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Baking cakes, pastries, and desserts is a science as well as an art. Having the right cookbook by your side can make the difference between baked goods that are just okay and ones that are truly spectacular.
But with so many options on the market, how do you decide which are the best cake and pastry cookbooks worth investing in?
We selected and reviewed the top 20 best cake and pastry cookbooks to uncover the pros, cons, and key features of each one.
If you are a novice in cakes and pastry baking, here are some best cake and pastry cookbooks that will teach you the basics, including a detailed understanding of utensils, baking ingredients, dough, batter making, problem-solving, where to buy ingredients, and you can learn all kinds of daily cakes, pastries, and desserts at once!
Discover why these 20 best cake and pastry cookbooks stood out and get the inside scoop to determine which is the right fit for your needs.
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Best Cake and Pastry Cookbooks for 2023
| Title | Pages | Rating on Goodreads |
Buy from Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| All About Cake | 288 pages | 4.2 | Check Price |
| The Cake Bible | 592 pages | 4.7 | Check Price |
| Snacking Cakes | 192 pages | 4.0 | Check Price |
| Fruit | 336 pages | 4.3 | Check Price |
| Cake Decorating for Beginners | 168 pages | 4.2 | Check Price |
The Ultimate Guide to the Best Cake and Pastry Cookbooks
The editor has recently sorted out books on cakes and pastries in the baking industry and has selected textbook-level books for the French sweet industry.
I recommend them to fans who can’t go out and learn new products. These 20 best cake and pastry cookbooks are helpful for styling, taste, and theoretical knowledge.
When you develop a cake and mix an excellent flavor, it is a joy to witness its birth.
If you want to make more novel cakes and pastries and bring sweetness and strength to more people, even novices Bai, you can also become a powerful master through your own practice.
When you encounter difficulties when researching flavors, take it out and flip through a few pages. It may bring you inspiration and direction.
Below is our comprehensive guide to the best cake and pastry cookbooks based on hands-on experience baking from each one.
1. All About Cake: A Milk Bar Cookbook by Christina Tosi
Key Features: Creative flavors, beautiful designs, professional techniques, chapter organization by cake style
Overview: This book is perfect for the adventurous baker looking to create show-stopping cakes. The recipes mirror Tosi's legendary Milk Bar creations but in your own kitchen.
Be ready for unusual ingredients, loads of components, and time-consuming recipes that yield jaw-dropping results.
Pros
- Recipes allow you to recreate Milk Bar-level creations at home
- Truly original cake flavors and combinations
- Gorgeous photos showcase the final results
- Chapters organized by cake style (layer, Bundt, etc.) make navigating easy
- Yields consistently delicious and beautiful results when following directions precisely
Cons
- Many recipes are complex with multiple components and long timelines
- Some unique ingredients may require an extra trip to specialty stores
- A few errors in volumetric conversions, but weights were accurate
- Certain items like mug cakes and Crockpot cakes felt gimmicky
Verdict
This book earns its spot among the best cake cookbooks due to the wow factor of the recipes and creations. Bakers who love a challenge will find inspiration and brilliant instruction from Tosi.
With attention to detail, you can recreate beautiful, delicious cakes to impress any guest.
Standout Recipes: Dulce de Leche Layer Cake, Arnold Palmer Sheet Cake, White Album Cupcakes.
2. Maida Heatter’s Cakes by Maida Heatter
Key Features: Hundreds of recipes from a legendary author, highly-rated classics, and tips from an expert.
Overview: This comprehensive collection of cake recipes spans all types from cheesecake to fruit-based and more.
With no photos, bakers must rely on Heatter's detailed instructions and conversational guidance. Expect delicious cakes with minimal special tools required.
