plate. Cut thin slices while the cake is cold, but leave the slices at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving with your choice of sauce.

All recipes from Ken Haedrich Simple Desserts