Product Description
Mich Turner is London's top cake designer for society and celebrities alike.She has refined a simple and modular approach to entertaining-start with a dozen basic recipes and let the art of icings, glazes, and finishing touches be the key to perfection.This versatile guide is a sourcebook of ideas for celebratory treats, such as cakes, petit fours, and canapes for any event, formal or informal. The book begins with how to choose the right cake design (reflecting the venue and the season as well as the guest list and flower arrangements) and then details establishing the theme, the shape, the icing, and the flavor of the cake. The heart of the book is the step-by-step section on decorative techniques and designs that enable anyone, regardless of experience, to create show-stopping cakes with confidence and style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Party Cakes
Mich Turner has two books 1) Fantastic party cakes and 2) Party cakes. Don't be riped off, they are the same book, just different covers. Though the book is wonderful, it seems like it should be illegal to sell the same book under two different names.

amazing
I have 2 of her books and love them both.Each has recipes that actually work and TASTE GOOD.Each has design and finishing techniques that all levels of ability could do. Great for inspiration in my opinion.Some things look so intricate and are actually very easy to accomplish others take technique and practice...some I will probably never do but boy they look pretty.

Party Cakes
Party Cakes a nice book full of information mainly on small cakes and cupcakes. Great pictures. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

I love it!
It's very easy to follow the instructions - must say it's the best book I have when it comes to explaining "how to". Noga's designs are amazing!

Easy to follow picture instructions
The only reason i LOVE this book because the instructions are EASY to follow.Pictures of each characters in thousands of pieces.Looks a bit complicated, but it's pretty easy actually.Can't wait to do one! =)

fantastic!
Great visual inspiration! For a slightly advanced cake artist for sure. They omit steps in how to create some of the models from fondant, and thus the reason only 4 stars. However, that is literally the only qualm I have with this book.

Fairytale Cakes: 17 Enchanted Creations
Easy to follow step by step instructions. Pictures are very colorful. Great Book. Clear templates in the back for each cake,very helpful.

Magical cakes for your enjoyment.
These cakes are so creative and amazing.Each design comes with ample detailed, visual descriptions of how to make them.Very inspiring and just a wonderful treat to even flick through in awe.There is a short summary of the fairy tale at the beginning of each cake featured.My five year old and I sit and read it together sometimes. She is entranced by the cakes and a bit of a budding marzipan artist!I also love the cake recipes at the beginning, offering a good variety of cakes suitable for decoration. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of breathtaking wedding and celebration cakes from an internationally acclaimed cake stylist. Sure to delight, Romantic Wedding Cakes includes engagement and groom cakes, making this the ideal wedding cake design source book for brides-to-be and cake decorators alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Great Book
I love the designs in this book. I also like the details given in terms of supplies needed to make the cakes. I am anxious to try out the designs and hopefully get the same results. I will get my chance in August 2009 with the ocean-themed cake.

lovely
This book is lovely. We have all see Kerry Vincent's work and there is probably nothing in this book you haven't seen already if you have a subscription to American cake decorating or if you watch the Oklahoma sugar art show.This book has a fair amount of insrtuctitons but just know you will have to pick up about 72 different molds and 10 pounds of luster dust to do these cakes! No, seriously.
Cake decorating has come a long way and this book will remind you how far!This is not really my style of decorating but I think it is a good reference and I am keeping it just because, well... it's Kerry Vincent!

romantic wedding cakes
Very good ideas, creat work, good technics. you learn a lot from this book. Is a most have book.

Pretty Average
Thid book was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a book that showed me lots of different pictures of lovely cakes that my wedding clients could pick from. What I got was a book that shows ugly out-dated cakes that belong in some other time period that rejected them, and then to top it off - how to make these ugly cakes.

Not at all what I was after and nothing like the description made it out to be.

Excellent guide to cake decorating
This was certainly an excellent purchase - Very inspiring - and good source for instruction. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

Nice book
I like the ideas in the book, and they appear fairly simple to make.I look forward to trying some of them out.I do wish the book had a few more actual cake recipes.

