Bake Happy: 100 Playful Desserts with Rainbow Layers, Hidden Fillings, Billowy Frostings, and More

Veteran cookbook author Fertig poses the question: How can baking contribute to a happy life? Her answer: 100 recipes for cakes, cookies, puddings, and more. Bright, cheery-looking recipes include rainbow cake with yellow, pink, orange, and green cake layers and bright blue frosting, and Razzle-Dazzle Éclairs, where pink raspberry icing tops the choux pastry and is then decorated with edible pansy flowers, sprinkles, and an assortment of candy dots. Off-the-beaten-dessert-path recipes, such as the pandan leaf papaya with sweet coconut cream or the sweet potato pone with bourbon pouring custard, are sure to entice even the experienced sweet tooth. Annie Hall would approve of the La di Dahs, white meringue “apostrophes,” and the Black-and-Whites in Color, which give a fun twist to the famed New York City cookie. An exceptional design makes up for the small number of recipe photos, and inspiring quotes from Iris Murdoch, Louisa May Alcott, and Jane Austen, among others, are sprinkled throughout. This is a perfect title for boutiques and gift shops. (June)