Simple Cake

July 1, 2019

The sentence, "10 cakes. 15 toppings. 30-cake-worthy moments," forms the premise of this strikingly minimalist cookbook that is both a throwback and an update, a work that nods knowingly at the modest skills and outsized ambitions of many modern home bakers. First-time author Williams (founder of the eponymous line of bakewear) relates her preference for functionality over extravagance, for family-friendly go-tos that embrace nostalgia and reject complexity. If this approach seems risky, it is saved by the addition of delightful variations, tips, and topping suggestions-- the last of these drawn from the more robust second section and made manifest in the final collection of "Cake-Worthy Moments." Here we see how a basic cake and topping combination can transform into a "Self-Care Cake," "Sleepover Cake," or "Over the Moon Cake." It's a tiny transformation but utterly effective: nuanced, delicious, and accessible. VERDICT A love letter to the power of unfussy baking, family celebrations, and simple experiences. For novice bakers, bakers with children, and cake-eating minimalists.--Robin Chin Roemer, Univ. of Washington Lib., Seattle

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