A creative way to give thanks for the bounty of harvest is to play up its seasonal flavors in cooking, especially at Thanksgiving. And desserts can benefit from fall’s crops just as much as other courses.

Karen Barker, winner of the 2003 James Beard Award for best pastry chef, and co-chef of the Magnolia Grill in Durham, N.C., brings special skills to working out such timely desserts.

“Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because I get to spend time in the kitchen baking,” she says.

Among the good things to come out of her kitchen are a sweet-potato cheesecake and a pumpkin-date stack cake.

“The cheesecake is a great recipe for parents and kids to bake together,” she said.

Made with a few well-chosen, all-natural ingredients, she thinks it’s nearly foolproof.

Sweet potato cheesecake

For the crust:

1 14-ounce bag of gingersnap cookies, finely ground

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the cake:

1 14-ounce can of canned yams in light syrup, mashed with fork until it makes 3/4 cup

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

8tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1cup sugar

3tablespoons apple cider (see note)

3/4teaspoon ginger

3/4teaspoon cinnamon

3/4teaspoon nutmeg

2tablespoons cream

4large eggs, at room temperature

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider (see note)

To make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 101/2-inch springform pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs and melted butter. Stir to mix well. Place the crumbs into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, tamping down to form an even crust. Bake at 350 degrees about 8 minutes until the edges of the crust just start to pick up some color. Cool completely and reserve.

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer with a paddle, combine the cream cheese, butter and sugar and mix until very smooth and well-combined. Pause to scrape down the bowl once or twice.

Add the reserved sweet potato puree and mix to blend. Add the apple cider, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cream and mix well. Add the eggs, two at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions and mix just until incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Pour batter into the reserved prepared crust. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Turn oven to 325 and bake an additional 20 minutes. Turn oven to 300 and bake an additional 20 minutes. Turn oven to 225 and bake until the cake is just set around the edges, yet slightly jiggly in the center.

While the cake is baking, prepare the topping by whisking together the sour cream, sugar and apple cider. When the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven to cool for 5 minutes and turn the oven to 350. Spread the sour cream topping over the baked cheesecake, using a small offset spatula to ensure an even layer. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes until the topping is just set. Remove from the oven. Gently run a paring knife around the top outer edge of the pan and allow the cake to cool completely.

Once the cake is cool, refrigerate it for several hours or up to two days before serving.

Note: You can substitute bourbon for apple cider in both the cake and topping if desired.

Makes 16 servings. Per serving: 484 cal., 33.6 g fat, 40.1 g carbo., 7.1 g pro.

Barker’s pumpkin-date stack cake “is one of my favorite desserts to serve my guests because it brings out the flavors of fall,” Barker says. “The butter really helps enhance the pumpkin’s sweet, nutty flavor.”

Pumpkin-date stack cake with mascarpone frosting

For the cake:

2cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1teaspoon baking soda

2teaspoons baking powder

1teaspoon cinnamon

1/2teaspoon nutmeg

1/4teaspoon clove

1/4teaspoon kosher salt

6ounces (12 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

21/2 tablespoons molasses

3large eggs

1cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2cup buttermilk

1tablespoon vanilla

1cup pitted chopped dates (preferably fresh Medjool if available)

For the frosting:

4ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2ounces (4 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature

2cups powdered sugar, sifted

1teaspoon vanilla

81/2ounces mascarpone cheese

Additional powdered sugar for finishing

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, butter the parchment and flour the pans, knocking out the excess flour. Reserve.

Sift 2 cups of flour with the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add the kosher salt and reserve.

In a mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and mix to blend. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl several times.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to blend. Alternately add the reserved sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture. Mix to blend.

Toss the dates with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, coating them well and breaking up any sticky clumps. Add to the batter and mix just to blend. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake the cake layers for about 35 minutes until they test done. When a toothpick is inserted into the middle of each cake, it will come out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely.

To make the frosting: In a mixer with a paddle, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until just smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and add the mascarpone cheese. Mix just to blend smooth: Do not overbeat!

To assemble the cake: Remove one layer from its pan and place on a cake plate. Top with half the prepared frosting and stack with the second layer. Spread with remaining icing and top with the last layer. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar. If not serving immediately, store in a cool, but not cold spot.

Makes 12 servings. Per serving: 479 cal., 28.9 g fat, 50.7 g carbo., 5.6 g pro.