Going back in time to forgotten cakes, pies, and cookies 

First Thoughts

• Paging through, there are so many photos of the author. I understand he’s a social media star, but it still seemed like a lot.
• There are some very…unusual…recipes in this book. Are they meant to be serious recipes for readers to make or just showing off the author’s sense of humor?
• Once you get past the surprise of sauerkraut, tomato soup, and mayonnaise cakes, there are recipes that are nostalgic and appetizing.

The Review

‘Baking Yesteryear’ is a fun exploration of food and flavors of bygone days. It is B. Dylan Hollis’ first cookbook after he gained social media fame in 2020 baking from a vintage cookbook that he found at an estate sale. His social media videos are packed full of humor as he makes unexpected recipes like pork cake, chow mein cookies, and peach spam bake. Similarly, this cookbook has cookbook has a few recipes with odd ingredients, but majority have standard ingredients.

There is something exciting about the book as both young and older generations can rediscover baking of the past. The color palette, design, and photography feel nostalgic, but are presented in a modern and fresh way. You can feel Hollis’ love of history as he is featured in retro kitchens and with his 1963 Cadillac 6200 Series car. While it was great to see the author’s personality, the book sometimes prioritized staged photographs of the author over food photography for each recipe. This approach is great for social media fans but leaves bakers looking for a little more detail.

The recipes are sorted by decade from the 1900s to the 1980s with one additional section dedicated to no-bakes. In case you don’t know where to start, the author recommends a favorite bake from each decade at the beginning of the book. Throughout, you’ll find lots of warming spices, nuts and dates, and many shades of beige. The author’s story and narration add lightness and whimsy to keep things fun. Hollis’ fans will enjoy the last section on the “Worst of the Worst” recipes. Although not for me, I hope someone out there makes the Pickle Cheesecake for a potluck or dinner party. Hollis mentions that the recipes came from community cookbooks across the US, the UK, and Bermuda. I would have loved to see the recipe sources credited or highlighted in the acknowledgements to understand the original location and audience.

Recipe Test Results

I tested the Potato Cake (1910s), Avocado Pie (1960s), and Monster Cookies (1980s). It was a flavor and texture time travel experience.

The Potato Cake was on Hollis’ favorites list and was a pretty good execution of cake especially considering it includes an unpeeled potato. It was moist with a lot of spice, especially clove. The cake didn’t resemble the cookbook photograph or social media video. It was thinner and used a rough whipped frosting instead of a glossy pre-whipped frosting.

As a good millennial, I always keep a few avocados around so, for once, I was prepared to make the Avocado Pie without any extra items on my shopping list. Really, this pie was more about the lime zest and citrus flavor. The filling was the perfect texture and a beautiful green color without the use of food coloring. I had high hopes for the pretzel crust when it came out of the oven smelling like a certain mall-pretzel-shop, but it was tough and crunchy. Finally, the lime wedge garnish left a lingering bitterness so I recommend leaving it out.

I have some nostalgia for Monster Cookies that I can’t quite trace back to an exact time and place. This recipe matched my memory with the right amount of peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal chew. Although not meant to be a refined dessert, there is still something impressive about making cookies extra-large with bright pops of color.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Overall, ‘Baking Yesteryear’ was fun to explore new “old” flavors. This book might not be for so-called serious bakers but is a great read for Hollis’ fans as well as those looking to rediscover flavors and textures from the past. It is also inspiration to dust off some of your own old cookbooks.