The Effortless Baker: Your Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Decadent, Showstopping Sweets and Treats

by Janani Elavazhagan

Make Beautiful Bakes―Step by Scrumptious Step.

Finally, the delicious, showstopping desserts of your dreams are within reach, thanks to this ultimate baking guide from Janani Elavazhagan, creator of the popular food blog Skillet To Plate. With easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, these 60 mouthwatering sweets (plus 10 exciting bonus recipes and tutorials!) are perfect for bakers of all skill levels. Janani has also infused so many of the recipes with the vibrant flavors of her Indian heritage for a truly international tour de force of treats. Whip up incredible bakes like a pro as you delight in crafting perfect desserts

Double Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake
Cardamom Ghee Biscuits (Nei Biscuit)
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Red Velvet Madeleines Badam Paal Crème Brûlée
Ricotta Rasmalai Tres Leches
Jaggery Gingerbread Townhouse Cookies
Easy Pavlova
Strawberry Lassi–Coconut Layer Cake
French Canelés

With simple tips and techniques, as well as Janani’s best kitchen hacks, you will discover just how accessible and delectable baking from all around the world can be!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction

200 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2023

Reviews

[Ami Kincade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just received this book and love it already! I'm a great cook but only a so, so baker and as such lost a lot of the desire to bake. The first recipe in this book is a White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake that looked and sounded so delicious that I knew I had to try it. It was AMAZING!! Looking forward to trying many of the recipes in the future!!

[Julianne Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received this book from the Goodreads giveaway.

I love the tutorials in the back and look forward to digging into some of these recipes! The photography is beautiful and the instructions are easy to follow.

[Sruthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The effortless baker amalgamates Indian and American fusion of baking recipes. The book gives us a feel that anyone can bake. I am an amateur baker and am not good with baking equipment; her recipes and steps in this book are not intimidating at all. It gives me confidence to try out recipes in the first place. I loved the look and feel of this book. I appreciate entirely this one-woman show where she has created recipes plus photographed them in a very unique fashion. Kudos to Janani Elavazaghan for coming out with this excellent work, which should be the gateway to many aspiring bakers.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a casual (& nervous) baker so I usually stick to the basics but The Effortless Baker has me getting out of my comfort zone with the most beautiful desserts with minimal skills.

I wouldn't quite call the recipes effortless but the way Elavazhagan lays out each recipe, in detail, with step by step instructions, ingredients in both standard measurements and weights - I've been able to test and expand my skills with great results. There are sections on basic techniques, ingredients (including brands she uses and ways to make your own for a few things and a tutorial - in addition to the recipes and GORGEOUS photos.

I especially love the strong flavors used in her recipes. Cardamom is featured heavily and takes a basic banana bread like recipe (Brown Butter, Cardamom & Banana Bundt Cake) to the next level, taking classic American desserts to new heights with an Indian twist and complex flavors.

If you ever wanted an excuse to buy yourself a fancy pan - this is it. While each recipe has a basic pan shape with cup size - these recipes just lend themselves to detailed bakeware with a dusting of powdered sugar or glaze. (a pic from my blog of one of my bakes https://www.fwiwreviews.net/search?q=...)

I've made several recipes so far and every single one was gone within minutes when presented to guests.

*Tip - be sure to read each recipe fully before starting. Most recipes are 2+ pages long and it's easy to miss a step. Also try to read the book in full at least once. Several techniques are in the back and ...ahem...*someone*...might end up googling a technique when it was already right there in the book lol

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received this as a Goodreads giveaway.

There are some good recipes in this cookbook, and I like that there are ingredients and flavors that are often not used in western baking. Most things I tried turned out how they should (although not all--at least one spectacular failure).

I found the title a bit misleading. I am a fairly experienced baker so I know what things should look like and techniques. However, some things in the cookbook were overly complicated compared to the way they are usually done. For example, I had to brown butter. Rather than doing it on the stovetop (which does require careful watching but it's right there to see), the recipe calls for it to be made in the microwave. This means that every 30 seconds I had to open the microwave, carefully remove the cover, stir, replace the cover, shut the door, and restart the microwave. This is not effortless and I find the stovetop easier.