Pros
- Packed with hundreds of cake recipes for all occasions
- Clear instructions from an expert guide you through each recipe
- Minimal special tools/pans required
- Produces delicious, timeless cake recipes
Cons
- No photos make envisioning the end result difficult
- Some terminology required outside research
- Lacking visual instructions for decorating or troubleshooting
Verdict
Heatter's classic recipes have stood the test of time for good reason - they are dependable and delicious. This book is ideal if you enjoy following recipes from a master baker and want to expand your arsenal of classic cakes.
Standout recipes: Lemon Buttermilk Cake #2, Best Damn Lemon Cake, American Chocolate Layer Cake.
3. The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Key Features: Extensive reference guide, recipes for all skill levels, comprehensive decorating instructions
Overview: This award-winning classic earns its reputation as the cake "Bible" with beginner recipes through masterclass level. Expect a serious, technical tone with extensive detail and instruction.
Pros
- Truly an encyclopedic guide to all things cake
- Beginner to advanced recipes included
- Highly detailed decorating guides and troubleshooting advice
- Weight and volumetric measurements provided
- Recipes thoroughly tested for consistent success
Cons
- A serious, technical tone can feel intimidating
- Some terminology required additional research
- Hand-drawn illustrations felt a bit dated
- Advanced recipes require significant time and special tools
Verdict
This book lives up to its legendary status with the most comprehensive cake guidance imaginable. Bakers who want to grow their skills will find recipes and tutorials for all levels. This is the ultimate cake reference guide.
Standout Recipes: Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Chocolate Layer Cake, Orange Glow Chiffon Layer Cake.
4. BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks
Key Features: Goes beyond recipes into the science of baking, tips from a baking wizard, brand name recipe clones.
Overview: Expect highly technical, extensively tested recipes ranging from classic American desserts to baked goods inspired by big brands.
The real highlights are Parks' dense tutorials and margins filled with baking expertise.
Pros
- Next-level technical knowledge of the science of baking
- Brand name recipes like Hostess cupcakes and Thin Mint cookies
- History and modern updates provided for many American classics
- Every recipe is meticulously tested for consistent results
- Helpful baking wisdom throughout margins and tutorials
Cons
- Highly precise recipes leave little room for alteration
- Can feel like an overwhelming amount of detail for casual bakers
- A few instructions around more complex recipes lacked clarity
Verdict
This book goes beyond just recipes to deliver an education in baking science and troubleshooting. Parks' expertise shines through and aspiring pastry wizards will find endless wisdom to absorb.
Standout Recipes: Red (Wine) Velvet Cake, Boston Cream Pie, Sour Cream Frosting, Crack Pie.
5. Simple Cake by Odette Williams
Key Features: Beautiful, minimal photography and styling, pick-and-choose cake combinations, simple ingredients
Overview: This book delivers effortless, elegant cakes with a versatile base cake and frosting "topping" system. The photography will have you drooling over simple ingredient pairings that yield gorgeous results.
Pros
- The cake "base" plus "topping" system allows endless customization
- Visually beautiful, minimal photography and styling
- Instructions are simple and accessible for casual bakers
- Most cakes use basic pans and ingredients on hand
Cons
- Lower on detailed technique compared to other books
- A simple approach leaves less room for troubleshooting
- Could benefit from more tips on achieving beautiful cake photos
Verdict
Bakers seeking beauty, simplicity, and customization will find it all here. This book proves you don't need fancy equipment or complex instructions to create stunning cakes.
Standout Recipes: Big Ted’s Birthday Cake, Ginger Milk & Honey Cake, Diced Cinnamon Doughnut Cake.
6. More Than Cake by Natasha Pickowicz
Natasha Pickowicz is a creative force in the world of baking. Her pastries are uniquely delicious and surprising. She’s picked up three James Beard Award nominations for her time as a professional pastry chef.
Her buzzy bake sales for Planned Parenthood and other nonprofits have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Now she shares her recipes and baking know-how in a debut cookbook brimming with the energy, passion, joy, knowledge, and spirit of generosity that define her work.
