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

by Whitney DePaoli

“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
• 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
• 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

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2023

Reviews

[Abby Haberer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last month I wanted to recreate my wedding cake to celebrate our anniversary. I had never made a layer cake in my life and had no idea how to do it. So I took to the internet where I stumbled upon Sugar and Sparrow, and boy, did it change my life! The creator Whitney DePaoli had so many great tips, video tutorials, and recipes that she graciously offers for free online. I went down a rabbit hole, learned so much, and got so inspired. So as a book lover, naturally I bought her book! For those who are interested in taking up this new hobby like me, I highly recommend it! It covers all the steps…baking, leveling, layering, crumb coating (I didn’t even know that was a thing :/), frosting, decorating, etc. It includes so many great recipes too. I absolutely love the small batch cake recipes which serve only 2-4 people, which is perfect for my small family. And there’s so much more in this book. I can’t wait to practice more with her recipes. Aspiring cake bakers, pick this one up!

[Chrissann Nickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book for beginners who want to learn how to make and decorate layer cakes - I wish I had it when I was first starting!

There are tons of helpful resources and how-to’s inside with great visuals. I love some of the specific decorating techniques featured, as well as the well-tested recipes that I’ve enjoyed making from her blog all in one place.

[Michelle Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who wants to start baking or is already a baker will enjoy this book. It has clear instructions & beautiful pictures, also you will find great products & tools that will make your baking life easier.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book at the library and liked it so much I bought my own copy.
I want to up my cake making skills and I think I can do so with the
instructions in this book. I've bought some tools - cake leveler and
gel colors, but haven't been able to try to make a successful beautiful
cake. Fingers crossed!

[Ronda Canary · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

[Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yummy in every way!

[PottWab Regional Library]

O

[Anna Catherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book, more useful for the decoration aspect than the recipes.

[Mel Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good clear instructions with helpful, and tasty looking, pictures. It does live up to its name and if you have a basic understanding of baking then you’ll produce something delicious.