Anyone Can Cake: Your Complete Guide to Making & Decorating Perfect Layer Cakes

by Whitney DePaoli

Overview

“Whitney is one of those bakers who can turn any cake into a masterpiece! She’s an inspiration to any self-taught baker.”
— Duff Goldman, Ace of Cakes and owner of Charm City Cakes

Everything You Need to Know to Create Pretty Cakes with Confidence

Anyone Can Cake brings beautiful, artisan cakes within reach of every home baker. Many professional cake artists appear to have a magical touch where every cake they make looks equally perfect and effortless, so it can be intimidating to home bakers. Whitney DePaoli is here to help. As a self-taught cake artist who has been baking cakes from her home kitchen for over a decade, Whitney shares her best tips and hard-won knowledge to answer all of your cake baking questions, help you avoid common mistakes and master the building blocks that make a great cake.

Discover the pride and joy of achieving the perfect consistency buttercream, the right way to crumb coat your cake and beginnerfriendly methods for popular decorating techniques. The book is overflowing with full-page photography, foolproof recipes, handy graphics, reference charts and stepby- step instructions to lead you to complete cake confidence. Whether you are looking for simple classics or creative flavors such as Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cake and Raspberry-Almond Impressionist Cake, the sky is the limit with what you can do.

Allow Whitney to guide your cake journey and prove that everyone can create a stunning layer cake to be proud of.

Learn how to:
• Bake, build and decorate layer cakes, along with all the techniques and tools you’ll need
• Master buttercream frosting, from mixing gorgeous colors to achieving a perfectly smooth finish
• Create ombrés, stripes, Lambeth piping and more with beginner-friendly decorating tutorials
• Level-up your design with in-depth guides for ganache drips, sprinkle placement and perfect piping

Featured resources include:
• Foolproof base recipes such as Favorite Vanilla Cake, One-Bowl Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Buttercream
• Creative recipes for showstopper cakes like Rainbow Striped Milk & Cereal Cake, Chocolate- Covered Strawberry Cake and Snickerdoodle Cake
• Troubleshooting tips and step-by-step instructions for preventing common mishaps every step of the way
• Luscious full-spread photography and visual reference charts

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645676829
Publisher:	Page Street Publishing
Publication date:	02/28/2023
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	108,104
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Whitney DePaoli hosts the popular baking YouTube channel and blog Sugar & Sparrow. She teaches approachable cake recipes and tutorials for bakers of all skill levels via her website, social channels and online Cake Basics video series. Her recipes and photography have been featured by Food Network and BuzzFeed’s Tasty, Wilton and American Cake Decorating magazine. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son.

Editorial Reviews

Whitney’s cakes are super cute and whimsical. With so many helpful tips and delicious recipes, you’ll be whipping up layer cakes for every occasion!”
— Tessa Huff, author of Layered and Icing on the Cake

“Whitney’s cake decorating style is always flawless. Her cookbook and troubleshooting tips will set any baker up for success each and every time.”
— Mandy Merriman, creator of Baking with Blondie and author of Cake Confidence

“Whitney has truly outdone herself! This book covers everything you need to know to make the perfect layer cake.”
— Chelsey White, creator of @chelsweets

“Anyone Can Cake is a brilliant collection of delicious recipes, tutorials and beautifully detailed visual aids to truly teach anyone how to decorate a cake!”
— Sheri Wilson, author of Caketopia

“Sugar & Sparrow is my number-one resource for all things cake. Whitney creates some of the most reliable cake and frosting recipes that every baker—no matter their skill level—will appreciate. Her cookbook is comprehensive, and I’m beyond excited to have it as a resource in my kitchen.”
— Michelle Lopez, creator of Hummingbird High and author of Weeknight Baking

“Working with Whitney is always a pleasure! She brings a refreshed sense of creativity and her work is a huge inspiration to all, from beginners looking for somewhere to start to advanced bakers.”
— Callie Marsch, brand engagement strategist at JOANN

From the Publisher

02/24/2023

In her debut cookbook, DePaoli shares her knack for teaching the art of creating cakes that she has mastered in her kitchen and online on her platform Sugar & Sparrow. She immediately makes readers feel comfortable as she shares her struggles with buttercream and layering, encouraging new and veteran bakers to not give up. Methodically, she goes through the necessary steps for building perfect layers, including how to level, fill, and stack a cake. Once the cake has been built, it's time to decorate with a variety of styles, using frosting applications, piping, and glazes. Recipes for a variety of classic and unique cakes are offered here, including beautiful pictures for inspiration. Fantastic visual instructions and aids are sprinkled throughout, and time-planners for making cakes ahead leave no crumb unturned. This meticulous manual will be a great addition to the collection, bringing confidence and expertise to home bakers. VERDICT Packed with tips and troubleshooting guides, DePaoli's book is an all-in-one manual for both the new and veteran baker that will take their cakes from flop to fabulous in no time.—Sarah Tansley

Library Journal

05/01/2023

Gr 9 Up—"Sugar & Sparrow" blogger DePaoli continues her goal to share dependable recipes and make cake decorating accessible to all skill levels. This crossover title will appeal to teens and adults. In six chapters, readers learn basics, ranging from greasing pans to which layer should always be placed upside down to how to create Insta-worthy cakes. Beginners will learn how to succeed as they purchase supplies and work in the kitchen; more experienced bakers will have their techniques confirmed and expanded. DePaoli writes as someone who has been in a tornado-stricken kitchen, had cakes heartbreakingly fail, and watched bakes bring joy. Readers will feel like she is cheering them on as they venture into the kitchen, and with the drool-worthy photography, they will be eager to create their own striped, floral, textured, ganache-dripped, and sprinkled cakes. One potential downside is DePaoli's decision to give a pictorial list of essential baking and decorating tools and then encourage readers to visit her website for a list of her favorite brands. VERDICT Purchase where accessible cake decorating titles are needed for teens and adults.

School Library Journal