Why am I passionate about this?

I am a baking blogger with a serious love for all things '80s and all things sweet. Cupcakes are my passion but I have a huge sweet tooth for all types of desserts. I created my blog, "Cake Me Home Tonight," to share my passion for baking, easy and delicious recipes, and baking tips and tutorials to inspire home bakers to elevate their baking game. I am always inspired and motivated by my favorite cookbook authors and baking bloggers to create dessert recipes with a nostalgic twist. I hope these books satisfy your sweet tooth as much as they have mine!


I wrote

Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes: Easy, Delicious Desserts Inspired by the '80s

By Courtney Carey,

Book cover of Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes: Easy, Delicious Desserts Inspired by the '80s

What is my book about?

Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes is the perfect cookbook for a huge dose of '80s nostalgia. This book features easy…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Anyone Can Cake: Your Complete Guide to Making & Decorating Perfect Layer Cakes

Courtney Carey Why did I love this book?

This is the ultimate cake baking and decorating guide. I am obsessed with the cake flavors in this book ranging from classic favorites to more elevated and unique flavors.

Whitney is a truly talented cake baker and decorator as she takes you through the basics of cake decorating, provides information about tips and tools for baking and decorating, and creates the most beautiful designs. Her work has truly inspired my cake baking and the photos of the cakes are top-notch!

By Whitney DePaoli,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Anyone Can Cake as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Whitney is one of those bakers who can turn any cake into a masterpiece! She's an inspiration to any self-taught baker."
- Duff Goldman, Ace of Cakes and owner of Charm City Cakes

Everything You Need to Know to Create Pretty Cakes with Confidence

Learn how to:
. Bake, build and decorate layer cakes, along with all the techniques and tools you'll need
. Master buttercream frosting, from mixing gorgeous colors to achieving a perfectly smooth finish
. Create ombres, stripes, Lambeth piping and more with beginner-friendly decorating tutorials
. Level-up your design with in-depth guides for ganache drips, sprinkle…


Book cover of Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts

Courtney Carey Why did I love this book?

A dessert lover’s dream come true. Dorothy shares easy, homemade cookie, brownie, blondie, bar, cookie cup, no bake cookie, and holiday treat recipes.

I love how comforting and familiar her recipes are, each incorporating a nod to nostalgia. The photos highlight the “home-baked from the heart” quality of each cookie and brownie recipe. If I need to fill up my cookie jar, I am reaching for this book!

By Dorothy Kern,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Master cookie basics, then expand your repertoire with over 85 crave-worthy yet easy-to-prepare recipes for both classic and inventive sweet treats, each with its own mouthwatering photo.

Author Dorothy Kern is one of the most trusted and widely read baking bloggers on Earth-and with good reason. Her tested-to-perfection recipes are simple to make, delectable, and full of creative new flavor ideas. In Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars, she shares her recipes and baking secrets so you, too, can make scrumptiously delicious cookies that everyone loves.

Dorothy outlines the rules for successful cookie baking, provides an overview of key ingredients…


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Book cover of Steamed and Steamy: Recipes from the Steampunk World of Industralia

Steamed and Steamy By Lori Alden Holuta, Tanya Paterson (illustrator),

After writing The Flight To Brassbright, I realized that my characters spent a lot of time enjoying a wide variety of foods and beverages. I suppose it couldn't be helped since their author is such a foodie.

I thought it would be fun to spin off a cookbook with…

Book cover of I'll Bring The Cake: Recipes for Every Season and Every Occasion

Courtney Carey Why did I love this book?

This is the only seasonal cake book I need. Mandy takes you on a culinary journey through the calendar with cake recipes to capture the flavor profiles of each unique holiday and season. Her recipes feature familiar flavors, often incorporating a fun or unique twist on the classics.

The photos of the cakes made me want to grab a fork and dig right in. I found her cake baking and decorating tips to be incredibly helpful for new and seasoned home bakers alike. 

By Mandy Merriman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I'll Bring The Cake as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Baking with Blondie blogger Mandy Merriman takes the guesswork out of delicious and beautiful cakes-starting with boxed mixes and then adding flavorful ingredients and creative decorations-for occasion-worthy cakes any baker can make.

I'll Bring the Cake features stunning and mouthwatering cakes for any occasion or holiday, but there's a twist-each gorgeous creation begins with a humble boxed mix. Starting from a mix takes the guesswork out of baking and ensures perfect results, leaving more time for getting creative with Mandy's whimsical, jaw-dropping decorating ideas. Step-by-step photo tutorials accompany special holiday-themed decorating projects as well as an essential primer on stacking,…


Book cover of Bake Your Heart Out: Foolproof Recipes to Level Up Your Home Baking

Courtney Carey Why did I love this book?