The recipes are fresh and uncomplicated, drawing on the author’s Chinese and Californian heritage. She pairs nectarine and miso in a tarte tatin and makes a layer cake with olive oil, mascarpone, and fennel.
Black cardamom gets tucked into pecan sticky buns, and galettes go savory with kabocha squash. Brown butter is the secret to irresistible buckwheat chocolate chunk cookies.
And she’s a born teacher. Of course, pastry requires a real focus on detail and technique, but the author is here at every step with invaluable tips:
- underneath meringue;
- boil your plum stones to extract even more plum flavor;
- look for “first-press” yuzu juice;
for the flakiest pie dough, first freeze your butter, then use a grater to get perfect shreds.
More Than Cake means baking to bring people together. It calls on you to prioritize pleasure. As the author writes,
“Dessert is beyond simple calories and nutrition. . . . It spreads delight in a way that no other kind of dish can. This is something I think people really need—it’s not optional.”
It’s a philosophy to live by.
7. Snacking Cakes by Yossy Arefi
In Snacking Cakes, the indulgent, treat-yourself concept of cake becomes an anytime, easy-to-make treat. Expert baker Yossy Arefi’s collection of no-fuss recipes is perfect for anyone who craves near-instant cake satisfaction.
With little time and effort, these single-layered cakes are made using only one bowl (no electric mixers needed) and utilize ingredients likely sitting in your cupboard.
They’re baked in the basic pans you already own and shine with only the most modest adornments: a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of glaze, a dollop of whipped cream.
From Nectarine and Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake and Gingery Sweet Potato Cake to Salty Caramel Peanut Butter Cake and Milk Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cake, these humble, comforting treats couldn’t be simpler to create.
Yossy’s rustic, elegant style combines accessible, diverse flavors in intriguing ways that make it easy for kids to join in on the baking, but special enough to serve company or bring to potlucks.
Whether enjoyed in a quiet moment alone with a cup of morning coffee or with friends hungrily gathered around the pan, these ever-pleasing, undemanding cakes will become part of your daily ritual.
8. Cake Decorating for Beginners by Rose Atwater
Decorating cakes at home is easy and fun, thanks to Rose Atwater's step-by-step guide. Rose started her "accidental cake business" in late 2009 with more than 20 practice cakes she made in the 6 months leading up to her brother's wedding.
By the time he tied the knot in 2010, her prototypes turned into a steady stream of real orders.
Over the past 11 years, she has gone on to decorate more than 1,500 cakes for her blog, Rose Bakes. She shows you primer recipes and techniques in this comprehensive book!
You'll learn basic recipes and how to choose the right equipment. After you're comfortable with the basics, you'll master different techniques to decorate cakes for any occasion, from weddings to baby showers to birthdays.
Inside, you'll learn the fundamentals of cake decorating with:
- A list of essential equipment and tools, easy and straightforward recipes, introductory techniques, and troubleshooting tips for common problems.
- Step-by-step instructions to decorate with frosting, piping, fondant, and chocolate.
- 10 tutorials featuring photos and detailed instructions that will guide you from conception to creation.
Get the skills you need to decorate cakes like a pro with Cake Decorating for Beginners.
9. Le Grand Cours de Patisserie by Eddie Benghanem
Highlights of this book:
The techniques and recipes from scratch to becoming a dessert master are revealed! The book contains more than 500 recipes, making it the most comprehensive and rich French dessert book on the market.
Reason for recommendation:
1. The whole book covers everything from meringues, cakes, and puffs, to biscuits, ice cream, candies, chocolates, various breads, etc. It is an indispensable red book for learning about desserts.
2. 500+ recipes, starting from the basic selection of flour, sugar, and baking tools, to basic folding techniques, chocolate tempering methods, water bath methods, etc. Each technique is equipped with detailed step diagrams for readers' reference. study.
