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Thanks again for all the vegetable dish suggestions (see comments in previous post if you missed them).

To thank you, I’m offering a make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert, if you don’t mind diverging just a little from tradition. It uses cranberries (why not for dessert?), and it isn’t a pie, but it still is festive and in keeping with traditional foods. It’s best made a couple of days in advance of eating.

I got this recipe from Shirley Schnug, a woman I interviewed for the newspaper column I used to write. I wondered whether my family would accept it, but they embraced it, because it tastes lovely. Sorry I don’t have a photo…

Cranberry Torte

• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1 cup dates, chopped
• 2 cups whole cranberries
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup fresh orange juice

1. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk and orange rind. Blend well, then stir in dates, cranberries and nuts.
2. Pour into greased 10-inch springform or false-bottom pan with 4-inch center ring. (You can try a tube pan, but the cake can be difficult to unmold because dates often stick.)
3. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and torte pulls away slightly from side of pan. Allow torte to cool 5 to 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Run knife around edge of torte and remove from pan before inverting torte, right side up, onto serving plate. (Choose one with a bit of a lip.)
4. While torte bakes, cook together orange juice and remaining 1 cup sugar over high heat until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour juice mixture slowly over torte as soon as it is on serving plate. Refrigerate when cool. Torte is best if made 2 to 3 days before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Makes 16 to 20 servings

Do you have a favorite make-ahead holiday dessert?