The cookbook "Gracious Goodness, Pound Cakes Galore! Whitney & Rob’s Wedding Day Pound Cake Buffet, October 8, 2011" had a small run—but it’s the story behind the book that makes it fascinating.

Requested by the bride and groom-to-be Whitney Grey Smith and Robert Daniel Klomparens, that instead of the traditional wedding cake, there would be many, many pound cakes honoring Whitney’s grandmother, Edie Smith, and grandfather, the late Charlie Smith, at their wedding reception. Their request was honored, and as a special surprise, the wedding guests received a cookbook containing all of the cake recipes as a gift.

Karen Smith of Gloucester, mother of the bride, explained it well when she wrote this introduction to the recipes: "Anyone who knew Grandma ‘Edie’ Smith was probably at some time the lucky recipient of one of her delicious pound cakes. Everyone loved them,...