Dense Flourless Chocolate Cake, light Vanilla Sponge Cake layered with buttercream, moist Apple Cake -- a beautiful cake is every baker's dream. Using this book, you will soon have the know-how to prepare these classics and many more. Williams-Sonoma MasteringCakesis a complete baking course in a single volume. The opening describes the different types of cakes you can bake, including simple cakes, sheet and layer cakes, and cakes for special occasions. Basic recipes and indispensable technique sequences then illustrate dozens of key culinary building blocks, such as how to whip egg whites to the proper loft or how to cut a sponge cake into even layers before filling. Troubleshooting tips show you what can go wrong and how to fix it without having to start all over again. The recipes lead you step-by-step, with friendly text and instructive photographs, through every stage of preparation. The variations in each chapter help you to continue practicing your newfound skills, building your repertory and your confidence at the same time. Finally, a guide to equipment and a glossary of ingredients will help you stock your kitchen with all the essentials. In these pages, you will discover more than fifty classic recipes that tell you, in both pictures and words, how every cake you bake should look and taste from start to finish. Whether you are an aspiring novice or an accomplished home baker, this book will guide and inspire you every step of the way.