Review
“Snack time has officially gotten an upgrade! Yossy's cakes are stunningly beautiful, vibrantly delicious, and perfectly acceptable to eat whenever you please, no reason necessary, because they’re SNACKS! I am officially obsessed with this book.”—Molly Yeh, cookbook author and Food Network host
“What’s more joyful than a snacking cake?! Yossy Arefi brings her baking know-how to the mix with recipes that are simple, delicious, and super doable.”—Kerry Diamond, co-founder of Cherry Bombe magazine
“This book is my new cake bible. The recipes in this book scratch the itch for just the type of cake I want to eat all the time. True to her brand, Yossy’s cakes are beautiful in their simplicity and refreshingly simple to make.”—Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times cooking columnist
“Forget about that ancient box of cake mix in the cupboard, because Yossy will show you that no matter where you are, who you’re with, or what’s in the fridge, a cake is always possible. Her streamlined methods (bowl plus whisk!) and mix of clever and classic flavors make this the kind of baking book you’ll always want within arms’ reach.”— Zoë Kanan, pastry chef
“Yossy has a particularly special touch when it comes to flavor and throughout this book there is a sprinkling of delightful flavor combos, exciting textural elements, and delicious sounding recipes. Snacking cakes are meant to be simple but Yossy’s style also stops them ever being boring.”—Edd Kimber, baker and author of One Tin Bakes
“Yossy Arefi has a natural ability to make reliable, doable recipes that are also incredibly beautiful. The pages of Snacking Cakes radiate with these talents. This book made me want to run to my kitchen, grab the nearest bowl, and bake—and I know readers everywhere will be joining me.’”—Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of The Book on Pie
“Yossy Arefi has the rare ability to create approachable recipes that yield bold, nuanced flavors. She does exactly that in Snacking Cakes, providing readers with an array of low-effort, high-reward cakes to celebrate the everyday.”—Vallery Lomas, blogger and on-air host
“I’m a big fan of the way Yossy mixes fruit, citrus, and spice—exactly how I want to eat my sweets every day. All of her baked goods are beautifully delicious. Period.”—Erin Patinkin co-founder of Ovenly and Seemore Meats and Veggies
“Yossy brings her trusted baking knowledge to this lovely collection filled with every type of cake and icing combination possible. It truly is a book for all occasions and cravings, and I can’t wait to bake my way through it.”—Sarah Kieffer, cookbook writer and author of The Vanilla Bean blog
“In Snacking Cakes, Yossy returns with her immediately recognizable style, one that is both familiar and aspirational, with layer cakes that feel both special and inherently comforting. This book is exactly right for right now.”—Tara O’Brady, food writer and author of the award-winning Seven Spoons
About the Author
Yossy Arefi is a writer, photographer, and food stylist. Her first book, Sweeter off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season, was published in 2016. Yossy also writes the award-winning blog Apt. 2B Baking Co., which celebrates seasonal baking and preserving. Her work has been featured in publications in print and online, including NYT Cooking, Martha Stewart, Bon Appétit, Food52, Epicurious, Good Housekeeping, EatingWell, and more. She teaches food and photography workshops all over the world, and lives in Brooklyn with her partner, Pete, their cat, Abigail, and their dog, Arlo.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction
So, what exactly makes a cake a snacking cake? I certainly didn’t invent the concept, and it depends a little bit on who you ask, but to me a snacking cake is a single layer cake, probably square, covered with a simple icing—or nothing at all—and it must be truly easy to make. It’s a cake that makes an ideal breakfast to-go, wrapped in a paper napkin, and a perfect little sweet to have alongside coffee in the afternoon.
These cakes are the kind of baking I love—they are low stress and don’t require much besides a reasonably stocked pantry, a bowl, and a whisk. These aren’t the kind of all-day project bakes you’ll see on The Great British Baking Show; rather, they are humble everyday treats that can lift your spirit and satisfy your hunger for something sweet, at any time of day. These are the sort of cakes you can throw together after work on a weeknight with minimal effort, minimal time, and minimal mess.
Snacking cakes can be cut into tidy little squares and tucked into lunch boxes or wrapped up in a sheet of beeswax food wrap to gift to a friend who has just moved into a new apartment, so they have something for dessert that night, and breakfast the next morning. They are the sort of cakes that help celebrate the large and small moments of life. Even if that moment is just making it through work on a Monday. These are also the perfect kinds of recipes for little hands to help with. Since everything basically gets thrown into the same bowl, if your tiny assistant gets overzealous and adds the ingredients a little out of order, nothing too terrible will happen, theoretically. . . .
I’ve tried to hit every possible cake craving in these 50 recipes, from bright, citrusy olive oil cakes to fudgy chocolate ones, to fruit-and veggie-(yes, veggie!) packed cakes with seedy toppings and naturally technicolor glazes or fluffy frostings. There are lots of variations, too, and you have my full encouragement to make these cakes your own. You can combine the cakes and toppings in any way you see fit, and if glazes or frostings seem too fussy, these cakes are all perfectly delicious with a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar—or nothing at all.
It’s a simple luxury to bake a snacking cake for yourself or your friends and family. I hope this book inspires you to do it often, and with abandon.
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