Happy 97th, Martha! 97th book, that is. The editors of Martha Stewart Living released her newest offering Cake Perfection (Clarkson Potter, $28.99) and true to the brand and title, there are some stunners. For those who are avid Martha fans (guilty as charged!) some of the techniques and recipes will be familiar from her magazine and shows, like the Berry Layer Cake. However, like many of her other books, this offers the old and the new to remain consistent and yet continue to push forward with new trends. Sandwiched between the classics like Devil’s Food Cake and Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Frosting, there is a Faux-Stone Cake which is her take on the mirror glaze and a Raspberry and Chocolate-Hazelnut Crepe Cake. Many of the cakes build upon the mix-and-match cake, filling and frosting recipes included to allow the baker a lot of flexibility and creativity with flavor. With volume measurements and straight-forward ingredients, the recipes are easy to follow and will give you the confidence to go forth and bake. Whether you’re looking for a simple snack cake, a tasty bundt or a towering layer cake, Martha gives you plenty of options and inspiration.
