From the former Executive White House Pastry Chef comes a unique, easy-to-follow guide to creating cakes for any occasion, using master recipes that can be enjoyed simply, or transformed into elegant and complex desserts. 16 pages of full-color photographs. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Mesnier was the White House pastry chef for 25 years. His first book, also with food writer Chattman, was Dessert University, a baking tutorial for home cooks with an emphasis on the French classics. This latest presents some of his favorite cake recipes that didn't make it into the first book, from First Ladies' Strawberry Cake to Orange Sherbet Cake to Croquembouche. Many of the cakes are quite simple, but each of the 22 basic recipes is accompanied by two somewhat more elaborate variations. Mesnier has an unintimidating style, and he provides glimpses at life at the White House along the way. For most baking collections. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Introduction	1
My Favorite American Cakes, Some With Fruit	29
1 Perfect Yellow Cake	31
2 Upside-Down Cakes, Simple to Spectacular	37
3 Banana Cake, Three Ways	47
4 Autumn Applesauce Cake	53
5 First Ladies' Strawberry Cake	63
Three Very Different Cheesecakes	73
6 American-Style Cheesecake	75
7 An Unusual Cheesecake	81
8 Coeur a la Creme	89
Delicious Dairy- and Wheat-Free Cakes	95
9 Orange Sherbet Cake	97
10 Carrot Cake Made with Spelt	109
11 Wheat-Free Pineapple Cake	117
12 Apricot Souffle Cake	127
Nuts, Chocolate, and Coffee	135
13 Hazelnut Ring Cake	137
14 Very Versatile Hazelnut Dacquoise	145
15 Chocolate Souffle Cake	155
16 President and Mrs. Carter's Dome Cake	169
17 Princess Mary Cake	179
18 Mrs. Clinton's Coffee Genoise	189
Puff Pastry and Choux Puff Cakes	195
19 Hollander Cake	197
20 Aurora Pacifica	209
21 Paris Brest	221
22 Croquembouche	229
Etc.: Frostings, Fillings, Glazes, Syrups	248
Decorating Basics	271
Resources	283
Equivalency Tables	285
Index	286

Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.