A fresh new voice in food writing reinvigorates decadent Southern desserts with a fun, modern edge. With the assured authority of an experienced baker and the easy wit of a natural storyteller, Ben Mims guides readers through the techniques and traditions of classic Southern desserts. Time-wasting fussiness and artificial ingredients are reconsidered in favour of practical, modern updates, fresh flavours, and global influences. This book features picture-perfect favourites such as Hummingbird Cake, Lemon Layer Cake, Peach Cobbler, Peanut Butter Pie, Triple Cherry Pie, and Buttered Pecan Ice Cream. Homemade staples such as upside-down cake, red velvet cake, key lime pie, cornbread pudding, and snicker-doodles are elevated with simple and inspired twists. Mims also offers original recipes that daringly mix Southern traditions with international influences, such as an Indonesian-inspired Cinnamon-Chocolate Spekkuk and a Sicilian cassata with Southern flavours. Mixing reminiscences and reflections with an expert baker's tips and tricks, Sweet and Southern feels like an afternoon spent baking and gossiping with a friend. Precision is demonstrated through step-by-step photos and confident instruction, but the reader is also encouraged to experiment with different flavours, combinations, and preparations, empowering intrepid desert lovers to interpret and create new favourites.