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Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations
Taste the chocolatey goodness of Mississippi Mud or marvel at the extravagant elegance of the Lady Baltimore and there will be no doubt that Southerners know how to bake a cake. Here are 65 recipes for some of the most delicious ever. Jam cakes and jelly rolls; humble pear bread and peanut cake; whole chapters on both chocolate and coconut cakeseach moist and delicious forkful represents the spirit of the South. A Baking 101 section offers the cake basics, some finishing touches (that means frosting and lots of it!), and the how-to's of storing each lovely concoction so that the last slice tastes as fresh and delightful as the first.
168 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 28, 2020
Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Nancie McDermott (Becky Luigart-Stayner (Photographs) is a 2012 Chronicle Books publication. (originally published in 2007)
I noticed this cookbook at my library a long while back, struck by the simple cover which reminded me of the coconut cakes my grandmother and mother used to make.
This sounds like a book that was a fun endeavor for the author as she went through recipes for the book which led to fond memories and making connections.
Baking is altogether different from cooking in general- so there is a helpful ‘how to section’ and a list of helpful kitchen tools.
The book is a little heavy on various flavors and styles of pound cakes and coconut cakes. There are familiar recipes and some I’d never heard of – like Tomato soup cake and chocolate mayonnaise cake.
The recipes for the icing or frostings are included with each cake recipe- but there is also a helpful section just for the cake toppings.
Most of the ingredients are common, some may be seasonal or unique to southern areas- but I don’t think there was anything listed that was so exotic one couldn’t locate it online, if nothing else. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Some are very basic and easy, some more complicated and time consuming. However, as the title suggests, these recipes are just right for everyday celebrations.
I have a digital copy of this book, which is a little plain. There are pictures, but not one for every recipe and they are not much bigger than a thumbnail in some cases. The presentation may be different in the print version.
There are some internet links in the back of the book- but it should be noted that this is an older book and some of those links are no longer viable.
Although I felt like was having a virtual sugar rush and might have gained ten pounds just browsing through the book- it did bring back a few memories for me too, and I am happy to see these nice southern cake recipes compiled in one book!
3.5 stars
I noticed this cookbook at my library a long while back, struck by the simple cover which reminded me of the coconut cakes my grandmother and mother used to make.
This sounds like a book that was a fun endeavor for the author as she went through recipes for the book which led to fond memories and making connections.
Baking is altogether different from cooking in general- so there is a helpful ‘how to section’ and a list of helpful kitchen tools.
The book is a little heavy on various flavors and styles of pound cakes and coconut cakes. There are familiar recipes and some I’d never heard of – like Tomato soup cake and chocolate mayonnaise cake.
The recipes for the icing or frostings are included with each cake recipe- but there is also a helpful section just for the cake toppings.
Most of the ingredients are common, some may be seasonal or unique to southern areas- but I don’t think there was anything listed that was so exotic one couldn’t locate it online, if nothing else. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Some are very basic and easy, some more complicated and time consuming. However, as the title suggests, these recipes are just right for everyday celebrations.
I have a digital copy of this book, which is a little plain. There are pictures, but not one for every recipe and they are not much bigger than a thumbnail in some cases. The presentation may be different in the print version.
There are some internet links in the back of the book- but it should be noted that this is an older book and some of those links are no longer viable.
Although I felt like was having a virtual sugar rush and might have gained ten pounds just browsing through the book- it did bring back a few memories for me too, and I am happy to see these nice southern cake recipes compiled in one book!
3.5 stars
May 8, 2021
I've bookmarked some mighty tasty sounding cakes in here. Alas, many ingredients are unavailable to me in Turkey (e.g., coconut, pecans, cane syrup).
I am, however, unconvinced by the title's implicit assertion that southern cakes are a distinct entity.
I am, however, unconvinced by the title's implicit assertion that southern cakes are a distinct entity.
September 26, 2014
This book is the embodiment of the term 'torture by food.'
See, before reading this book, I was all like, "I really shouldn't eat so many sugary foods. Being healthy is top priority." Hence the increase in healthy (a.k.a not so yummy) foods in the house over the past month.
So for someone who's been snacking on dates, carrots and apples, this book was like the proverbial 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil'. It looks so tempting, but I know I totally shouldn't indulge in any of it!
But...those pictures.
Yep, that's right. A bunch of high-definition, flawless pictures of fluffy, decadent cakes grace the many pages of this recipe book.
I mean, come on - including a close-up of the Mississippi Mud Cake is just cruel. I don't have any in my fridge! And getting some means leaving the house, which I'm far too lazy to do at the moment!
Even the section names are delicious-sounding. There's:
- Pound Cakes
- Antiques and Heirlooms
- Coconut Cakes
- Fruitcakes and Other Holiday Favorites
- Everyday Cakes from the Sea Islands to the Smokies
- Chocolate Cakes, Southern Style
- Frostings, Icings, and Fillings
Warning: Self-control & bravery required (+ a well-stocked fridge & pantry!)
