I was sixteen when I first decided I wanted to be a baker. In an effort to convince my family that I should go to culinary school, I embarked on a series of recipe tests—mostly disastrous—after school and on weekends. I baked cake after cake and made batch after batch of frosting. My niece Maisy, who was about two years old, began to associate my presence in the house with cake. “Hi, Ewin, where’s the cake?” she would say, with her tiny arms wrapped around my legs. At that age, her d’s sounded a lot like g’s, so when I gave her a taste, she’d say, “Mmmm . . . golicious . . .”
Whether you’re two or ninety-two, there’s a cake for every occasion and mood, from simple throw-everything-together-in-a-single-bowl recipes for lazy weekends and busy weeknights to towering masterpieces with lots of pretty finishes for special occasions. Whatever kind of day you’re having, there’s a perfect cake to make. This chapter is full of them—and they’re all golicious.
Almond Pound Cake with Raspberry Swirl
Honey Pound Cupcakes with Honey-Caramel Glaze
Banana Cake with Cocoa Nibs and Nutella Swirl
Peppermint–Devil’s Food Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Chocolate “High-Ratio” Sheet Cake
Devil’s Food Cake (My Favorite Birthday Cake)
Mocha Cake with Coffee–White Chocolate Ganache
Basic Yellow Sponge Cake with Dark Chocolate Italian Buttercream