Byrn - Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor: From Cake Mix to Cake Magnificent

BY ANNE BYRN

Photographs by Anthony Loew

Workman Publishing New York

For John...
and in loving memory of
Poppy and Spires

It just doesnt seem possible that The Cake Mix Doctor was published less than two years ago. I am still amazed at the overwhelming response I have received from family, friends, and people I didnt even know.

One of my Web page readers said in an e-mail that she never dreamed she would be able to chat with a cookbook author. I, too, am astounded that I can chat with readers! And to these devoted readers, I offer my sincere thanks. Your keen observations, intelligent questions, creative ideas, and heartwarming stories have opened my eyes.

At home, this sequel would not have been possible without my husband, John. Thanks for taking charge againfeeding, bathing, reading to, hiking with, and driving our children through the snow for quesadillas and new shoes while I retreated upstairs to write. Thanks to my children, Kathleen, Litton, and John, for understanding that cake would not permanently be on your mothers mind. A warm hug goes to my mother, Bebe, who encourages me with her personal courage. Thanks also to my sisters, Ginger Byrn and Susan Anderson, for just being there. It wasnt easy losing our father just days after Christmas. Poppy, as the grandchildren called him, adored chocolate cake, and he will be forever missed. And while Martha Bowden isnt family, she might as well have been. I found a diligent, caring, and creative cook in Martha, and her recipe testing was invaluable. A big hug goes to Kathy Sellers, who tested pound cakes in the summertime and baked casseroles to feed the troops when I couldnt cook.

To my agent, Nancy Crossman, thank you for believing in me again. For their generous taste buds and honest feedback, I appreciate the teachers of Granbery Elementary School and the employees of AmSouth Bank, both in Nashville. And to Diane Hooper and Dorothy Dearth, thank you for keeping things running smoothly in the midst of joyous chaos!

To my colleagues in the media, thank you for embracing The Cake Mix Doctor. They include Candy Sagon, Linda Cicero, Cathy Thomas, Barbara Gibbs Ostmann, Judy Walker, Susan Puckett, Regan Walker, Beverly Mills, Alicia Ross, Janice Okun, Carol Ward, Natalie Haughton, Jo Ellen OHara, Allison Campbell, Mary Scourtes, Teresa Gubbins, Beverly Bundy, Judy Evans, Ann Criswell, Barbara Houle, and Jann Malone. It was fun being on the other side for a change! To Linda Wertheimer and Carol Klinger, I offer my heartfelt appreciation. To Margo Baumgart, Wow. To Mary Harrison, come back to Nashville anytime. And to Tim Brennan, thanks for sharing your St. Louis kitchen and your wisdom.

But no one has talked up The Cake Mix Doctor and Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor more than Jim Eber, the cake-crazed publicity director at Workman. Jim says if these books are my babies, then he is their godfather! Jim and his staff have done a stupendous job spreading the word from coast to coast; he even appeared on QVC as what he calls the cake mix intern. And if Jim is the godfather, then Jenny Mandel in Workmans special markets department is the fairy godmother, for she made QVC happen.

Sincere thanks to Suzanne Rafer, my meticulous and thoughtful editor who continues to teach me well, and to her assistant Beth Doty. Many thanks to Peter and Carolan Workman for their generosity. To design director Paul Hanson, thank you for another delicious cover. And thanks to Lisa Hollander and Adriana Cordero for seeing the design through to the finished book. My warm thanks to Kathie Ness for her copyediting skills. And to David Schiller, Amy Hayworth, and Pat Upton, thanks for your continued hard work on the Web site. To Lauren Huber, who baked these chocolate cakes for photography, and to Anthony Loew, who photographed them so beautifully, a big chocolate hug. And once more, to makeup master Mark Lindsey, thanks for years of experience and concealer!

Harley Blaisdell, Doug Thompson, and Rachel Stevenson made QVC worthwhile and fun. Dave Sweeney at Hersheys, Bonnie West in Denver, Sandy Carpenter and Preston Elliott, formerly with Duncan Hines, radios Stephen Witzenberg in Des Moines, and Alison Bodor at the Chocolate Manufacturers AssociationI thank you all.

To the generous cooks who shared recipes for this book, to the escorts who accompanied me around the country and listened as I rambled, and to booksellers nationwide, I happily offer you this latest slice of cake. Its chocolate, and its warm from the oven.

Anne Byrn
Nashville, Tennessee

CHOCOLATE FOR THE SOUL

The ABCs of baking chocolate cakes from a mix, including preparation tips, pantry essentials, cool baking tools, and a chocolate primer.

There is no dessert more delectable than a mile-high layer cake topped with thick swirls of frosting. Enjoy The Perfect Chocolate Cake, Old-Fashioned Devils Food Cake, Peanut Butter Cake with Fluffy Chocolate Frosting, and White Chocolate Peach Cake. So rich, so delicious.

Just the cakes to serve with scoops of ice cream and icy cold milk. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake, Amazing German Chocolate Cake, Almond Marbled Chocolate Pound Cake, and Boston Cream Pie Cake are all baked in Bundt or tube pans so theres plenty to go around.

When youre baking for a chocolate-loving crowd, these are the cakes to turn to. For potlucks and picnics, you cant beat the Easy Chocolate Poke Cake, Chocolate Zucchini Raisin Cake, Banana Split Fudge Cake, or The Watergate Cake.

Creamy and chocolaty cheesecakes, comforting pudding cakes, and cakes with a sophisticated twist. The Key Lime Chocolate Cheesecake, Mocha Brownie Cheesecake, Pear and Chocolate Terrine, and dense Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Fudge Pie are just a few of the surprises in this chapter.

Delicate, with just the right texture to sop up juicy sliced peaches and berries. End your meal with a heavenly Chocolate Pineapple Angel Food Cake, Chocolate-Swirled Apricot Angel Food Cake, and Frozen Chocolate Neapolitan Cake.

Chocolate Surprise Muffins, White Chocolate Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel, Chocolate Cherry Chip Cupcakes, Baby Chocolate Pistachio Cakestempting little cakes with great big flavors.

Finger food of the highest caliberChocolate Chunk Walnut Chewies, Devils Food Hearts, Jessicas Caramel Chocolate Brownies, and a Sunday Fudge Cake for any day of the week.

Easy from-scratch frostings, icings, glazes, and fillings to turn your cake mix cake into a visual and irresistibly tasty masterpiece.