Janet McCracken
Recipes
The Tomboy Cake
Inspired by a style of cake from California’s Miette bakeries, we frost the top and middle layers of this stunner but leave the sides naked to showcase the almond cake. Don’t have a pastry bag or star tip to frost the layers? Fill a resealable plastic bag with the frosting, snip off a corner, and pipe away.
techniques
How to Make Perfect Layer Cakes
Follow these simple techniques and we guarantee you many layers of success
Recipes
Mint Chip Ice Cream Cake
Don't be intimidated by homemade ice cream cake—this mint recipe is worth the effort.
Recipes
Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting
This chocolate chip cake recipe is perfect for beginners—the result is moist, forgiving, and easy. Jif creamy peanut butter is our favorite for the decadent frosting.
techniques
Carve Your Cantaloupe with Confidence
Become a master of melon (and alliteration) with our step-by-step guide
Cooking
Wisdom From Mom, and Then Some
In her belated Kids Week post, Deputy Food Editor Janet McCracken explains her stance on junk food and why Bugs Bunny is a good role model
techniques
The Faster Way to Soak Beans for Cooking
Forget presoaking them overnight--our method is much faster (and fun, because you get to call it the "power soak")
techniques
5 Reasons That Indoor Grills Are Essential This Winter
Missing your grill as we head into February? This post's for you
test-kitchen
Down with Canned Pineapple Juice! Here's How to Make Your Own
It's so easy, why use store-bought?
techniques
Pretty Please Watch Out for These Common Thanksgiving Dinner Mistakes
Yes, you really do need to defrost your turkey ahead of time.
test-kitchen
Inside the Test Kitchen
For anything with flesh too soft to stand up to a regular peeler, a serrated one will do the trick.
Culture
Fergus Henderson Says Gray Salt is Like Magic (And He's Right, Of Course)
If you're a regular reader, you know about BA's obsession with Maldon salt. But Fergus Henderson reminded us that there's more than one salt to crush on...