If just knowing it's a Dorie book isn't enough then you are not the target audience. Pictures are beautiful! Hints and suggestions abound. Start baking and enjoy!!

Like a lot of bakers, I enjoy making the occasional elaborate cake for a birthday or other special occasion, but as someone who prefers cake without frosting I'm a bigger fan of everyday cakes---the kind baked in a loaf pan, or maybe an 8x8 pan, with no frosting. Something that sits on the counter and from which I might take a little bite now and then, or eat with my mid-morning coffee. These cakes are the ones that are featured in Dorie Greenspan's latest book. The chapters are divvied up by the cake's shape (round, loaf, bundt, baby (i.e. cupcake)), with the exception of the last chapter, which covers savory cakes [experienced bakers may be able to play around and convert some shapes to others].

Unusual recipes include a Pudding Puff Cake (like a giant eclair), Baked-in-a-Skillet Gingerbread, Apple Custard Cake, and Black Sesame Bars. Most of the recipes use pantry staples and fruit or nuts easily available in supermarkets; a few more unusual ingredients, such as rye flour, are becoming easier to find or purchase online. Most of the recipes include a sidebar called "Playing Around" with options, such as changing up the jam, leaving off any topping, or switching any mix-ins like nuts or chips. There's something for everyone here, from a basic Toasted Almond Cake that would be great anytime to seasonal cakes that include ingredients ranging from sweet potatoes to citrus. I'll be purchasing this book for my own personal library and can't wait to start baking.

Move over, fancy frostings and elaborate layers—Dorie Greenspan’s Anytime Cakes is here to remind us that sometimes, the simplest cakes are the most extraordinary! This book is like having a sweet, talented best friend who always has your back with a trusty recipe in hand. From the first page, I was hooked. Whether it’s a humble loaf, a cozy muffin, or a craving-driven crumble, Dorie’s recipes make baking feel effortless and joyful. And the best part? You probably already have all the ingredients lurking in your pantry! No trips to specialty stores, just pure, honest-to-goodness baking magic. The chapters offer everything from classic marble cakes (yes, the old-fashioned kind that bring back childhood memories) to inventive creations like Miso-Cheddar Scone Cake (hello, savory heaven!) and the playful Cafuné Corn Cake. Each recipe comes with Dorie’s warm, inviting words and inspiring variations—think citrus zest, hot honey, or even adding a splash of tea—turning a simple cake into a special occasion. Nancy Pappas’s gorgeous illustrations make this book a feast for the eyes, too. It's not just a cookbook; it's a celebration of the joy of baking for the love of it. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned baker, these recipes are guaranteed to please and surprise. In short, Dorie’s Anytime Cakes is my new baking BFF—reliable, delightful, and perfect for any time you want a slice of happiness. Five stars all the way!

I like that the recipes use basic ingredients making it a very approachable cookbook. I did question the inclusion of the brownie, blondie, muffin, and other Montvale recipes. I did mark enough recipes to easily add this to my bookshelf. The tips included can help anyone become a great baker.

Thank you Netgalley, William Morrow, and Dorie Greenspan for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The photography was STUNNING! My mouth was watering the entire time I was flipping through this cookbook.

I think this book would be great for an adventurous beginner, but you really need some basic baking experience to be able to cook most of these recipes. However, the directions are clear and easy to understand and follow. The little tips with the recipes are fantastic and really helpful. The tools and bakeware needed are basic and easy to find just about anywhere.

I like how it was divided into shapes like round, loaf, bundt, cakes with corners, baby cakes, salty cakes, and extras (frosting, fillings, etc)

There are a ton of recipes in here that I plan on baking soon. The loaf section is my favorite, and I absolutely love quick breads. I can see myself cooking my way through this entire book. I adore baking, and there is a huge variety of flavors and textures to choose from.

I love everything about this book. It feels very true to what I know about Dorie's recipes which give clear instructions and explanations and delicious unique recipes. I love all the tips I have learnt from her books over the years and this one is equally great. The citrus and apple cakes feel familiar but also are updated from previous recipes I have made from her. I also have a few new favorites I am excited to make like Cocoa Cherry Thyme Cake, Apple Cheddar Corn Cake, Harissa Lemon Loaf, Miso Cheddar Scone Cake. I also love and appreciate how beautiful the illustrations are in this book.

A combination of fun and basic cakes that you can pull off any old day, with clear instructions and gorgeous cake photography. Highly recommended.

I love the idea of Anytime Cakes to enjoy as you only live once.
The recipes were great. While there is a picture of pretty much every recipe, I just wish that the pictures were more appetizing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I love this book. Mouth-watering pictures, simple but tasty-looking recipes make this one that I plan to get a physical copy of! With a number of sweet and savory options, this is sure to be a best seller!

With recipes including:
BFF Brownie Cake
Morning, Noon, and Night Thanksgiving Cake
Cafuné Corn Cake
Simplest, Plainest, Most Old-Fashion—Also Best Tasting—Marble Cake
Buttermilk Plum Cake
Faux-caccia Squares
Miso-Cheddar Scone Cake
Feta, Sumac, and Za’atar Loaf
The Devil’s Chocolate Cake

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow | Harvest for the ARC!

Dorie’s Anytime Cakes has a fun mix of pretty simple, yet widely varied cakes. I’ve long been a fan of Dorie Greenspan’s cookie cookbooks, and love that this is similar to those. I can personally attest that the coffee chocolate chunk and the chocolate bundts are both delicious. The coffee one was slightly dry but that may have been operator error (I need to learn to read directions rather than just glancing at them.)
Most of these are recipes that can be dressed up or down, depending on if you just want to have a simple, quick cake or if you want to make it fancier for a party. The sweet stories of how the cake came about, and the calm voice telling you that it is okay if it looks broken just keep mixing, are enjoyable and really helpful.
I was pleased to see that I could make many of the cakes without having to make a special trip to the store, and the ingredients are listed by both weight in grams and the usual cups, etc. So much easier to weigh things, and I find that I avoid cookbooks that don’t include this.
My only negative is the photos. I’m unsure if they look strangely stylized just because this was an advanced copy or if that is the look that they are trying to achieve. The upside is that there is a photo of each cake which is always helpful.
I plan to purchase this when it is published and continue to enjoy all the yumminess!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow/Harvest for the eARC.

I have been getting Dorie's email newsletter for sometime. I am always thrilled with her comments and creativity.
So, I just had to see this book of everyday cakes! and it is that. Easy directions along with tips and suggestions to make great uncomplicated cakes for everyday!
Also frostings and sauces. I love this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC. I highly recommend.

I am so very excited to try recipes from this book! The layout is incredible and the pictures are fun!

This book is on my nice list, because it lists weight right next to the cup measurements. I love that! When Dorie’s Anytime Cakes comes out, it’ll be a must have for me. Only things I would change are the cover, and the section of ‘salty’ bakes. The cover makes this look dated, when it’s actually got very modern recipes. The salty bakes section seems out of place, and not quite on theme for this book. Other than that, this will be a go-to for sweet treats!

As a longtime Dorie Greenspan fan—ever since her World Peace Cookies sent my taste buds into orbit—I couldn’t wait to dive into Dorie’s Anytime Cakes, scheduled for release on October 21. This book feels like a warm hug from Dorie herself, packed with over 100 recipes for cakes that are simple yet special; from the moment I cracked it open, I was hooked, my mouth watering at the thought of baking every single one.

The book kicks off with a cozy intro, covering ingredients, tools, and techniques in Dorie’s signature down-to-earth style. It’s like having her in my kitchen, guiding me with a wink and a smile. The recipes are organized by shape—rounds, loaves, Bundts, squares, baby cakes—and even include a “salty cakes” chapter for savory surprises. Each recipe is a gem: a heartfelt blurb, clear ingredient list, step-by-step instructions, and tips for serving and storing. I adore the “Playing Around” sections, where Dorie nudges you to get creative, like spiking sugar with citrus or adding a hot honey kick.

You will find recipes like The BFF Brownie Cake that sounds like pure chocolate bliss, the Buttermilk Plum Cake that I will be making as soon as plums come into season, as well as the Miso-Cheddar Scone Cake that has me rethinking savory baking entirely. Dorie’s frostings and glazes are game-changers, and Nancy Pappas’ stunning, realistic looking color illustrations, that are more than an adequate substitute for photographs, make me want to bake just to see if my cakes can look that good.

What sets this book apart is Dorie’s voice—warm, funny, and encouraging. Her “DO NOT MIX!” warnings make me laugh, but her tips (like how to nail a perfect crumb) make me a better baker. Whether I’m craving chocolate, fruit, or something savory, there’s a cake for every mood. This isn’t just a cookbook; it’s a master class in baking with love. I’m already planning my next bake from Dorie’s Anytime Cakes, and I know it’ll be a hit.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything by Dorie Greenspan, and this Cake book does not disappoint. Any kind of cake you can think of, it's probably in there!! I loved the last chapters including frostings and fillings, and then savory cakes, especially. This would also make a great gift. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This was a great cookbook. Very easy-to-follow recipes. I can't wait to try these recipes. I would highly recommend this book.

Dorie's Anytime Cakes is good for both beginner bakers and those who are more experienced. For beginners, the recipe instructions are quite detailed with a lot of visual cues (e.g., a batter should be smooth, liquid, velvety; a few dry spots are okay and better than overmixing; the batter may look like it's curdling but keep going and it will come together). Some of the recipes require several separate steps and/or rest times and may work better for more experienced (or patient) bakers. The chapter on salty cakes is an unexpected pleasure in an otherwise sweet book. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

Dorie’s Anytime Cakes is a real treat of a cookbook. I have been a fan of Dorie Greenspan for a long time and am a big fan of her recipes. This book is fun and a bit whimsical. While the book begins with a good intro and a baking intro like many books do, the particular techniques in this book are unique and helpful. As an experienced baker, I don’t often come across new techniques, but I learned quite a few from this book. The recipes are varied with some more familiar and some more unique. The recipes are easy to follow with tips, tricks, and variations throughout. There are also plenty of beautiful photos of the bakes. This is a very successful book that will be well-used in my kitchen. I would definitely recommend this book.

This cookbook was my intro to the multi-James-Beard award winning author. In this book, her focus was on simple, hand mixed cakes that could be made anytime (think: having a friend over for coffee).

I love how Dorie's voice comes through in her recipes and the approachable, down-to-earth way she explains cooking technique (e.g. jokingly noting "DO NOT MIX!" even though you will be really tempted to). She doesn't just describe a recipe, she helps you learn tips that can make you a better baker beyond her cookbook, which I appreciate.

The drawbacks for me were the art/photography (stylized images that almost looked like drawings; they didn't get me as excited to taste recipes as traditional photos do) and...not enough of the recipes pulled me in. This is personal preference as someone with a huge sweet tooth, and this particular cookbook is focused on more casual "anytime" cakes which tended to be plain, more like European cakes you would have with tea/coffee (not too sweet, sometimes with fruit in them, etc.). If you find typical American cakes too sweet, this cookbook may be perfect for you; the ingredients feel high quality, simple and elegant.

Thanks to William Morrow for an ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

Greenspan's ode to cakes may well have a cake for everyone and for every mood. If you like chocolate, there's a cake for you. If fruit is your thing, she has several options for you to try. The directions are clear and she offers many tips and tricks, as well as a multitude of different frostings and glazes and the photography makes everything look absolutely delicious. My mouth watered as I read this book. The chocolate options were among my favorites, but even the simpler cakes looked like something I would enjoy making and eating.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy of this informative book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The first time that I came across Dorie Greenspan's baking books was decades ago when I picked up Baking with Julia, the book that accompanied the TV series hosted by Julia Child. Only upon looking at the title page did I realize that Julia was not the author. In the many years since, I have acquired quite the collection of the author's baking books from collaborations with Pierre Herme (the great pâtissier, not the designer of the Berkin bag) to the multitude of cookie, cake, and general baking books she has solo-authored. Her books are often my go-to when I want to whip up a quick sweet snack or make an impressive dessert to share with friends and this collection of Anytime Cakes looks just perfect to expand my repertoire. One of the first things that I noticed was that this book was beautifully illustrated. Rather than photos of the end product, the drawings add a nice change to the look of the book without sacrificing the detail that the photos usually provide.
The book, as most cookbooks, is divided to sections. The first is a basic introduction, covering ingredients, equipment, practices and techniques. Then several chapters follow separating on shape or mold, rounds, loaves, bundts, squares, and baby cakes. There is even a chapter on savories under the header of "salty cakes". And finally, a selection of toppings, fillings, and frostings to compliment the cakes. Each recipe has a nice clear format, the usual blurb, ingredient list, and step-by-step instruction listing, along with serving and storage information. Most recipes are also followed by a "playing around" section that shows variations and enhancements for the base recipe. This seems like a great group of recipes that are relatively easy to produce and don't require a special occasion to enjoy. I can't wait to try a number of these cakes in my own kitchen.
I received access to this ebook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, William Morrow - Harvest) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.