Bakers will invent reasons to whip up the treats in Vintage Cakes, coached by Julie Richardson's precise and enthusiastic directions. Inspired by recipes she discovered in the Portland, Ore., bakery she co-owns, Richardson collected, tested and refined recipes suggested by friends and strangers eager to be part of a cookbook celebrating historic and beloved cakes.
Organized from the simplest "Hasty Cakes"--including one you can bake in a cast-iron skillet--to more elaborate, layered-and-filled "Party Cakes," Vintage Cakes invites bakers to make a from-scratch dessert with just an hour to invest, or to spend a day savoring the artistry of creating a chocolate ganache, a marshmallow frosting or a mascarpone mousse.
Richardson, a lifelong baker, opens with practical tips on ingredients to have on hand (cane sugar beats beet sugar) and definitions of basic steps (whisk does not mean sift) that are inspiring rather than intimidating. Full-page photos of cakes accompanied by vintage kitchenware, clearly listed sidebars of ingredients and conversational instructions--"The compote will be quite runny, but don't fear; all will be well when the cake has baked"--will reassure even a novice cake-maker.
Richardson introduces each recipe with a story of its past: Berry Long Cake was in a 1945 Betty Crocker ad; angel food cakes became popular after Sunbeam introduced the Mixmaster; Bess Truman served Ozark Pudding Cake to Winston Churchill. Bakers will soon be adding their own memories to the pages, sure to become batter-splattered and beloved. --Cheryl Krocker McKeon, bookseller