Dorie's anytime cakes

Fans of Greenspan (Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple) already trust her to deliver toothsome treats that are both classic and creative, and her latest book will sate their appetite for even more sweet treats, with a focus on round cakes, loaf cakes, bundt cakes, cakes with corners, baby cakes, and salty cakes. Greenspan shares her early cake memories, offers a chapter on basic techniques and best practices, and delivers well-tested, straightforward, yet not simplistic recipes, along with a dollop of advice in each headnote. These cakes range from the unusual (Sasha's Grated Apple Cake, an experiment in textures that delivers an almost pie-like crumb) and extra (Pudding Puff Cake that eats like a massive éclair) to the nostalgic (Grammy's Easy Cake, with choose-your-own-adventure flavor options). These recipes will make their way into lunchboxes and after-school snack rotations, as well as more show-stopping events, all while reminding bakers of the magic of exploring textures and flavors. VERDICT Greenspan has written what is sure to be among the year's best baking books, which will have readers thinking about the rich ways in which cakes have been a source of inspiration to bake, eat, share, and repeat.--Emily Bowles