10. Opera Patisserie by Cedric Grolet
Highlights of this book:
It is the second work of Cedric Grolet, the author of "Fruit"! The 100 pastry recipes in the book are all the signature bread and desserts of the author's new store OPERA!
Reason for recommendation:
1. Cedric Grolet tries a more unique approach and reduces the production steps as much as possible, so as to be closer to the product itself, its texture, freshness, and taste.
2. The 100 types of pastries include: sweet pastries at 7 a.m., various pastries at 11 noon, quickly assembled desserts and frosted fruits at 3 p.m., and bread staples at 5 p.m. All recipes are made using seasonal ingredients, and the pastry-making process is simplified as much as possible, breaking the code of pastry-making.
11. Fruit: The Art of Pastry by Cedric Grolet
Highlights of this book:
Hundreds of high-definition photographs of desserts, full-color printing, and the details and steps of the dessert-making process are vividly displayed on the paper in a comprehensive and meticulous manner.
The whole book uses a hardcover cover and 300 pages of specially coated paper printing. It is a dessert-making book that is not afraid of the kitchen environment. Spectrum.
Reason for recommendation:
1. The "modern" series of desserts in the book draws inspiration from nature, avoids complexity, and keeps simplicity so that the taste and texture of fruit desserts achieve a perfect fit.
2. This book is one of Cédric Grolet's famous works. The author draws inspiration from nature, regards fruits as the center of creation, and cuts into multiple colorful tastes. The fruit dessert shop he opened in Paris is lined up every day. Long queue.
12. Cooking with Chocolate by Frederic Bow
Highlights of this book:
100 chocolate dessert-making techniques, 500 practical operating steps, and more than 100 special chocolate dessert recipes lead readers to learn chocolate dessert-making step by step. It is a dessert-making guide for dessert beginners!
Reason for recommendation:
1. The 16th World's Top Ten Food Book Awards.
2. Collected very representative chocolate desserts from around the world, divided the operation levels according to difficulty, and explained the secrets of making chocolate desserts in a concise way so that readers can learn step by step according to their own level.
3. In order to make it easier for readers to master the recipes introduced in the book, all recipes have been actually operated by pastry chefs and students of Valrhona Chocolate School, and are highly operable.
13. Maison Lenôtre Haute création by Guy Klenzer
Highlights of this book:
It selects the preparation methods of 160 recipes from the 60 years since the establishment of the French Renault Culinary School and narrates them from the creative direction and techniques, such as childhood, love, luxury, color, raw materials, natural force, architecture, bubbles, imprints, etc.
Reason for recommendation:
1. The book also especially adds the preparation methods of dishes in cross-border cooperation with big brands (such as Hermès, Crocodile, Kenzo, etc.), presenting a feast of cooking and art.
2. The author Guy Klenzer is a double MOF in France and is known as the "father of avant-garde modern pastry". The book has exquisite pictures, distinct colors, and clear recipe steps. It is a benchmark for creative French cuisine.
14. Tourbillon by Yann Brys
Highlights of this book:
The author combines the concepts and techniques of traditional French desserts with tourbillon technology, opening up a new world of new French desserts.
The book contains 48 recipe combinations with three-dimensional cross-section diagrams, clearly explaining the essence of making each dessert!
Reason for recommendation:
1. The "Tourbillon" dessert technique not only innovates the appearance of desserts but also strives for harmony and perfection in the combination of flavors.
2. Jan Bliss is a very influential pastry chef in Paris. He personally taught his own "Tourbillon" dessert technique at MOF, which is popular in the French dessert world.
15. La Pâtisserie by Cyril Lignac
Highlights of this book:
Sharable desserts × satisfying snacks × popular signature desserts × French classic desserts, 55 representative works of the new French dessert style, representing sweet France!
Reason for recommendation:
1. By recounting several years of store opening experience, the author deciphers the winning product objectives and business rules of popular dessert shops.
