Mary Berry’s Simple Cakes

If you’re looking to master the essentials of simple cakes, then this book by Mary Berry is for you!

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Mary Berry’s Simple Cakes (BBC Books, 2014) is a solid addition to any cookbook collection. Mary Berry is a British food writer and cook and is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Desserts’ by her legions of fans.  Berry is known to many of us for her role as judge on the Great British Bake-Off.  If you have seen the show, you will know that Mary is no-nonsense when it comes to good baking.

Simple Cakes is a step-by-step guide to baking. The book includes recipes not just for cakes, but for many traditional British bakes, such as:  Victoria Sandwich, Banoffee pie, and Devonshire Scones. 

Who will like this book?

What I like about this book is that the recipes and tips are written with very clear instructions.  As a result, these recipes are near foolproof and almost always work out as intended.  Also, the recipes tend to be on the simpler side and frequently use inexpensive ingredients.  For this reason, I would recommend this book to you if you are looking to learn the basics of baking.  Veteran bakers will also enjoy the simplicity of the recipes and the satisfaction of producing delicious bakes with a few quality ingredients.

The recipes in Simple Cakes are very straightforward and to-the-point with very little lead up narrative.  This isn’t a book you would pick up when you’re in the mood for some entertaining anecdotes about what inspired the recipe.  Although the recipes may be no-frill, the finished products are anything but.

An important note:  The recipes in this book use weight measurements instead of cup measurements.  I adapted my recipe for Mini Pavlovas with Raspberries and Pomegranate into cup measurements for ease.  If you have kitchen scales at home, by all means use the weight measurements provided in the book.

Are there photos in this book?

Each recipe contains good quality photos of some of the steps, as well as one of the finished bake.  A real plus with this book is that the photos look like real bakes.  That is to say, they look as if any one of us have baked these in our own home kitchens.  For me, this type of photography really helps to take away the intimidation of baking.  Not every bake has to be Photoshopped within an inch of its life!

The recipes in Mary Berry’s Simple Cakes are not complicated or, to borrow a term from Great British Bake Off, ‘showstoppers’, but sometimes the unassuming loaf or cookie can be one of the most memorable.  In an Instagram world where everyone is striving for ‘perfection’, this book reminds us that simplicity is often overlooked and, in fact, all we really need.

Disclosure

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