I broke in my new cookbook, Snacking Cakes by Yossy Arefi, by baking an oatmeal chocolate chip cake tonight.

The cake is tasty, although all the chocolate chips sank to the bottom of the pan. I know how to resolve that with fruit (dredge it in flour), but I don’t know if there’s a similar fix for chocolate. Rudi and I ate nearly half the pan tonight, which the author does warn is a distinct possibility for all the cakes she includes.

While the concept caught my eye, it is the unfussiness of the recipes that made me buy the cookbook on impulse. Each recipe includes what you need to do if you’re using a different type of pan (loaf or sheet), an alternate flavor, and a way to gussy it up (flavored whipped creams, mostly), and most of the recipes are prepped in a single bowl.

I had Rudi pick the inaugural recipe, but since my birthday is coming up this weekend, I think I’ll reserve the next pick. There’s one with pink frosting that’s calling out my name.