American Cake: From Colonial Gingerbread to Classic Layer

American Cake: From Colonial Gingerbread to Classic Layer by Anne Byrn, creator of the bestselling Cake Mix Doctor series, is a delicious journey through American history told through more than 125 beloved cakes and frostings. Organized chronologically, Byrn traces how American baking evolved alongside the country itself, showing how cakes reflect changing ingredients, regional traditions, historical events, and the ways Americans celebrate. The collection travels from early New England gingerbread and classic pound cake to Appalachian Stack Cake, wartime cakes, Deep-South Caramel Cake, Hawaiian Chantilly, and modern California Orange and Olive Oil Cake. Familiar favorites such as Angel Food, Red Velvet, Pineapple Upside-Down, and Gooey Butter Cake appear alongside nearly forgotten creations like Burnt Leather, Lazy Daisy, Wacky Cake, and Cold Oven Pound Cake. With historical stories woven throughout and vintage recipes thoughtfully adapted for contemporary kitchens, American Cake is as much a cultural history of American baking as it is a practical cookbook.