Childrens cakes
Really cute ideas in this book for kids.My grandchildren will enjoy these cakes for years to come.Ideas are simple and come out great.

Great easy to make ideas
I have wanted to purchase this book since I first saw the castle cake in Family Fun magazine.I especially like not having to purchase special cake pans, which take up alot of room.For my niece's 5th birthday I added a Ariel doll to the Aquarium Cake and voila! it was now an unofficial Undersea Little Mermaid cake.

to small
It wasnt what I expected at all, it had hardly any cakes Ideas.It was kinda like fast food pictures you never get what it looks like yoru going to.

wonderful and easy recipes
ordered 4 more copies for our daughters and daughters-in-law to use at their homes...many easy recipes that are sure to be family pleasing ! ... Read more

Product Description
The author of Sweet Maria's Italian Cookie Tray shares her simple secrets for making bakery cakes at home.

Sweet Maria's is an amazingly popular bakery that brings together family recipes, and contemporary favorites. Now, those of us who aren't lucky enough to drop by Sweet Maria's can make wholesome, delicious bakery-style cakes at home to celebrate a birthday, get-together, fresh pot of afternoon tea, or any other cakeworthy occasion.

Basic enough for beginners but creative enough to satisfy experts as well, Sweet Maria's Cake Kitchen collects 65 of the bakery's most popular cakes, including: Almond Pound Cake, Orange Plum Loaf Cake, Amaretto Apple Cake, Tiramisu Cake, White Chocolate Ganache Wedding Cake (it's easier than it sounds!), Mini Chocolate Mocha Loaves, Cappuccino Chiffon Cake, and many more, plus bakery secrets for prepping the ingredients and decorating with simple panache.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

SWEET MARIA'S CAKEBOOK
I had been looking to buy this book for a long time but it is out of print.I ordered a used one which was in excellent condition - looked like it had never been used.Delivery was quick and I am very happy to have this book in my collection.

This is a great cookbook for cakes!
I absolutely love this cookbook.I have tried several recipes and they came out wonderful.I love the fact that is is very simple to understand and yet yields great results.A definite winner!

So Far, So Good
What I like to do is to take the book out of the library first, glance over and try a recipe. I tried Black & Tan cake on page 82-83 for a Christmas Party last week. What a show stopper! Sweet Maria's made me lookreally good. I have put this book on my Christmas list. Hope Santa ischecking my list twice.

Your taste buds will thank you for tryin these recipes
"Sweet Maria's Cake Kitchen" by Maria Bruscino Sanchez published by St. Martin's Grifiin Maria Bruscino Sanchez has made her name known in Connecticut, thanks to her baking efforts at Sweet Maria's Bakery aswell as winning the Grand Prize at the Connecticut Bakers Association CakeDecorating Contest two years in a row. In "Sweet Maria's CakeKitchen," her second dessert book, Sanchez spills some of the secretsthat she has developed over the years. Like many cookbooks,"SMCK" begins with the basics and then uses them as buildingblocks or layers to create delicious layer, loaf and bundt cakes. Forveteran home chefs who are comfortable at the controls of their KitchenAide, you'll find intriguing combinations of flavors and ingredients in her65 recipes while amateurs can accept the hand-holding directions that takeyou from the first mixing to the final baking. If you're tired of plain oldchocolate cake, white cake or yellow cake, flip through the 129 pages hereand update your repertoire with the likes of the Elvis cake, the Tiramisucake and the toasted lemon snowball cake. Your taste buds will thank you.By Mark C. Guncheon ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Peters' one-of-a-kind wedding cakes, for which she charges hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars, have made her America's most sought-after culinary artist. This dazzling book showcases 32 of Colette's most amazing wedding creations, organized by season, complete with step-by-step instructions and templates. 50 color photos. 2 line drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

out dated
I think this is colettes first book.It is pretty outdated and is full of cakes that are very old fashoned. I love colettes cakes, but I particularly love her new ones.

