13 best cake books

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From Sky-High Cakes to Cake Pops

This book covers cakes of all kinds, from single-layer fruit-filled cakes and individual-size desserts to those as many as 24 layers high. But while different types of cakes require different techniques and methods to achieve the desired outcome, all cake recipes have six key steps in common: measuring, preparing the pan, mixing, transferring the batter to the pan, baking, and cooling. Recipes feature photos that illustrate each of those processes.

Patriotic Poke Cake

We used a simple white cake as our base; it was tender and flavorful but also had enough structure to handle a syrup soaking.

Smith Island Cake

Many recipes for the sleek ganache-like frosting include milk, but we used heavy cream to give the frosting more body for supporting the cake's many layers.

Olive Oil-Yogurt Bundt Cake

Baking our cake in a Bundt pan made for a refined presentation, and we found that an easy-to-make lemon glaze (with a touch of tangy yogurt) further transformed this modest everyday cake into an elegant dessert.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling

For a final bit of decadence, we spooned ganache onto the cupcakes before baking, giving them a truffle-like center.

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A Little Llama Cake

From baby showers to birthday parties, llamas are everywhere these days! This cake combines a variety of the layering, shaping, and piping techniques you’ll learn, and you can switch out the colors and flavors for any combo you like!

Night Sky Ombre Cake

The ombre design is rapidly becoming a classic, and this cake lets you put your newfound frosting and color-mixing skills to the test with a night sky theme that any partygoer will admire.

Sweetheart Chocolate Cake

This lovely heart cake is perfect for a romantic dinner or small party, and no special pans are required. It’s a triple threat that will use your new talents for making chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, and whipped ganache frosting.

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Pistachio glaze (to top a pistachio bundt cake)

Put the pistachios in a microwave-safe bowl and zap for 30s to warm them. (to help them break down into a paste more easily.) In a blender, puree the warm pistachios and 50g oil until a smooth paste forms.

Whisk the pistachio paste, confectioners’ sugar, milk, 10g oil, and salt together in a medium bowl just before you are ready to glaze the cake.

Place finished cake on a wire rack to and let it cool completely. Put a rimmed baking pan underneath the wire rack to catch the excess glaze.

With the cake still on the wire rack, pour the pistachio glaze in an even stream all over the top of the cake. (Save any leftover glaze to serve on the side when you slice the cake.) Let the glaze sit for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the cake with the toasted pistachios. Let the glaze continue to set up for 10 more minutes, then dig in!