Whether you fancy simple sheet cakes, elaborate layers, or unexpected punches of flavor, these six books delve deep into the sweet art and science of baking the perfect cake.
1. Let Us All Eat Cake
by Catherine Ruehle with Sarah Scheffel
As a pastry chef and cake artist turned wellness foods chef, Catherine Ruehle possesses a deep knowledge of both indulgent treats and nutrition. In Let Us All Eat Cake, Ruehle weaves her signature organic, vegan, and gluten-free approach to sweets into 60 classic cake recipes so that everyone, despite their allergies or intolerances, can bake their cake and eat it, too.
Can’t wait to make: Ancho Chile, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Cupcakes, a beloved trio in Southwestern cuisine that comes together to create a deeply complex flavor explosion.
2. Mix and Match Cakes
by Shay Shull
In Mix and Match Cakes, Shay Shull shows home bakers how to step out of the tried-and-true comfort zone and give their best cakes a facelift. Starting with a few base recipes and an infinite number of combination possibilities, Shull filled this compact book with 101 speedy and scrumptious desserts perfect for any occasion.
Can’t wait to make: Peach Upside-Down Cake, a yellow cake that flips out of the pan to reveal perfectly caramelized sugar and summer-sweet peaches.
3. Frostings
by Courtney Dial Whitmore
Frostings is Courtney Dial Whitmore’s gift to icing lovers everywhere. She dedicates 93 color-packed pages to cake’s luscious partner in crime, sharing dozens of inventive recipes for frostings, glazes, icings, ganaches, and garnishes, so your baked goods never have to go naked.
Can’t wait to make: Chai Vanilla Bean frosting, made with chai tea-infused butter, heavy cream, and the seeds of a whole vanilla bean, this frosting screams indulgence.
4. Surprise-Inside Cakes
by Amanda Rettke
In Surprise-Inside Cakes, food blogger and mom of five Amanda Rettke gives new meaning to the saying, “it’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Now, Rettke is sharing step-by-step instructions for creating dozens of cakes with her signature eye-popping animals, shapes, and symbols hiding in the layers—because every event needs an element of surprise.
Can’t wait to make: Red, White, and Blue Cakes, a patriotic combination of Red Velvet and White Cakes doused in blue Basic Buttercream.
5. Bake It Like You Mean It
by Gesine Bullock-Prado
Gesine Bullock-Prado, a food writer, TV personality, and the blogger behind G Bakes, is throwing down the dessert gauntlet and challenging every home cook to revamp their approach to baking. Each of the five chapters in Bake It Like You Mean It is packed with recipes for sumptuous sweets from Marbled Pound Cake to Helgasteine, and organized in order of difficulty level. No matter your skill level, Bullock-Prado guarantees you can bake gorgeous cakes from the inside out.
Can’t wait to make: Wild Blueberry and Guanabana Bavarian Cream Layer Cake, layers of sponge cake, sweet berries, and tart Bavarian cream, covered with a bright guanabana buttercream.
6. Grandbaby Cakes
by Jocelyn Delk Adams
Armed with a knack for creativity and a love of baking passed down the family tree, Jocelyn Delk Adams reinvents traditional recipes with a modern flair in Grandbaby Cakes. Adams channels her down-home roots to create a tome brimming with polished photography, heartwarming stories, and to-die-for recipes that bring nostalgia and style to the cake stand.
Can’t wait to make: Sea Salt Caramel Cake, layers of cake flavored, frosted, and drizzled with decadent caramel and garnished with elegant caramel shards and flaky sea salt.
