I still remember when my aunt gifted me a copy of The Cake Mix Doctor, which had become her favorite baking book. She wanted me to share in her excitement at finding delicious cakes using store-bought cake mixes as a shortcut. I loved the idea, and I loved the cookbook. Now, author Anne Byrn is back with A New Take on Cake, the same idea but updated for today’s baker.

A lot has changed in cake baking in twenty years. Somewhere along the way, the size of cake mixes shrank, a sign of a challenging economy. We added new flavors to our pantries, so now we have plant butters and chocolate hazelnut spreads in our cabinets, We have blood oranges and mangoes in the fruit bowl, tahini and coconut milk and ginger in the pantry. We need to find recipes that fit with a diet that is gluten-free or dairy-free or vegan. We want less sugar and more fruits or even vegetables. We want to create masterpieces that look like they can compete on a baking competition show, but we don’t have any extra time to spend on our creations.

A New Take on Cake is here for all of that. Whether you want a classic layer cake like the New-Fashioned Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream or a Boston Cream Pie, or you want something new like a Vegan Seltzer Cake or a Limoncello Cake, they’re all here, along with a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cake, Apple Cider Cake with Cider Glaze, 7Up Pound Cake, Chocolate Chip Tahini Loaf, Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake, Roasted Strawberry Upside-Down Cake, Roasted Sweet Potato Snack Cake, Matcha Mint Cupcakes, and so many more.

But it’s not just cakes. There are also recipes for muffins, cheesecakes, and even cookies. You can use these recipes and a store-bought cake mix to make Basic Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gingerbread People, Brown Butter Blondies, Easy and Good Lemon Squares, Whoopie Pies, or even Cranberry-Orange Biscotti.

There are recipes for buttercreams and ganache, frostings and curds, drizzles and whipped creams. Byrn even includes tips for frosting and ideas for decorating, from a naked layer cake (no frosting on the sides) to a DIY Wedding Cake. There are lots of beautiful photos throughout the book, to offer serving suggestions and inspiration for your own ideas of flavoring and decoration.

I love this cookbook, in part because it connects me to a piece of my baking past. But mostly I love that Byrn has taken her ideas and updated them to a new generation of bakers. This is a great gift idea for anyone just starting their baking journey, or for busy people who love a good cake. Using the cake mix saves time and money and pantry space, but these recipes don’t taste or look like a typical boxed mix cake. There is a depth of flavor and an artistry to these cakes that will make them perfect for a celebration, a weeknight dessert, or even a weekend breakfast that feels special and warm and comforting.

A copy of A New Take on Cake was provided by Clarkson Potter for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks.