Sweet Maria's Cake Kitchen: Classic and Casual Recipes for Cookies, Cakes, Pastry, and Other Favorites
Connecticut bakery owner and author Sanchez is smart enough to teach the basics, then build on those fundamentals. Pound, sponge, and three different (white, yellow, and devil's food) layer cakes are explained, with variations discussed later on. Of course, all 65 recipes are prefaced by rather stern instructions on ingredients, equipment, and techniques; lest we forget, she reminds us that cake baking is an exact science--and an unforgiving one. Chatty introductions and sidebars generously give additional professional advice to the novice (e.g., the right pastry tips to create specific patterns). A good basic book for those afraid to tackle the likes of Maida Heatter.Barbara Jacobs