2. This book has been the best-selling book in the food history category on the French Amazon for many years.
3. How to make the taste of desserts stand the test of time? The finished dessert needs to rest, cool, and even be transported. What kind of recipe can prevent the flavor from being lost? What techniques can keep the taste and appearance of desserts consistent? "The New Fashion of Continental Desserts: Cyril Lignac's Dessert Making" will reveal the secrets to you one by one.
16. Le Cordon Bleu Pastry School by Le Cordon Bleu
Highlights of this book:
This book is the textbook of Le Cordon Bleu, which embodies the tradition, technology, and artistry emphasized in the original training purpose of Le Cordon Bleu.
Reason for recommendation:
1. The book is divided into 5 chapters, which introduce Le Cordon Bleu in detail from the history of French pastry, the department structure and roles of each level of a formal pastry house, basic raw materials, pastry techniques, and various classic French pastry recipes.
2. Le Cordon Bleu was founded in 1895 and is world-renowned. It has a large number of French chefs and is known as the cultural center of French cuisine. This book was written and reviewed by several star teachers. It is a rare textbook-level recipe. manual.
17. Haute Pâtisserie by Sarah Vasseghi
Highlights of this book:
The book introduces the making methods of 100 classic French pastries, including macarons, French desserts, tarts, decorated cakes, etc.
In addition to the exquisitely finished pictures of each pastry, it also comes with high-definition pictures to demonstrate the key steps in detail.
Reason for recommendation:
1. The book selects a number of 100 recipes recommended by the best pastry chefs in the authoritative French Pastry Association (Relais Desserts) and the winning works of the World Dessert Competition and introduces each classic in detail.
2. Cakes, tarts, pies, cookies, macarons, puffs, refreshments... everything is available, and the dessert master's baking skills are dedicated to making the doubts in the production disappear.
18. French Pastry at the Ritz Paris by François Perret
Highlights of this book:
The book contains nearly 100 sets of classic recipes by the chief pastry chef of the Ritz Hotel. Each production process is explained in detail, and what is presented is a classic!
Reason for recommendation:
1. Since its opening more than 100 years ago, the Ritz Hotel in Paris has attracted celebrities such as Chanel, Hemingway, and Diana with its pastries. Its desserts are exquisite, small, and unique, and have become the object of imitation by many dessert lovers.
2. The formula is complete and recreates the classic sweet taste! It provides detailed guidance on ingredient selection, ingredient ratio, modeling, baking, etc., and answers one by one on key techniques. It is a practical high-end dessert book!
19. Le Cordon Bleu Chocolate Bible by Le Cordon Bleu
Highlights of this book:
From raw materials to production, it includes a step-by-step analysis of the operation steps of various chocolate works, with detailed production flow charts and text introductions, revealing the secrets of each classic in detail!
Reason for recommendation:
1. This book is a classic chocolate textbook from the Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in France. It introduces many recipes using chocolate as raw materials, including candies, snacks, cakes, and drinks, as well as various basic production methods and techniques.
2. Le Cordon Bleu has a history of more than 120 years and accepts students from more than 50 countries around the world. The school’s teaching resources and technology are world-class. If you are interested in understanding chocolate thoroughly, you must not miss this book.
20. Chocolate by Ferrandi Paris
Highlights of this book:
The book introduces 76 chocolate dessert recipes, and 41 essential chocolate baking techniques, and is equipped with high-definition step-by-step pictures to guide you step by step in making masterclass works of the Paris Ferrandi Academy!
Reason for recommendation:
1. This book presents to readers decades of domestic and foreign chocolate gourmet production experience of the Paris Ferrandi Institute and the cooking skills of top chefs. It is a chocolate treasure book not to be missed!
2. "Institut Ferrandi Chocolate Collection" is a chocolate teaching textbook from Institut Ferrandi, a French high-level vocational public school known as the "Harvard of the Gourmet World". Its content is classic and unique.