All joking & healthy talk aside, this is a gem of a cookbook for cake-lovers everywhere. Be sure to check it out...just be sure to have snacks on standby ;)
See, before reading this book, I was all like, "I really shouldn't eat so many sugary foods. Being healthy is top priority." Hence the increase in healthy (a.k.a not so yummy) foods in the house over the past month.
So for someone who's been snacking on dates, carrots and apples, this book was like the proverbial 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil'. It looks so tempting, but I know I totally shouldn't indulge in any of it!
But...those pictures.
Yep, that's right. A bunch of high-definition, flawless pictures of fluffy, decadent cakes grace the many pages of this recipe book.
I mean, come on - including a close-up of the Mississippi Mud Cake is just cruel. I don't have any in my fridge! And getting some means leaving the house, which I'm far too lazy to do at the moment!
Even the section names are delicious-sounding. There's:
- Pound Cakes
- Antiques and Heirlooms
- Coconut Cakes
- Fruitcakes and Other Holiday Favorites
- Everyday Cakes from the Sea Islands to the Smokies
- Chocolate Cakes, Southern Style
- Frostings, Icings, and Fillings
Warning: Self-control & bravery required (+ a well-stocked fridge & pantry!)
All joking & healthy talk aside, this is a gem of a cookbook for cake-lovers everywhere. Be sure to check it out...just be sure to have snacks on standby ;)
November 20, 2011
As a child of Southern heritage, many of these cakes were familiar and almost every recipe I've made from it has been AMAZING (I just have an issue with making frosting...I'm horrible at it!). I did take exception to the red velvet cake made from butter instead of oil...but that's just a bit of snobbery on my part. Enjoy this one!
February 17, 2020
Loads of Cake Recipes
Love cake? This book has a lot of Cake recipes. All laid out in easy to follow steps. Clicking on a title of a recipe will take you back to the contents page, where you can click on a new recipe. Or peruse the list of cake recipes provided.
Love cake? This book has a lot of Cake recipes. All laid out in easy to follow steps. Clicking on a title of a recipe will take you back to the contents page, where you can click on a new recipe. Or peruse the list of cake recipes provided.
July 1, 2008
Every cake I've made from this book has been a hit.
August 14, 2024
I picked up this cookbook on my recent trip to Tennessee. I enjoy baking and really who can resist that cover?
I enjoyed reading the author's introduction about her family and how her Grandmother and Mother's wonderful Southern home cooking inspired her love of food. The book has a very helpful chapter on 'Baking 101' that is especially useful to anyone who is just starting to learn to bake.
There are extensive recipes for coconut, pound, layer and fruitcakes. There are also accompanying recipes for frostings and fillings.
The only thing I wish is that more of the recipes had pictures. I did make the "Banana Cake with chocolate frosting" and it was a big hit with my family. Very moist and delicious 😋 It looks like this book will be keeping me busy and in the kitchen for a longtime to come 👩🏻🍳
I enjoyed reading the author's introduction about her family and how her Grandmother and Mother's wonderful Southern home cooking inspired her love of food. The book has a very helpful chapter on 'Baking 101' that is especially useful to anyone who is just starting to learn to bake.
There are extensive recipes for coconut, pound, layer and fruitcakes. There are also accompanying recipes for frostings and fillings.
The only thing I wish is that more of the recipes had pictures. I did make the "Banana Cake with chocolate frosting" and it was a big hit with my family. Very moist and delicious 😋 It looks like this book will be keeping me busy and in the kitchen for a longtime to come 👩🏻🍳
December 30, 2018
I received a copy of Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations as a gift from a friend whose mother had given her a copy back when the book was first released. I have thoroughly enjoyed paging through it, reading McDermott's set-up and introductions to each of the recipes. By far the toughest decision has been which recipe I'll make first, and it was a toss-up between the lemon coconut cake and the Japanese Fruitcake (which is neither Japanese nor a fruitcake). Given the amount of calories imbibed over the holidays, we'll ring in 2019 with the former (you had me at lemon curd--for which you provide a recipe, as well), but I eagerly anticipate working through its many delicious recipes over the coming year.
January 30, 2008
Beautiful recipes, not enough pictures. This is always my gripe with cookbooks, as I want a photo of every single recipe in the book, damn it. The photos that have made it into the book, however, are drool-worthy. I haven't made anything from it yet, but none of the recipes are too hard, and the ingredients aren't too obscure (always a challenge in New Zealand, where supermarket employees in the produce department look at me blankly and repeat, "I said, they are not in season!" to my endless requests for seemingly common items like strawberries. You'd think after almost six years, I'd learn). My biggest gripe, however, is that the recipes aren't entirely original to the author -- many of them come from other sources, from whom she's gotten permission to reprint the recipe. I'm sorry, but George Washington Carver's Peanut Cake recipe does not excite me or my palate. Anyway, everything looks scrumptious, especially those including coconut, caramel, and chocolate (or all three at once). There's even a recipe for a cake that takes a can of tomato soup -- my Mom said it's delicious, but I'm not so sure that will end up on my dessert menu.
