Snacking Cakes

Arefi, a cookbook author, food photographer and creator of the baking blog Apt. 2B Baking Co., wrote this book to make cake an everyday pleasure. Her recipes avoid complicated techniques; most batters come together in a single bowl and are baked in one pan, so cleanup is quick and results are dependable.

The cakes cover a wide range of flavors, from fruity cakes with berries, citrus or stone fruit to rich chocolate cakes and nutty or spiced cakes. Toppings are kept simple, such as glazes, a dusting of sugar or a quick frosting. Arefi offers notes on ingredients and equipment and suggests easy variations, so one recipe can become several different cakes. Because the cakes are small and quick, they suit a weekday afternoon, a last-minute guest or a lunchbox treat, and many keep well for a few days. Her own photographs show each finished cake in a bright, inviting style, making the book a pleasure to browse as well as to bake from. It is an especially good choice for anyone who has been nervous about baking, because the recipes build confidence quickly.

Simple, cheerful and dependable, with recipes worth repeating. About 192 pages in the Clarkson Potter hardcover.