With a reputation as the “Cake Mix Doctor,” it’s no secret that Nashville native Anne Byrn knows her way around the kitchen.
Having amassed extensive knowledge as a food writer, cook, and author of The Cake Mix Doctor, Dinner Doctor, and American Cake, Byrn has a passion for sharing the recipes she loves in a way that’s as approachable as it is delicious. With her new book, A New Take on Cake, the New York Times bestselling author shares 175 beautiful and doable cake mix recipes that everyone from amateurs to experts can enjoy.
Though Byrn studied classic French cooking in Paris where she gained in-depth knowledge beyond her wildest dreams (helping to catapult her career as a food writer), her love for cooking began right here in Nashville.
“It’s hard to grow up in Nashville—and even in the South—without an interest in food, especially if you have a big family, because family gatherings are all about what’s on the menu,” Byrn recalls. “We grew up in a very from-scratch kitchen. [My mother] made bread, pies, cakes, fried chicken, Southern vegetables. She made biscuits nearly every morning. It was idyllic. I took notice and tried to help her out whenever I could.”
When it came time to cook for her own growing family, a husband and three children, learning on the job took on a new meaning. Getting dinner on the table every night came with the challenge of keeping food exciting, healthy, and fun, while instilling the same sense of approachability in the kitchen for her own children that she experienced growing up. It was during this busy mom stage of life that she wrote The Cake Mix Doctor.
“I wrote [that book] for people like me. I was grabbing a box of cake mix from the pantry, using some tricks and things that my mother had done, doctoring up and making a batter,” says Byrn. “I had no idea that it would be as successful as it was or that it would resonate with so many people on so many different levels.”
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Now, Byrn is releasing the cookbook’s highly anticipated follow up, A New Take on Cake. In the 20 years since The Cake Mix Doctor captivated audiences nationwide, much has changed in the world of baking. Everything from ingredients, to pans, to aesthetic has evolved; in addition, there is less judgment surrounding the always popular but once frowned upon use of cake mixes. Featuring Bundt cakes, layers, slabs, loaves, cookies, cupcakes, and more, Byrn offers something for everyone. She revisits 50 favorites from The Cake Mix Doctor and introduces 125 new recipes utilizing all her favorite new ingredients, pans, styling techniques, and more.
“There’s definitely something for everybody,” Byrn says. “I really wanted to update some of the classic recipes and make them work today with the cake mixes that are on the shelf. I think they’ll love seeing the breadth of things that you can do with cake mix. It’s very DIY.”
Byrn also strived to provide recipes that were inclusive for all. She embeds a how-to element into the book for new bakers, while stunning imagery sparks inspiration for new recipes that experienced bakers will be eager to try. For bakers on a budget, Byrn proves cakes can be gorgeous and affordable. In fact, she baked and taste tested each recipe during the pandemic, purchasing all her ingredients at local grocery stores: no specialty ordering necessary. There are even vegetarian and gluten free substitution options throughout the book. Baking has always been near and dear to Byrn’s heart, and she is grateful for the opportunity to share her knowledge through this book. For her, it’s more than just recipes; it’s creating something far more meaningful.
“Books allow me the opportunity to give back. I have amassed a lot of baking knowledge, writing knowledge, and life knowledge, and to be able to weave that into the writing I do is really gratifying,” she says. “When you bake, I get it, it’s not always easy and it can get expensive. So as a writer, it’s my job to make it easier on everybody and level the playing field so that everybody can bake a beautiful cake.”