United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State [Hardcover]

Warren Brown (Author), Joshua Cogan (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2010

Loving cake is a natural part of Warren Brown’s constitution. Now, in order to form a more perfect union of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, he’s offering his unique take on classic dessert recipes from all fifty states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

 

Starting out with Baked Alaska (what else?), Brown tours the whole country, updating regional confections like King Cake (Louisiana), Lady Baltimore Cake (South Carolina), Mud Cake (Mississippi), and Key Lime Pie (Florida). There are official state desserts (Maryland’s Smith Island Cake; Massachusetts’ Boston Cream Pie) and unofficial favorites (New York–style Cheesecake; St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake), as well as an ovenful of brand-new baked treats that Brown has created to honor specific states’ agricultural bounty (Avocado Cupcakes for California; Huckleberry Cake for Idaho). Eye-catching photos, informative sidebars, and a separate section on buttercream frostings complete the mix.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From Baked Alaska to Florida's classic Key Lime Pie, restaurateur and cookbook author Brown (CakeLove) takes readers on a cross-country cakewalk, stopping for plenty of lore, local ingredients, and other sweet desserts (like cupcakes, scones and pralines). Divided into four regions (including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico), Brown's collection is a pleasant mix of the expected-Boston Cream Pie, Coca-Cola Cake from Georgia, Mississippi Mud Cake-and inspired niche desserts like Vermont's Maple Creme Brulee, Maryland's multilayered Smith Island Cake, Tennessee Mountain Stack Cake, and Avocado Cupcakes from (where else?) California. Brown does a commendable job helping cooks along with clearly written though occasionally complex recipes, all but ensuring a perfect Lady Baltimore, Margarita Mousse, or St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake. Rounded out with ephemera ranging from frosting tips to biographies of the king and queen of box mixes (the real Duncan Hines and the fictional Betty Crocker), this coast-to-coast compilation is a sweet home-baked slice of Americana.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Warren Brown left a career in law to pursue his love of baking. In 2002, he opened his first bakery, CakeLove, and he now has seven shops in the greater D.C. and Baltimore areas. The author of CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch, he lives with his wife in Washington, D.C.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang (May 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584798394
• ISBN-13: 978-1584798392
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 1 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #476,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Overview of Regional Specialties (Not Just Cake!) May 7, 2010

By S. D. Fischer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Warren Brown's follow-up to CakeLove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch does not disappoint. United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State has at least one recipe for each of the fifty United States (plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia) divided into four regions of the country.

The Northeast includes the following recipes:
-Maine: Whoopie Pie with Seven-Minute Frosting
-New Hampshire: Pumpkin Pancakes
-Vermont: Maple Creme Brulee
-Massachusetts: Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Frosting
-Massachusetts: Boston Cream Pie
-Rhode Island: Johnnycakes
-Connecticut: Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes with Old-Fashioned Milk Buttercream
-New York: Red Velvet Cake
-New York: New York-Style Cheesecake
-Pennsylvania: Angel Food Cake
-Pennsylvania: Chocolate Chiffon Angel Food Cake
-Delaware: Coffee Cake
-Delaware: Dover Cake
-New Jersey: Old-Fashioned Ice Box Cake
-New Jersey: Easy Ice Box Cake
-New Jersey: Tomato Soup Cake
-Maryland: Smith Island Cake
-District of Columbia: Cherry Trifle

Specialties of the South include:
-Kentucky: Kentucky Derby Cake
-Kentucky: Kentucky Jam Cake
-Virginia: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
-West Virginia: Apple-Butter Cake
-Tennessee: Tennessee Mountain Stack Cake
-North Carolina: Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
-South Carolina: Lady Baltimore Cake
-South Carolina: Huguenot Torte
-Georgia: Coca-Cola Cake
-Florida: Key Lime Pie
-Florida: Lemon-Ginger Cake
-Alabama: Silver Cake
-Alabama: Lane Cake
-Mississippi: Mud Cake
-Louisiana: Sweet Potato Cake
-Louisiana: King Cake
-Arkansas: Black Walnut Torte
-Arkansas: Homemade Dirt Cake
-Oklahoma: Pecan-Peach Upside-Down Cake
-Texas: Texas Sheet Cake with Old-Fashioned Chocolate Buttercream
-Texas: Margarita Mousse Cake
-Puerto Rico: Rum Cake

Specialties of the Midwest include:
-Ohio: Cassata Cake
-Michigan: Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake with Whole-Egg Buttercream
-Michigan: Rice Krispie Treats
-Indiana: Hoosier Cream Pie
-Illinois: Devil's Food Cake with Cooked-Meringue Buttercream
-Wisconsin: Brown Sugar, Cranberry, and Pecan Cake
-Missouri: St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
-Missouri: 7 Up Pound Cake
-Iowa: Roasted Pecan Cornbread
-Nebraska: Kolace
-Kansas: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
-Minnesota: Bundt Cake
-South Dakota: Kuchen
-North Dakota: Oatmeal-and-Currant Cake

Recipes from the West include:
-Hawaii: Coconut Cupcakes with Old-Fashioned Tangy Buttercream
-Alaska: Baked Alaska
-Alaska: Amazing Vanilla Cake
-Washington: Apple Cake
-Washington: Coffee Buttercream Frosting
-California: Avocado Cupcakes
-California: Chiffon Cake
-Nevada: Basque Cake
-Oregon: Filbert Chocolate Cake
-Idaho: Huckleberry Cake
-Arizona: Jalapeno Cheddar Cheesecake
-Arizona: Ancho Chile Buttercream Frosting
-Utah: Utah Scones
-Colorado: Apple-Banana-Walnut Nugget Cake
-New Mexico: Bizcochito Cake
-Montana: Huckleberry Scones
-Wyoming: Honey and Raspberry Cheesecake

Recipes for the following "American Classics" are at the end of the regional chapters:
-Apple-Cranberry Cobbler
-Strawberry Shortcake
-Caramel Cake
-Yellow Cake with Chocolate Icing

"A Slice of America" features are scattered throughout the book and include tips (with series of photos) for icing a cake, assembling a layer cake, livening up a bundt cake and adjusting for altitude when baking; a history of baking in America with examples of early recipes; and the history of Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker.

There are full-page color photos of 32 of the 73 dishes. This count doesn't include fillings or frostings, only desserts and other baked goods. There are additional photos with the Slice of America instructions and the other tips (including zesting fruit and how to make a parchment cone).

This book would be a fun way to teach children about states. There is a icon of each state with the state capital indicated and at least one fun fact along with the recipe(s). Additional facts are scattered throughout the book. For example, Ohio was the birthplace of eight Presidents (who are listed along with their favorite dessert).

Nutrition information is not included with the recipes.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book! July 30, 2010

By Luna

Format:Hardcover

First off, I have great admiration for Warren Brown. I love the first book and I watched his show for interesting new things. This is one book you need if you love cake and you want a history lesson to boot. The bundt cake is amazing and the Whoopie Pies are the absolute hands down best I have ever made. The recipe is spot on and incredubly delicious. The book is worth it for that alone!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars united cakes of america February 24, 2011

By baker suzie

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

great book. have tried several recipes. have a husband and 4 adult children and spouses and 6 grand children to test cakes. 99% approval.