Cake recipe book

[Viviennemary]

Can anybody recommend a cake recipe book. I'm not a great cook and haven't baked anything for years. What would be a good book to start with. Thanks.

Mary Berry’s Baking Bible is a great starting point. Lots of simple recipes, but not limited to different types of sponge cake. She doesn’t require too much specialist equipment either - no point getting a book where you need 5 different types of cake tin before you can get started!

Thanks for replying. That does sound a good idea. Simple recipes will suit me fine! And didn't want to buy cake tins in every shape and size. I'd like to have a go at a coffee cake.

Ed Kimber has something called one tin cakes.

Or Delia Smith. Can’t go wrong with her if you’re not confident.

Simple Cakes by Mary Berry.
I do lots of baking, have formal patisserie training, and still use these recipes more than any other!
The coffee cake recipe in this book is my go-to. (And the chocolate brownies, and the lemon drizzle…!)
Available second hand here for under £4.

I use janes patisserie. You can check out the recipes on the website before committing to buying a book. The recipes are fool proof and always turn out amazing. I never baked before using her recipes, now I can make a lot of different types of dessert.

Another vote for Mary Berry - usually simple and straightforward recipes without having to source complicated ingredients or equipment.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slices-Australian-Womens-Weekly-Library/dp/0949128104/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=1H1GT1OE2MS1B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UJUt8B5m_YyWBJopWJTCpzQKCns0Xo-TZEFBxgLZPqSDoo17SK9z1PQO-p6tOznEq9EHAe__vVG3wVHKODgFTXMeqf3Xf5bCOmdZF8ENmQPRMPq4l414XWG721EZgEdsibgSDBDuWYR-8Vyu2WEBFohB5lmZxYQPL9aYUWi942GYxvcoLI9701TN2hS3pk_MoSeU-kRbt9awG0fuGrvWcQ.Uy90znG4O5HEQ__7L-1HiLd9hyONVpWZhDoVA5uitiw&dib_tag=se&keywords=australian+women%27s+weekly+cookbooks&qid=1726757880&sprefix=Australian+wo%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-6

I like the Australian Womans Weekly cake book. I found my favourite ever chocolate cake recipe in there. All the recipes are clear, simple and delicious!

I agree with PP on One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber if you want to limit tin purchases. The recipes are designed to be used in a 9x13inch tin, but can be halved and made in 8x8inch, or even quartered for a 9x5inch loaf tin - so still good if you aren't a large household.

My long time favourite baking book is Short & Sweet by Dan Lepard. It's thick, but the intro for each chapter it goes into the purpose of each ingredient (flour, sugar, eggs...) and how they work, I find that understanding improved my baking. It covers cakes, but also breads, pastries, and more. I find the recipes approachable and consistently good.

For a purely cake book I like the Hummingbird Bakery one, very tasty bakes, I used it a lot as a teenager when I was getting into baking and not especially skilled.

Great suggestions. Thanks very much everyone. Baking is going to be my project this winter.