How to Select the Best Cake and Pastry Cookbook
All About Cake, The Cake Bible, Snacking Cakes, Cake Decorating for Beginners, and Fruit March take the winning place in our best cake and pastry cookbook testing, but the "best" book depends on your specific needs and baking style.
Here are the key factors we used to judge cake and pastry cookbooks to consider for your shortlist:
Purpose
What do you want to get out of your cookbook? Options like:
- Learn foundations as a beginner
- Up your skills with advanced techniques
- Discover classic, reliable recipes
- Be inspired by beautiful photos
- Make conversation-starting creations
Baking Style
Think about your strengths and preferences in the kitchen:
- Love following recipes precisely
- Prefer improvising as you bake
- Have access to specialty tools and pans
- Want to use mostly items already on hand
- Are drawn to complex recipes or simple ones
Instruction Format
The instruction style that resonates most with you:
- Step-by-step photos
- Detail-oriented text recipes
- Hand-drawn illustrations
- Minimal text with lots of imagery
- Straight-forward or highly technical
Recipe Reliability
Choose a book where you can trust the results:
- Recipes tested extensively
- Weight and volume measures provided
- Reviews confirm recipes work as instructed
- The author is a respected professional/expert
Visual Inspiration
Gorgeous photos can fuel your motivation to bake:
- Beautiful photography and styling
- Photos illustrate techniques and finished product
- Minimal props and artificial-looking sets
- Showcases details like crumb texture and interiors
Recipe Variety and Special Features
Consider if the book includes:
- Broad range from beginner to advanced
- Covers diverse cake types and occasions
- Provides guidance for decorating
- Troubleshooting tips
- Special dietary options
- Surprising add-ons like brand copycats or science lessons
Take your own needs and baking ambitions into account when selecting your perfect cake and pastry cookbook.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cake and Pastry Cookbooks
What makes a great cake or pastry cookbook?
The hallmarks of a great cake or pastry cookbook include:
- Reliable recipes that work as instructed
- Clear directions and visual guidance
- Recipes suited for the specified skill level
- Covers a range of techniques and cake types
- Provides inspiration through recipes and photos
- Teaches transferable skills extending beyond the book's recipes
- Has a structure and format that makes navigation and selections easy
Should I choose a cookbook focused on cakes or one covering cakes, pastries, and more?
This depends on whether your interest lies specifically with cakes or if you want to build all-around baking skills.
Cake-only books often go more in-depth on varieties of cakes and decorating techniques. However, books covering cakes plus cookies, pies, tarts, and other baked goods allow you to strengthen foundational skills that apply across all baking categories.
Consider if there's a certain type of cake or visual style you want to achieve most. If your focus is on a specific niche, like tiered and layered cakes, a book honing in on that will serve you best. If you want to develop broad baking mastery, a book covering many bases may be preferable.
How important are photos in a cookbook for baking?
Photos are an incredibly helpful aspect of a baking cookbook. High-quality photos allow you to:
- Visualize the intended end result so you know what you're aiming for
- See techniques demonstrated rather than just reading about them
- Identify errors and troubleshoot when your results don't match the pictures
- Get ideas for decorating and plating your baked goods
- Spark inspiration and excitement to try more recipes
Especially for intricate recipes like layered cakes, being able to match your process against photographic guidance is invaluable. However, photos aren't strictly necessary. Some cooks enjoy following the guidance of a master baker and using their imagination to envision the process. This comes down to personal preference.
Should I buy books from professional bakers or home cooks?
Professionally-trained bakers generally offer more technical expertise, intensive recipe testing, and education on the science behind baking. However, home bakers often include tips and tricks tailored specifically for the home kitchen and feature more accessible recipes.
There are perks on both sides. Consider if you're seeking:
- Specialty techniques to level up your skills
- Foundational education in the chemistry of baking
- Achievable recipes for the standard home kitchen
- Relatable tips from a self-taught hobby baker
It can be beneficial to have books from each perspective for a balance suited to your needs. Professional books push your boundaries while home baker books meet your everyday needs.
