Last week the Deseret News devoted its Food cover to pies.
But I'd have to say that we're in a major cake era. What other dessert stars in its own TV series, such as "Ace of Cakes," "The Cake Boss" and "Wedding Cake Wars"?
Cupcakes are responsible for part of that popularity. Once the mere staple of kids' birthday parties, cupcakes have sparked "cupcakeries," such as Mini's, So Cupcakes and Diva's, locally.
As further signs of the times, quite a few new cake and cupcakes books have come across my desk:
"101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes," by Utahn Wendy Paul (Cedar Fort, $16.99), starts out with boxed cake mixes and dresses them up with a variety of flavorings, fillings, frostings and toppings.
For instance, Black Forest with Chocolate Ganache uses cherry pie filling and a chocolate cake mix; Give Me S'more uses a white cake mix and marshmallows, chocolate fudge sauce and graham crackers. There are some mouthwatering photos, too. Paul, of West Jordan, is doing book signings up and down the Wasatch Front in the next month. You can find a schedule at www.wendypaulcreations.com.
A few weeks ago "Cake Mix Doctor" Anne Byrn was in Salt Lake, promoting "The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!" (Workman, $15.95). It's the latest addition to her popular "The Cake Mix Doctor" cookbooks. Her new book contains 160 recipes for cakes, cupcakes, muffins, bar cookies and even a wedding cake, using boxed cake mixes. She wrote that cake mixes are so widely used because they remove the "variables" that might cause failure. You don't have to sift flour, accurately measure leaveners or gently fold in egg whites.
"They bake, they rise, they turn out of the pan. You just need to make the results interesting, but that's where I come in."
For those who'd rather bake from scratch, "Cake Keeper Cakes," by Lauren Chattman (Taunton Press, $17.95), is the cookbook for you. Chattman, a pastry chef, said her family gave her a glass domed cake stand for a Mother's Day gift. Since then, it's been her mission to keep a simple but delicious cake under the dome at all times.
"I used to keep a cookie jar stocked for these purposes, but the idea of always having a cake on display inspired me to change my routine," she wrote. And there are some interesting ones: Citrus and Black Pepper Pound Cake, Neoclassic Gingerbread and Dulce de Leche Coffee Cake, for instance.
Chattman added that it's often quicker and easier to bake a cake than to bake a batch of cookies.
It happens that I was also given a clear glass domed cake-keeper a couple of years ago by my family. I don't feel any inclination to keep a cake it in at all times, but that cake stand makes everything I do bake look more impressive.
This past weekend my 18-year-old daughter tried her hand at making the famous Pillsbury Bake-off Tunnel of Fudge Cake, a from-scratch recipe that calls for a whopping 1 ¾ cups of butter. When we turned it out from the bundt pan, completely intact onto the cake stand, it looked stunning.
And speaking of stunning, that brings me to "Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes," by Duff Goldman & Willie Goldman (William Morrow, $35). This hard-cover book tells how Duff and his talented staff design and deliver the over-the-top cakes on the show. It's a scrapbook of sorts, with lots of photos, background and thoughts from the Charm City Cake staffers. Duff recounts how he went from graffiti artist to pastry chef, and what it's like having your workday filmed for TV.
"Imagine having every word you speak, facial expression you emote and action you take suddenly recorded for all to see. ..." he wrote. "Now I know what you're thinking: boo-flippin'-hoo, anyone fortunate enough to be in my position should be thankful every single day. Believe me, I am — it's an opportunity a lot of people would kill for."
The back of the book has an episode guide to each of the show's eight seasons, for those who'd like to relive some of their favorite moments.
This isn't a cookbook; you won't find recipes or step-by-step directions for fabulous do-it-yourself cake projects. And some of the highlighted "tips" are no-brainers, such as "If you have the time, think through the process of decorating the cake. Your cake will be cleaner and fresher if well planned." Well, duh.
But it's a fun read for fans of the show.
e-mail: vphililps@desnews.com