Cookbook of the week: The Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook

Welcome back to "Cookbook of the Week," now in its second consecutive week, in which we spotlight a new release.

It is sad and disturbing to admit this, but I very slightly cried while reading the Introduction to the Back In The Day Cookbook, the first book from Cheryl and Griffith Day, the owners of Savannah, Georgia's Back In The Day Bakery. In those three short pages, Cheryl tells the story of losing her sister, Natalie, and how the community that had formed around their bakery supported her and her husband, Griffith. Cheryl's voice, even in this short introduction, is so genuine and understated that it's impossible not to immediately connect with her. This tone carries throughout the book, which is basically made up of my daily diet: coffee cakes, cupcakes, pies, puddings, cookies, brownies and confections.

I plan on making everything in the "Coffee Cakes, Quick Breads and Sweet Yeast Breads" section, but I started with the Cinnamon-Sour Cream Coffee Cake, and I am so glad I did! (Oh man...this post is devolving. I can't help it!) The cake is made with all cake flour, a good amount of sour cream, and has a touch of ground cardamom in the batter. There wasn't much to worry about aside from the glaze, which instructed me to pour three tablespoons of honey whisked with 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar over the cake after it cooled for a few minutes. I tend to steer clear of honey in desserts (too sweet!), but I went for it anyway, and the glaze disappeared into the cake itself, deepening the flavor without overwhelming it with sugar. In other words, I cried!