The Secret Lives of Baked Goods

Starred review from May 6, 2013
This delightful collection from Moore (Cakespy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life) revivifies 40 dessert classics by sharing talesâsome true, others fabulousâabout them. The recipes themselvesâlike Pumpkin Pie, German Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Cookies, and the infamous Tunnel of Fudge Cakeâaren't particularly new, but from the hotly-debated topic of the proper frosting for Red Velvet Cake to the first appearance of the chocolate chip cookie (1937) and the notorious Neiman Marcus Cookie recipe (referred to here as "Urban Legend Cookies"), Moore digs deep and happily shares her discoveries (as well as her sources), making for fascinating reading. As for the recipes themselves, Moore makes it clear from the outset that her recipes for Red Velvet Cake or New York Cheesecake may not be the very first or even the original recipe; instead she merges techniques and ingredients to create the "best" or most familiar version of these desserts. "No ifs, ands, or bundts," the result is a winning combination that's as informative as it is practical, making this a terrific choice for would-be bakers as well as food obsessives.