Everyday Cakes

Everyday life—routine, work, home, family—naturally brings to mind ideas of practicality, movement, comfort and togetherness. There is nothing better than having simple, reliable and delicious recipes that work without too many variables. These cakes do exactly that: they are straightforward, easy to make and deeply satisfying, perfect alongside a good coffee or a steaming cup of tea, bringing warmth to small daily moments.

Do not be fooled by their simplicity! 

Even everyday cakes can feature distinctive ingredients such as almonds or ginger, used by Rose Levy Beranbaum in her Golden Lemon Almond Cake and English Gingerbread Cake. These everyday cakes can also have indulgent touches like honey, used in Roger Pizey's Jewish Honey Cake, or fruit preserve used as a filling in Nick Malgieri’s Genoise Sponge Cake. You might even step into your garden, pick a small edible flower and gently place it on top for a touch of grace. And yes, we can finish a cake with a dusting of icing sugar for a little extra charm. 

They can be baked in a bundt tin (plain or patterned), in a round, square or rectangular baking pan—whatever the recipe suggests and whatever you have at home.  A beautiful table matters too and, perhaps, a fabric napkin instead of paper—it elevates these moments and gives them a quiet sense of importance and beauty.

This collection is part of An Introduction to... Cake