bakers gonna bake, bake, bake, bake, bake

Swifties know the stories. When she started dating Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, she showed up with homemade handheld jam pastries. When she invited a handful of fans over to her home for the release of 1989, she made chai cookies for them. She made celebrity chef Ina Garten a member of her posse. In other words, Taylor Swift is known for her baking almost as much as her music. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but she is known for her handmade creations.

While the recipes in Bake It Off are not Ms. Swift’s, they are inspired by her work and her baking by fans who love her music and love to bake. So if you’re wanting to celebrate all the eras with fellow fans or just by yourself, then you can start with some Breakfasts at Midnight and bake on through to your next release party.

These playful recipes include cookies, cakes, pies, and pastries, and they celebrate the work of Swift with flavor, whimsy, and lots of sprinkles. The recipes range from beginner to intermediate, and cover a wide range of treats. There are the Victory Pop (Star)-Tarts, Fortnight Cinnamon Rolls, Cowboy (Cookies) Like Me, Welcome to New York Cheesecake, Bad Blood (Orange) Tart, I Can Make It with a Broken Heart Rice Krispie Pops, and Fudge the Patriarchy, just to name a few of these fun confections. And there are even a couple of recipes for cats and dogs so you can celebrate with your favorite four-legged dance partner.

This book is packed with Easter Eggs, from the recipe titles to the decorations to the photos used throughout the book, with a key at the back to help readers find them all. There are some recipes for those who are vegan, gluten-free, or nut-free, and many come with suggestions to save time or to switch up the flavors. And the decorating inspiration is just the start—you can add the frostings and sprinkles, glazes and edible glitter to your heart’s content, making these recipes perfect for getting your friends together for a decorating party.

I am a later Swiftie, having enjoyed her music for years but just understanding the full extent of her reach in the last few years. And I’ve loved to bake since I was a kid. I thought putting the Swift universe and the baking together is the perfect combination, and Lindsey Smith has brought her longtime fandom to every page, celebrating Swift’s music, her life, and her inspiration. I would say that the cookbook does skew towards a younger baker, but I have found things to love in these pages, and I think other Swifties will love it too.

Egalleys for Bake It Off were provided by Harvest through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.