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.