I also found the layout frustrating. Ingredient lists were broken over 2-3 pages. While I know you want the ingredients and amounts on the same page as the instructions, it makes prepping harder. More than once I thought I had all the ingredients, only to find out that I would turn a page and there were more ingredients. Also the headings for each part were confusing. The header of each section sometimes could be misconstrued to be the instruction. For example, when it says "mix the wet and dry ingredients," I want to take that it face value, but it actually means there are going to be detailed instructions on how to mix them. Again, I'm an experienced baker so I know what that means (ie there is going to be some altering between wet and dry ingredients) but I can see a less frequent baker making mistakes.

[dee ☾✩ ๋࣭⭑ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book a couple of months ago in a giveaway. I wanted to try out a couple of the recipes before I reviewed anything.

So far, I’ve made the Espresso Fudge Brownies, Banana Quinoa Bread, and Red Velvet Madeleines. They all turned out great and were really flavorful. I had to use some dairy-free alternatives (like cream cheese, butter, and sour cream) but had no issues.

The instructions were really clear. I like that it explicitly separates dry ingredients from wet ingredients, and different mixtures/batters from one another (like the “pumpkin batter” from the “chocolate batter” in the Pumpkin-Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake recipe); it helped to keep me a lot more organized. Some of the recipes also have replacements for what to use if you don't have certain ingredients. I didn’t have quinoa flour, so it instructed me on how to use other types of flour instead.

There are also recipes in the back of the book for things like glazes and whipped cream, and for ingredients you may need for the main recipes, like cardamom powder and ghee. I didn’t have the cake flour I needed to make the Red Velvet Madeleines, so I followed the recipe provided to make some.

Overall, this is a pretty good cookbook. I’ll definitely make some more recipes in the future.

Thank you for the copy!

[Kaylee Dolat · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: I received a copy of this book as a goodreads giveaway winner.

I love that the author has additional notes in the back of the book. Making my own cake flour was super easy! I think that so far the Linzer Cookie is my favorite, but I'm excited to try out the Indian Honey Cake. I just have to get a few more things that I'm missing.

I'm also a big fan of the way the author broke down the steps of what I should be doing while I bake.

[Mahendra Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy! I loved the eggless indian fusion desserts! What u liked the most was baking indian sweets without deep frying and no stove top versions at all! Senior citizens like me like it and my grand kids loved it! Totally effortless and was so easy to bake as well!

[Janani Murugan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I successfully baked a delightful white chocolate Bundt for snowy days, Christmas brought delicious Badusha Donut holes, the Banana Quinoa bread was a beautiful and tasty success, and the Thanksgiving pumpkin marble chocolate loaf was both appealing and delicious. Highly recommend!

[Sandy Goguen-Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dessert, the best meal. The instructions are clear and concise. The pictures are worth buying the book. They all sound delicious and I can't wait to try them. Love how many of the recipes are simple but different. Happy this was a Goodreads giveaway win.

[D. Eisenbise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Everything looks yummy. I can’t wait to try some of the recipes. I like to cook but I’m not a big baker so I really appreciate all the extra help at the back of the book.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would just buy this book for photography photography and photography. Very unique effortlessly recepies.

[Debbie Carnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful cook books that I have seen, I love everything about it including the amazing recipes. I have only tried a couple , looking forward to trying many more

[Frankie Pinnix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this guide to the most important phase of our meals-dessert!! The ingredients aren’t “far out”, the instructions are clear and concise. I’ll be using this book for many years!

[John Suarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, I wanna be a baker lol!

[Tammy Galaska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

With Indian flavors

[Nesie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!!! So many great recipes! Makes baking unique desserts for special occasions easier. Especially when you and your sisters are very competitive and you now get to one up them with this amazing recipes.
My book wasn't signed though. Wasn't it supposed to be?

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never received my copy. I clicked the link saying that I hadn't, and I still haven't, months later. Update: still MIA.