Should I buy digital or physical cookbooks?
Here are a few factors to compare:
Digital
- The convenience of always having a book accessible on a device
- Ability to click on links for quick cross-referencing
- Owning one device vs. accumulating physical books
- Cost savings, especially for temporarily using a book
- Easy word search to find recipes
Physical
- Displays beautifully on shelf or kitchen counter
- Can stay open to needed pages while baking
- Annotation ability through flags, highlights, bookmarks
- Lends well to friends interested in trying a recipe
- Maintains value to resell later if desired
- Full enjoyment of cookbook as an artistic object
Many bakers opt to use both formats, like buying an e-book for convenience but collecting their most beloved titles as physical keepsakes. This provides the perks of both options.
What are the signs of a poorly-made or unreliable cookbook?
Red flags in a cookbook may include:
- Recipes with frequently negative feedback and reviews
- Disorganized layout and presentation
- Difficulty locating recipes and components
- Sparse instructions and lack of guidance
- A limited number of recipes included
- Frequent discrepancies between ingredient lists and instructions
- Photographs that differ drastically from recipes
- Limited recipe testing before publishing
- Using mostly mock-up food items rather than real food in photos
- Too many unrealistic shortcuts or gadgets used
- An author with little proven baking expertise or credential
Tips for Baking Success from the Best Cookbooks
Regardless of your skill level, certain best practices set you up for cake and pastry baking success.
- Read the recipe thoroughly before starting - This prevents surprise ingredients or tools you may need to gather in advance. You also identify any unfamiliar techniques requiring additional research before attempting.
- Weigh ingredients whenever possible - Volume measures like cups can vary wildly based on how densely you pack ingredients. For reliability, always opt for weight measures when provided.
- Mind the details - Success is in the small print, like sifting dry ingredients, bringing eggs to room temperature, and following mixing instructions precisely. Don't gloss over any direction as too minor to matter.
- Prep your pans properly - Take steps like greasing, flouring, or lining pans as directed. This prevents sticking and helps cakes bake and unmold perfectly.
- Use quality ingredients - Splurge on the good stuff, like real vanilla extract, high-fat butter, and chocolate with a cacao percentage suited to the recipe. This significantly impacts the final flavor and texture.
- Check for doneness - Use doneness cues like bake times, visual browning, toothpick tests, and springiness rather than just setting a timer and hoping for the best. This removes the guessing game and yields a properly baked cake every time.
- Allow adequate cooling - Have patience and let cakes cool completely before frosting or assembly. Hot cakes won't hold their shape and can lead to melting, sliding, and cracking.
- Refrigerate layers - For stacked cakes, chilling baked layers help firm them up for easier frosting and cutting. Well wrapped, most cakes keep 3-5 days refrigerated.
- Level layers - Creating flat, evenly thick cake layers prevents the dreaded lopsided or sloping cake. Use a serrated knife in gentle sawing motions for clean cuts.
- Limit crumbs - Contain wayward crumbs that can mar frosting using a serrated knife and by frosting coats like crumb coats and chill again before the final layer
- Master basic decorating - Learn skills like piping stripes, rosettes, and borders which elevate any cake from amateur to pro.
- Store properly - Once baked and frosted, keep cakes chilled with proper covering. Let stored cakes come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Share your creations - Part of the fun is cutting into your cake and snapping some photos to remember your masterpiece. Enjoy the fruits of your baking labor.
Ready to Bake Cake Magic?
Our best cake and pastry cookbook research and testing uncovered plenty of resources primed to level up your baking skills.
While we provide specific insights on 20 popular best cake and pastry cookbooks, there are many fantastic books out there waiting to guide your journey.
The most important factors are choosing a book aligned with your current skill level and baking interests. Let our testing notes help you narrow down your best match.
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