Bake Your Heart Out: Foolproof Recipes to Level Up Your Home Baking is truly a masterpiece of a cookbook. Dan offers up a variety of amazing dessert and breakfast recipes featuring cookies, bars, breakfast bakes, pies, tarts, and cakes. Similar to many of my favorite bakers, Dan’s recipes feature classic, nostalgic flavors with a little twist of something extra.

I have learned so much from Dan as he shares the most interesting and innovative baking tips and tricks for creating absolutely delicious and beautiful baked goods. Sometimes one little baking trick can make all the difference! 

By Dan Langan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bake Your Heart Out as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The debut baking recipe book from Food Network star Dan Langan!

Like many of us, Dan Langan learned young that if you want to make someone smile, all you need to do is give them a cookie. Dan channeled his natural creativity into baking alongside his mother and grandmother, and he soon became obsessed with making and remaking his favorite recipes until they were the tastiest and prettiest versions of themselves. Since then, Dan has become a trusted source for delicious, foolproof bakes and has connected with home bakers via social media, television, and digital videos, and through his website,…


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Book cover of An Italian Feast: The Celebrated Provincial Cuisines of Italy from Como to Palermo

An Italian Feast By Clifford A. Wright,

An Italian Feast celebrates the cuisines of the Italian provinces from Como to Palermo. A culinary guide and book of ready reference meant to be the most comprehensive book on Italian cuisine, and it includes over 800 recipes from the 109 provinces of Italy's 20 regions.

An Italian Feast is…

Book cover of Sally's Baking Addiction: Volume 1: Irresistible Cookies, Cupcakes, and Desserts for Your Sweet-Tooth Fix

Courtney Carey Why did I love this book?

This is one of my favorite baking recipe books when you are looking for a little of everything. Sally has created a baking empire and I have always been inspired by her baking and her business.

In this book, Sally shared a wide-variety of home baked treats including breads, muffins, bars and brownies, cakes, pies, candies, cookies, and cupcakes. I love how her baking feels like it was made by your grandmother, as she features old-fashioned classics that are sure to bring up fond memories. 

By Sally McKenney,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sally's Baking Addiction as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Updated with a brand-new selection of desserts and treats, the fully illustrated Sally's Baking Addiction cookbook offers more than 80 scrumptious recipes for indulging your sweet tooth.

It's no secret that Sally McKenney loves to bake. Her popular blog, Sally's Baking Addiction, has become a trusted source for fellow dessert lovers who are also eager to bake from scratch. Sally's famous recipes include award-winning Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies, No-Bake Peanut Butter Banana Pie, delectable Dark Chocolate Butterscotch Cupcakes, and yummy Marshmallow Swirl S'mores Fudge.

Featuring a chapter of healthier dessert options, including some vegan and gluten-free recipes, find tried-and-true…


Explore my book 😀

Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes: Easy, Delicious Desserts Inspired by the '80s

By Courtney Carey,

Book cover of Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes: Easy, Delicious Desserts Inspired by the '80s

What is my book about?

Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes is the perfect cookbook for a huge dose of '80s nostalgia. This book features easy and delicious cupcake recipes inspired by classic dessert flavors, nostalgic treats, cookies, candies, and the sweetest memories from childhood. 

This is not your average cookbook! Not only does it feature totally awesome cupcake recipes, but the book is dripping with '80s music lyrics, movie quotes, and pop culture references from cover to cover. Each recipe is paired with a classic ’80s tune you can blast in your kitchen while you bake. So grab your leg warmers and put out your cupcake pans because it’s time to bake!

Book cover of Anyone Can Cake: Your Complete Guide to Making & Decorating Perfect Layer Cakes
Book cover of Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts
Book cover of I'll Bring The Cake: Recipes for Every Season and Every Occasion

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Book cover of An Italian Feast: The Celebrated Provincial Cuisines of Italy from Como to Palermo

An Italian Feast By Clifford A. Wright,

An Italian Feast celebrates the cuisines of the Italian provinces from Como to Palermo. A culinary guide and book of ready reference meant to be the most comprehensive book on Italian cuisine, and it includes over 800 recipes from the 109 provinces of Italy's 20 regions.

An Italian Feast is…

Book cover of A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes

A Mediterranean Feast By Clifford A. Wright,

A groundbreaking culinary work of extraordinary depth and scope that spans more than one thousand years of history, A Mediterranean Feast tells the sweeping story of the birth of the venerated and diverse cuisines of the Mediterranean. Author Clifford A. Wright weaves together historical and culinary strands from Moorish Spain…

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Interested in cakes, dessert, and cookies?

Cakes 14 books
Dessert 23 books
Cookies 15 books