From Food & Wine

For a simple but elegant dessert, Countess Florence Daniel Marzotto chose to serve a basic sponge cake baked with fragrant almond flour, split in half and filled with a layer of tender pears. Cooked in butter in a covered pan, the pears steam in their own juices, releasing a syrupy sauce all their own.

Almond Cake with Pears and Creme Anglaise

From Food & Wine

In the sixth grade, Lisa Ritter prepared Mexican hot chocolate as part of a social studies project. Years later, she wanted to re-create that sweet-spicy sensation in a layer cake, so she developed a cinnamon-flavored sponge cake and subtly spicy buttercream frosting made with ancho chile powder and cayenne pepper. "This recipe makes great cupcakes, too," Ritter says.

Cinnamon Cake with Chile-Chocolate Buttercream

From Midwest Living

Layers of pound cake, custard sauce, hazelnuts, and orange marmalade make up this extraordinary dessert.

Orange Marmalade Trifle

From Midwest Living

This classic dessert goes together easily, but looks impressive. Sponge cake is topped with Grand Marnier, ice cream, and meringue, then served with fresh berries.

To Each His Own Baked Alaska

From Better Homes and Gardens

This is one of the most versatile dessert recipes--use it to bake shortcakes, snack cakes, and trifles.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake with Tropical Topper

From Family Circle

Similar to the classic packaged treat, these yummy cream-filled cakes can be prepared at home in just over 30 minutes. They make a popular after-school or party snack.

Vanilla Sponge Cakes

From Family Circle

The satiny mocha glaze doubles as a sauce for this cream-filled coffee sponge cake.

Coffee Sponge with Mocha Glaze

From Family Circle

Genoise, a rich sponge cake that stars in so many exquisite desserts, was developed in Genoa Italy but was made famous by French pastry chefs. Here, four layers of genoise are filled with raspberry jam and frosted with fluffy white frosting.

Raspberry Genoise

From Midwest Living

This ultra-creamy dessert is made with mascarpone cheese and sponge cake. Then it's served with a whipped cream and espresso sauce.

Cream Torte with Espresso Sauce

From Family Circle

This quick and easy dessert recipe is delicious because lemon curd and sponge cake are made for each other--even when both come ready-made.

Easy Lemon Tarts

From Family Circle

Filling and frosting the orange sponge cake with low-fat whipped topping, turns this cake roll into a low-calorie dessert. The luscious orange and cream combination satisfies both dieters and non-dieters.

Orange-Citrus Roll

From Diabetic Living

This light and heavenly sponge cake, lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and surrounded by champagne-laced fruit sauce, is a dessert worth serving at a dinner party.

Olive Oil Genoise in Strawberry Champagne Sauce

From Family Circle

Bake this cake for a star-spangled 4th of July celebration. Use blueberries, raspberries, and frosting to create a flag on top of the lemony sponge cake.

Star-Spangled Cake