Beautiful baking book

[FusionChefGeoff]

DD (12) is really getting into baking and for her birthday I’d love to get her a really lovely baking recipe book that’s not too ‘out there’ in terms of sophisticated bakes but with gorgeous photography and easy to follow, detailed instructions.

Sentimental me wants this to be THE baking book she keeps until she’s as old as I am 😆😆

Does anyone have something they’d recommend??

Yes. ‘Sift’ by Nicola Lamb.

Dessert Person: Recipes and Guidance for Baking with Confidence: A Baking Book by Claire Saffitz

Good housekeeping. I got it for my 14th I’ve been using it for 44 years. The recipes vary but has good basic recipes that see you through.

This is an investment for her future. It’s 50 years old now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Childrens-Birthday-Cake-Book-Vintage/dp/0753723158/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1G7D4N7WW43K0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2qbIlD2dp0CfVqjK6AUsS8_gRfVviOUIl2IxzNUvvaOsO0kwFSuRRYcklDKGpseLA0_ubeTIAXOclusQHHi2Oin7-cyPN9VAZbT7EMHdfAsyXC5_uo8uNG-GrE_lmf3vSUtt-i8Avpr_74-58dM1QZnQ_lBF2SdTTymXo9N_R4sLo8QrDeWj-maDmLzHAOsFwMQ2GMsdQezbaIDka7xe38H9vGZtZtHdQQr0tcGNzYI.JDEMa43OO20u8mzuMdUFJdqz1cDpywr0plNwI77E_zM&dib_tag=se&keywords=women%27s+weekly+children%27s+birthday+cake+book&qid=1790578060&sprefix=Women%27s+weekly+birthd%2Caps%2C465&sr=8-2

I have an Usborne book that I actually bought for me but it's very child friendly. Every step is pictured and described and there are some really good basic recipes in it. I've attached a pic but they do baking specific ones too. It is my most used cookbook!

Hummingbird Bakery's Cake Days is my favourite book for that age. Beautiful photos, lots of things to try and exciting ingredients to find but all based on the same basics so nothing feels out of reach. Other retailers are available.

Anything by Fiona Cairns. I bake a lot and they are probably the best baking books I own. 'Bake and Decorate' might be the best as a lifelong companion, but I love them all. They have a great balance of achievable and sophisticated, without being 'out there'. I have made lots of the recipes and they have all worked and been delicious, including many birthday cakes and a few wedding cakes, as well as everyday bakes.

The only caveat is that they're very much for cake and biscuits rather than bread. For bread, I'd recommend the River Cottage Bread Handbook.

Maybe one of the Jane’s Patisserie ones? A good range of recipes that work. I haven’t seen the actual books though, so can’t vouch for their beauty.

And not at all beautiful, but if you can get hold of a Bero book they are brilliant for a range of basic recipes for cakes, scones and biscuits.

She sounds lovely, OP!

My DD loves Jane's Patisserie books - "everyday" and "easy favourites". She also enjoys using "crumbs & doilies".

All of those have easy to follow recipes and good photos. They aren't as indepth or beautiful as Sift, but she uses them and makes excellent things.

The Kim-Joy books have lovely photos of exciting bakes, but the recipes are complicated for DD (and me) and the reality of the recipes is that the decoration is more important than the base bake.