20 Ways to Become a Better Cook

Phaidon consistently publishes some of the most beautiful cookbooks, and What to Bake & How to Bake It ($35) by Jane Hornby is no exception. Thankfully, its beauty isn't skin- (or rather, cover-) deep; each recipe includes helpful step-by-step photos as well as a huge, glossy finished image. (Unlike many cookbooks that might not even include a photo for each recipe, there are 10 on average per dish.) It's almost like having the author in the kitchen with you, cooking side by side.

Recipes we can't wait to try:

• Malted milk chocolate birthday cake
• Fudgy cheesecake brownies
• Lemon-glazed ginger cake
• Maple-pecan cinnamon rolls
• Red velvet whoopie pies
• Nutella yule log
• Salted caramel shortbread bites