mountains of flavor in artistic desserts
Lindsey Johnson grew up in California and felt like she was missing something, not living in a place with changing seasons. She wanted to know what it was like to rake leaves and build snowmen and see the world around her waken in the spring with flowers and greens or go to sleep under a blanket of snow. So she and her husband moved to Wyoming to give their three sons that seasonal life they’d always dreamed of. And then she felt like she’d made a terrible mistake.
Alone in a new city with no friends and her husband still having to work in California, Johnson was lonely and felt lost. She ached, and not just because she slipped on the ice. She wanted more from life, for her and her family. Despite wanting to give up, she persisted, like the buffalo, and dug deep to remember something that brought her joy. And she remembered: she loved to bake. It was her passion. So she started baking again.
Baking was a new experience in the higher altitude, but she tested and experimented and figured out rules that work for higher altitude baking (which she shares here), and then Johnson got back to creating beautiful cakes, delicious cookies, and pies with the crust her mother taught her. And not only did she get back to baking, she decorated cakes and cookies to look like pieces of art. She offers her techniques for painting and creating flowers, for crafting layers of texture and colors in frosting, along with all the baking basics you need to bake the cake that is your canvas.
Her cookbook, Wild Sugar, is divided into the seasons Johnson has grown to love so much. She starts with spring, and celebrate the awakening of nature around her with Hummingbird Cake with Spiced Rum Buttercream, Lemon-Rhubarb Poppy Seed Squares, Vanilla Shortbread Cookies with Pressed Flowers, Apricot and Raspberry Pie, and Coffee-Break Brownies. Summer brings Strawberry and Lavender Cake with Wildflower Honey Buttercream, Huckleberry Crumble Bars with Citrus Glaze, Blackberry-Buttermilk Pie with Vanilla Whipped Cream and Homemade Salted Caramel Marshmallows.
When it’s time for fall, it’s all about those warming flavors like Apple Spice Cake with White Chocolate Ganache and Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting, Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake, Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars, Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes, and Cranberry. Apple, and Walnut Pie. And then it’s winter, perfect for staying home in front of the fire and snacking on Peppermint Bark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Gingerbread Sugar Cookies, Spiced-Eggnog Cake, and Prosecco Rose Cupcakes.
Along with all these recipes (and so many more), Johnson also adds tips for living close to nature, for baking with kids, for foraging for wild berries and edible flowers, and for creating iconic desserts that look and taste amazing. And throughout the book are gorgeous, mouth-watering photos that show off the breadth of baking ideas and Johnson’s signature style.
I thought that Wild Sugar was beautiful, a celebration of a lifestyle as much as cookbook. Johnson’s artistic style is on display throughout, making it clear why her wedding cakes are in high demand for destination weddings in Jackson Hole. While some home bakers may be intimidated by the artistry of her designs, know that there are recipes accessible for all bakers, and the bakes will be delicious, no matter what they look like. I am certainly not a cake decorator, but I am still inspired to try out some of these recipes, some for the flavor (Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies) and others to grow into as I become a more experienced baker (Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Cake with Huckleberry Jam and Vanilla Bean Buttercream).
Egalleys for Wild Sugar were provided by Gibbs Smith through Edelweiss, with many thanks.
