Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends

From the founder of Cake Picnic--a series of joyful, diverse, and deliciously indulgent gatherings where every attendee brings a whole cake--this cookbook of 50 baking recipes includes a guide to hosting your own confectionery events and encourages bakers to lean into play, connection, community--and lots of cake!

It all started with a dream: A few friends lounging in the park on a sunny day, eating cake. Elisa Sunga posted the invitation to that first-ever cake picnic and, to her surprise and delight, nearly 200 people showed up. And so, Cake Picnic, a joy-filled gathering where each attendee brings a whole cake to share with friends old and new, was born. Its immense, immediate popularity inspired Elisa to take her picnic series on the road, traveling from LA to New York and beyond. When she realized she couldn't bring Cake Picnic to everyone, everywhere in the world, she did the next best thing: She wrote this book.

Part how-to guide, part recipe collection, Cake Picnic provides everything you need to host your own delightfully decadent cake picnic. Here is practical advice for planning, hosting, and attending: how to choose a theme, prepare your guests, set up the event, encourage connection, transport whole cakes, and more. But the icing on the--you guessed it--cake is the 50 recipes within.

Organized by theme, from an Autumn Harvest Cake Picnic to an Afternoon Tea Cake Picnic, a Beach Cake Picnic to a Salty-Sweet Cake Picnic, these imaginative recipes will inspire your creativity and tempt your sweet tooth:

• Sour Cherry & Pistachio Buttermilk Cake
• Torched Rosemary Caramel Cake
• Chocolate & Earl Grey Whipped Cream Cake
• Guava Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
• Roasted Apple & Sesame Upside-Down Cake
• Pretzel S'mores Cake
• And many more!

Let this book be your invitation to spread joy through baking and plan your own festive celebration. And never apologize for trying ten slices in one sitting--happiness often comes frosted, sprinkled, and cut into generous servings.

THE CAKE PICNIC PHENOMENON: What started as a sweet idea for a picnic with friends snowballed into a movement. The very first cake picnic had nearly 200 guests, just through word of mouth. The series has since expanded to San Francisco, San Diego, New York, London, and beyond. The multi-thousand-person waitlist is proof that everyone wants to partake in a cake picnic, and now this book makes that possible!

HOST YOUR OWN: This beautiful book encompasses both a tantalizing recipe collection and a guide to planning and hosting so anyone can put on a cake picnic. Picnic themes include Confetti, New Year, Floral, Chocolate Everything, and plenty of encouragement to come up with your own!

CREATIVE RECIPES: Recipes include lots of layer cakes with frostings, soaks, and beautiful decoration; interesting flavor combinations, such as lemon saltine, rose geranium, chocolate and star anise; and a range of cake types, including loaf cakes, dome cakes, trifles, and more.

GREAT GIFT: Beautiful photos and tons of inspiration for pretty cake toppings and floral decorations make this gorgeous book the perfect gift for bakers, food lovers, and aspirational picnickers.

Perfect for:

• Cake lovers
• Home bakers of all levels
• Anyone who dabbles in baking or enjoys crafty projects
• Fans of Cake Picnic and picnics in general
• Fans of Cherry Bombe, Christina Tosi, Broma Bakery, or Natasha Pickowicz

Author: Elisa Sunga
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Published: 05/19/2026
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.12lbs
Size: 10.25h x 7.44w x 1.04d
ISBN: 9781797238258


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 05/04/2026
Library Journal 05/08/2026 pg. 1

About the Author

Elisa Sunga transforms butter, sugar, and flour into reasons for gathering and celebration. As the creator of CAKE PICNIC and cofounder of Bucket List Bake Club, she has brought thousands of bakers together, turning shared passion into lasting community. Her ability to weave sweetness and connection into memorable experiences has caught the attention of the New York Times, Food Network, Cherry Bombe, Eater, Epicurious, SFGate, The San Francisco Standard, USA TODAY, ABC News, and many other media outlets globally.

When not dreaming up new ways to bring people together through cake, she can be found in her San Francisco Bay Area kitchen, testing recipes, tending to her flower garden, lounging with her family, and playing with her dog, Ginger.

Join her on Instagram at @saltedrye, where baking is a creative outlet and every creation is an invitation to celebrate.