World Baking Day: Editor’s Picks & Reader Favorites!

Today is a day to celebrate all things baking—it’s World Baking Day! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a curious beginner, there’s no better excuse to get your hands covered in flour and create some delicious magic.

To inspire your baking adventures, we’re pulling out all the stops! Some of our editorial team members are sharing their all-time favorite recipes from the pages of Bake from Scratch. Plus, we’re revisiting some of our most popular creations from the past few years, as determined by you, our amazing readers!

Get ready to roll up your sleeves, preheat your ovens, and celebrate World Baking Day in the sweetest way possible!

Editorial Favorites

Croissant French Bread

Nancy Meeks, Editorial Director

Mimicking the crisp, flaky texture of croissants, these Croissant French Bread loaves are everything you love about puff pastry without the intensive time and labor. The layers of buttery goodness rise throughout the length of the baguettes, creating a golden-brown crust meant for tearing and sharing.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

Kile Pointer, Graphic Designer 

Made up of a layer of chewy, lightly crisp dough, a melty blend of cheeses, sautéed vegetables, sausage, pepperoni, and homemade Pizza Sauce, this is a pizza that eats like a multicourse dinner. Although locals of the Windy City may argue whether this pizza is a knife-and-fork ordeal or a handheld meal, we say that as long as you enjoy every bite, you’re doing it right.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars 

Meg Lundberg, Senior Copy Editor, Food

We’re big fans of an ambitious holiday crossover, and these Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars are just that. An indulgent layer of cheesecake filling is sandwiched between chewy, delicately spiced gingerbread dough. It’s a simple formula, but when that molasses-rich gingerbread meets that vanilla-scented cheesecake, you’ll get flavor fireworks. It packs all of the richness you could want—but in a neat gluten-free package. 

Our Most Popular Recipes per Year

2024: Basic 1-2-3-4 Cake 

Much like pound cake, the 1-2-3-4 cake gets its name from the proportions of its base ingredients: one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs. It’s so straightforward, you may not even have to write it down—making it easy to impress friends and family with, oh, just a little something you whipped up.

2023: Berry Frangipane Cake

Almond-scented cake batter is swirled with traditional frangipane, which adds nutty flavor and tenderness to the crumb of this cake. Studded with berries and gently dusted with confectioners’ sugar, this Berry Frangipane Cake is simple but gorgeous. As a bonus, this recipe calls for frozen berries, meaning this recipe is always in season for baking.

2022: Classic Olive Oil Cake

A staple in most Mediterranean kitchens, this light, and barely sweet Classic Olive Oil Cake is perfect for an afternoon snack or late-morning tea. A final brush of olive oil just before serving brings the fruity flavor to the front of your palate as soon as you take a bite.

2021: Gâteau Basque Loaf

We took the classic French one-layer cake (our editor-in-chief’s favorite!) from round to rectangle in this Gâteau Basque Loaf. A tender, golden crust encases a surprise center of thick, velvety Custard Filling, a defining factor of the original gâteau Basque, with a thin layer of fresh blueberries to bring brightness to every slice.

2020: Strawberry and Cream Cheese Pound Cake Loaves

These cakes bring the ever-popular combination of strawberries and cream to each decadent slice. With homemade strawberry sauce swirled into each loaf, they’re just as beautiful as they are delicious. 

The post World Baking Day: Editor’s Picks & Reader Favorites! first appeared on Bake from Scratch.