January 29, 2012
Book 5 2012 Book Challenge--Some cookbooks contain not only great recipes, but also good reading, and this is one of those. The women in my mother's family were all fabulous West Virginia bakers, and this book has many of the recipes I recall eating as a child : caramel cake, coconut cream cakes, red velvet, and Lady Baltimore. An entire section is devoted to coconut cakes- and entire section to classic chocolate cakes..the stories before the recipes are fascinating and McDermott's writing is quite captivating.
I vividly recall her retelling of what it was like in her grandmother's kitchen -- flour flung everywhere-- and how grandfather's job was to crack the coconut, drain the milk, and dig out the coconut flesh- while grandmother assembled her famous cake. If you love to bake and you have a southern soul-- this is a wonderful book! And the recipes and techniques are winners too.
I vividly recall her retelling of what it was like in her grandmother's kitchen -- flour flung everywhere-- and how grandfather's job was to crack the coconut, drain the milk, and dig out the coconut flesh- while grandmother assembled her famous cake. If you love to bake and you have a southern soul-- this is a wonderful book! And the recipes and techniques are winners too.
May 14, 2008
The pound cakes have turned out delicious but I dropped my rating a star because the chocolate icing recipe that goes with the "Celestial chocolate Cake" (page 138) was a MESS. I was sure I screwed up somewhere and retraced my steps, looked at the ingredients again...one thing that struck me even as I was making it was that it seemed like a lot of butter (2 sticks) but I went with it..the icing was so oily. Was not spreadable. The cake layers were tasty but I think the cream filling needed to be thicker. There are still a lot of cakes that I haven't tried yet...I'm hoping that was the only flop.
March 1, 2013
My love of this cookbook was probably in the bag, since I love a good cake recipe (the perfect show-off dessert) and have raved about Nancie McDermott's other cookbooks (Asian cookbooks published by Chronicle Books as well as a complication of curries from around the world). What can I say, there are a huge variety of cakes included here and the instructions are thorough. There is some but not much overlap between this and my other recently reviewed cake recipe compilation, All Cakes Considered. I don't regret owning both, and snatching this up for 3 bucks on Amazon for the kindle edition was a no-brainer.
May 27, 2013
YUM!!! If you are an accomplished Southern baker you probably have most of these recipes in your repertoire. I consider myself up there but there were 3-4 I didn't have including the Sweet Potato Pound Cake. You HAVE to get your hands on this book even if it's just for that one. It is going into my permanent file....outstanding. My boyfriend is not a sweet potato fan in any sense of the word but he was asking for more of this. I'm anxious to try a couple of the other recipe I found in it. Thank God summer is here & there is ALWAYS a party you have to carry something to. I am gonna look like a culinary goddess this year!!
April 25, 2016
One of the best cake books I have ever found; discovered it in a shop in New Orleans while on my honeymoon! I've made about 6 recipes from this book so far, and every single one has turned out a winner. What I really love is that the recipes makes cakes in different ways then I am used to; they all do not use the standard "mix dry, then mix wet, the mix dry into wet ingredients" formula. But each time, the cake turns out beautifully. Also some great recipes for delicious and different frostings and fillings (eg, lemon curd). I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting a fun, diverse cake recipe collection.
July 30, 2015
this book made me really sad i got this through my library because it sounded good and yummy. I NEED PICTURES PEOPLE!!!!!!! there were very few pictures and the way it was set up was not very inviting or user friendly. so many of the recipes called for sticks and sticks of butter YOW!!!! i was not interested in even copying any of the recipes for experimentation i brought it back the very next day
January 28, 2011
Great book for the average baker!!! I made the yellow cake from the coconut cake recipe and it turned out really nice. The cake had some spice to it which made it go very well with my favorite buttercream icing (which is really sweet!!!).
April 28, 2015
The Sweet Potato Pound Cake is to die for! Seriously, I am an experienced baker, love baking, and have many favorite recipes. This tops them all...even my death by chocolate cake. And it is so easy to make!
March 14, 2016
This cook book covers many different basic kinds of cakes, with a Southern pedigree. It includes several different types of coconut cakes, chocolate cakes, pound cakes etc. This isn't about decorating them, but about making some good basic cakes. Enjoyable.
March 14, 2009
Love this Book
October 27, 2009
Wickedly delicious recipes. A reason to bake!
April 13, 2010
The fig cake is one of the most delicious things I've ever made. I go back to this book for classic recipes all the time. Nice pictures and layout.
June 30, 2011
Gorgeous photos and a must have for any cake lover.
July 29, 2011
I haven't cooked out of this but the cakes look fabulous, and in a way that I could achieve, unlike some of these fancy cake books--even the cake bible
April 22, 2012
Classic, but with recipes excitingly new to me. Love it!
June 1, 2013
Clearly I was meant to live in the South. Every single thing is mouth watering my delicious.
July 15, 2013
Book at the level
June 13, 2014
While I found the history behind each cake intriguing, the recipes seemed ho-hum.
April 5, 2014
Very tasty looking cakes. Bookmarked several. I wish there were more pictures but the instructions are clear and concise, and the variety of cakes to make is impressive.
September 26, 2014
No Complaints From My Family & Friends!
November 16, 2014
Delicious, so many ways. Beautiful to look. A friend served me a slice of cake from one of these recipes and I was amazed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews