Red Wine Pear Cake with Chocolate Ganache

This chocolate cake has a tinge of red wine to really complement all the flavors. It's the perfect delicacy for dinner parties or even a lil' Valentine's celebration! (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

Miso Chocolate Cake

The umami notes of miso work surprisingly well with chocolate. Bake up the power duo in this delicious (and easy!) sheet cake. (via Brit + Co)

Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pretzel Cake

When you get a bite of both the creamy ice cream and fudgy chocolate layers in this cake, you will experience absolute heaven. (via Half Baked Harvest for Brit + Co)

Star-Studded Dark Chocolate Cake Bites

You need to make these festive chocolate-covered cake bites adorned with adorable star sprinkles. Since no slicing is involved, this is a great dessert to serve at parties or picnics. (via Brit + Co)

Black & White Tuxedo Cake

Get pumped for Halloween with our beautiful, bugged out chocolate cake recipe! (via Brit + Co)

Vegan Chocolate Guinness Cake

Guinness cake?! Oh, we're so in. (via A Virtual Vegan)

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

This chocolate cake is made with sour cream, which transforms each bite to be super tender and soft. (via Completely Delicious)

Personal Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

These single-serve chocolate cakes are topped with cinnamon-espresso whipped cream and cayenne dust to create an otherworldly tasting experience. You'll be surprised at just how well the spice works with this recipe's sweetness. (via No Eggs Or Ham)

Single Layer Blueberry Chocolate Cake

Just look at that beautiful blueberry icing! (via Earthly Provisions)

Chocolate Cake Truffles

Once a chocolate cake recipe turns bite-sized, our cravings run wild. These truffles are easy to make and even easier to customize with toppings of your choice depending on the occasion! (via Vikalinka)

Peppermint Flourless Chocolate Cake

Your next Christmas dessert awaits! (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Chocolate Mug Cake

We are absolute fiends for mug cakes! This one is nothing but chocolatey, thanks to the easy chocolate batter dotted with many more chocolate chips. (via Feel Good Foodie)

Vegan Chocolate Orange Cakes

These rich mini cakes combine orange juice and orange zest to provide a little bit of a lighter end note to the dark chocolate glaze. (via The First Mess)

Midnight Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

This chocolate cake slathered in peanut butter frosting earns its "midnight" nickname from the rich black cocoa powder that's worked into the decadent batter. (via Pink Owl Kitchen)

Molten Chocolate Cakes with Coffee & Rose

Coffee and rose are a match made in heaven when you add in a bit of chocolate. (via The Original Dish)

Dark Chocolate Waffle Cake

The perfect excuse to break out that waffle maker — and eat cake for breakfast. This pick layers dark chocolate waffles with a mascarpone filling for a unique twist on layer cake. (via Foolproof Living)

Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts

Homemade cake donuts – chocolate-frosted and sprinkled to perfection – are what we dream about before that alarm goes off in the AM. (via How Sweet Eats)

Paleo Zucchini Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake recipe is packed with healthy goodness, but trust: you won’t miss any of the decadence. Zucchini, coconut oil and avocado stand in for unhealthy fats to give this recipe its richness. (via The Healthy Foodie)

Chocolate Cake Batter Milkshake

Sometimes a girl just needs a giant bowl of cake batter all to herself. This batter-inspired smoothie recipe has all the chocolate flavor you crave. (via Averie Cooks)

Six-Layer Malted Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow Cake

Stacks of rich chocolate cake layered between malted Belgian-chocolate frosting and toasted marshmallow filling, this sky-scraping piece of campfire-inspired heaven is truly a masterpiece. (via Sweetapolita)

Chocolate Pansy Cake

With beauty and braun, this pansy-covered chocolate layer cake would be absolutely precious at a tea party or ladies’ lunch. (via Style Me Pretty)

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Since it has “banana bread” in the title, you have full permission to have this one for breakfast. (via Smitten Kitchen)

Banana Almond Chocolate Cake

This simple, wholesome bundt cake has less than 10 ingredients. It’s naturally gluten-free, with no refined sugar or dairy. (via Green Kitchen Stories)

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

This pick shares the secret to a perfectly pink, fluffy raspberry buttercream to slather on your cake (and eat by the spoonful). (via My Baking Addiction)

The Best Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Kick off your fall soup season with tender cauliflower, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and kale with this satisfying bowl of soup.

30-Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen

Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, peanut butter, chicken, mushrooms, and bell peppers unite to create the most delicious base for this ramen soup.

Sausage Tortellini Soup

Warm up on cool days with this easy Italian sausage tortellini soup made in one pot and ready in 30 minutes!

Creamy Pumpkin Curry Soup

Add this easy recipe to your fall soup rotation with coconut milk, canned pumpkin and curry paste.

Turkey and Dumplings Soup

Bookmark this recipe for your turkey leftovers! Fluffy buttermilk dumplings make this soup so comforting and delicious.

Creamy Tahini Carrot Soup

Flavored with peppers, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, tahini, and lime, this flavorful soup will keep you warm and cozy all week long.

Easy French Onion Soup

Binge on Emily in Paris while slurping this delicious soup.

Creamy Cajun Potato Soup

Add a touch of heat to your soup routine with this cheesy, creamy soup that combines tender russet potatoes, veggies, and sausage in a creamy, spicy broth.

Lemony Greens Soup

Plenty of lemon juice and fresh herbs take this simple, vegetable-forward soup to the next level.

Stuffed Pepper Soup With Ground Beef And Rice

This one-pot, freezable meal also happens to be gluten free and dairy free. It's hearty and so tasty!

Coconut Curried French Lentil Soup

Vegan recipe lovers will enjoy this rich, creamy soup with French lentils, coconut milk and warming curry spices.

Whole30 Chicken Zoodle Soup

If you’re looking for a soul-soothing recipe that’s still diet-friendly, you’ve come to the right place.

Chickpea and Lentil Soup

You can serve this immediately or let it simmer while you do other chores.

3-Ingredient Tortilla Soup

There is nothing better than one-pot dinners. We're always a fan of having just a couple of dishes to wash after we've fallen into a warm soup coma.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Way tastier than the canned stuff and almost as quick, this recipe is a twist on the classic tomato soup with roasted tomatoes and a grilled cheese on the side.

Super Green Sheet Pan Soup

Satisfy your need for greens with this nutritious soup made with leeks, zucchini, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and peas, topped with pesto grilled cheese croutons.

Ginger Butternut Squash Soup

Even if you’re the slowest chopper in the world, you can have this soup on the table in under 30 and feel pretty good about how healthy it is.

Chickpea Stew with Pesto

This weeknight stew will help you eat your vegetables.

Vegan Sriracha Chili

Yes, you can have a totally flavorful chili with one pot, and yes it will warm your soul.

Homemade Ramen Cup

This homemade version is the adult version of our dorm room favorite. Make it when you need something to mindlessly graze on while you come down from the day.

Chickpea and Lime Soup

Adding crispy, spiced chickpeas as a soup topper is any easy way to “beef” up this quick, simple, and delicious soup.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Instead of waiting 40 minutes to bake a potato, whip up a bowl of this cheesy soup in half the time via your Instant Pot. Garnish it with bacon, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives, and whatever else your heart desires.

Easy Blender Pea Soup

If you're starting to feel guilty about those winter month calories, try this healthy pea soup. We definitely won't judge if you end up adding some garlic bread to the meal.

Spring Onion Soup

Get your greens and warm up at the same time with this creamy dish. It can be eaten warm or cold, which makes it the perfect recipe for unexpected spring weather.

White Bean and Kale Soup

With just five ingredients, plus salt and pepper, you can whip up this healthy, warming soup in no time.

30-Minute Creamy Chicken and Parmesan-Sage Dumplings

Parmesan and sage take the dumplings in this easy chicken soup to a whole other level.

Easy Black Bean Soup

Made with inexpensive ingredients like canned black beans, tomatoes, and green chiles, this soup is as easy as chopping one onion and two garlic gloves and tossing everything in a pot.

Easy Taco Soup

Easy Crock Pot Lasagna Soup

This easy crock pot soup recipe is for all my lasagna and baked ziti lovers. It's hearty and filled with flavors that'll make your taste buds tingle with excitement.

Sweet Potato Curry

For a different burst of flavor, cook this flavorful sweet potato curry soup. It has anti-inflammatory properties thanks to the turmeric found in it so you'll get a tasty meal that's beneficial to your body.

Vegan Broccoli Soup

Made with only four ingredients and perfect with frozen vegetables, this recipe comes from Sarah Copeland’s cookbook Instant Family Meals is perfect for busy weeknights.

Old-Fashioned Cabbage Soup

Just in time for fall, Give Recipe's take on the old-fashioned cabbage soup recipe is one worth making tonight. It's filled with Mediterranean flavors you won't be able to resist!

Spicy Mushroom Noodle Soup

This healthy soup is a mix of spicy miso broth, packed with edamame, tofu, ginger, and garlic, poured over comforting soba noodles.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This is a delicious twist on chicken noodle soup and so easy to make!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Looking for something that has a little kick to it? Try making this stuffed pepper soup!

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

• Gifts for Him
• Gifts for Her
• Gifts for Foodies
• DIY + Handmade Gifts
• White Elephant Gifts
• Gift Sets

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!