The Plain Cake Appreciation Society: 52 Weeks of Cake

Pamment is a cook, photographer, and stylist based in Australia and creator of the website Tilly’s Table. Her first cookbook is packed with 52 full-flavored and simple cake recipes that will be especially appreciated by readers who are intimidated by the show-stopping cakes that often grace magazine and book covers. These simpler cakes are still incredibly appealing, though, as Pamment’s beautifully styled photos show. The Plain Cake Appreciation Society was launched during COVID lockdowns when Pamment began sharing her bakes virtually with her online community. Recipes are evocatively arranged by seasonal categories such as “Woodsmoke, Chai & Chocolate” and “Sunshine & Citrus Peel.” Each recipe includes a “Tea and Blooms Match,” which offers suggestions for tea and flower pairings to go with the cake, and there is also a short guide to tea at the end of the book. Readers in the United States will want to pay close attention to notes on measurements and oven temperatures, as Pamment uses Australian tablespoon measurements and an oven with a fan-forced (or convection) setting.