Wonderful Wedding Ideas
i enjoyed the majority of the cakes shown in this book, though some just weren't my style , it gave me some ideas for my own wedding cake . This book is a good purchase for cake lovers or even someone planning their own wedding Colette Peters is definatly a master of her trade!

For the master baker
I bought this book hoping for wedding cake ideas. If you are an expert baker and decorator you might find something useful. I did not. I gave the book to a friend who enjoys baking.

Colette's cake book
Great instructional book - really inspired me - has allowed me to move to the next level in cake decorating.Intend to find and collect all her books

Fun Cake Book
I purchased this item for my mother before christmas as a gift. She absolutely loved it. She has already read it and tried different things from the book. I'm not a cake cooker myself, but she said that the book was perfect for new ideas and projects. ... Read more

Product Description
A romantic Three-Column Wedding Cake adorned with fresh roses; eye-catching Kalei-doscope Cakes iced in geometric designs; glittering Bollywood-inspired lollipop cookies—you don’t have to go to a high-end bakery to be able to serve these beautiful desserts at your next party. Master cake decorator Peggy Porschen shares her designs for the gorgeous cookies, cupcakes, and cakes that have graced some of the world’s most discriminating tables—and they’re as easy to create as they are spectacular. Written for everyone from beginning bakers to seasoned pros, each design in Pretty Party Cakes is broken down into basic steps that turn even complicated cake sculptures into rewarding, accessible creations.

Pretty Party Cakes is brimming with dozens of innovative designs that are all based on fundamental recipes provided in Porschen’s introduction to the basics. This section also covers the equipment and techniques needed to make her luscious creations.Once you’ve mastered the key skills, you can confidently move to chapters on cookies, cupcakes, miniature cakes, and large cakes. Designs range from sparkling heart cakes and butterfly-topped pastel cupcakes to enchanting, edible Treasure Boxes that can be used to present gifts. Ambitious bakers can create stunning desserts such as the Romantic Rose Tower cake and Gift Box Cake, and even simpler sweets such as Alphabet Cookies and Chocolate Canapés will wow your guests with their alluring presentation.

Packed with tips, step-by-step images, and striking photographs to accompany every design, Pretty Party Cakes brings together everything you need to re-create Peggy Porschen’s delicious masterpieces.Whether you’re preparing a wedding cake for dozens of guests or creating a showstopping dessert for an intimate dinner party, these stunning designs will be sure to rival the cakes that line the windows of the chicest designer bakeries.

An all-encompassing guide to creating shockingly simple—yet stunning—cakes, cookies, and cupcakes that rival those from even the most fashionable designer bakeries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Fabulous!
This book is the best one I've ever seen of this type of publication.The pictures of these glorious cakes and petit fours are fabulous and you feel inspired just by viewing.I can't wait to attempt some of the featured desserts.I'm delighted by this book and so is everyone else who sees it.A great purchase!

stunning
Wow what an inspirational book - so pretty, girlie and divine. I already have had success with one of the recipes.

Very pretty indeed
Beautiful ideas here.Has some nice designs that would work for a variety of events.She organizes her books in sections, cookies, minicakes, andlarge cakes.Her ideas are very fresh and pretty and also within reach for most people with a little experience decorating cookies and cakes.There are even a few designs that are more masculine, which can be hard to find.

Be Inspired
This book is small, but mighty!It is amazingly simplistic yet provides a wealth of inspiration for you creative ideas.The photography is breathtakking.

I think that with practice you can master the cookies, marzipan, gumpaste and fondant decorations in this book. Piping royal icing flowers is a bit more daunting.I would suggest a class or video for royal and butter cream icing flowers, Wilton How to Make Icing Flowers DVD because they can be a bit tricky (at least for me.)

This book provides six basic recipes for cookies, cakes and frostings.My hope is that you are purchasing the book for decorating ideas and instruction, not for the recipes.The author's decorating syle is clean, but very elegant.The book provides a strong decorating foundation -- you can use this as a springboard for your imagination.

This is the perfect book if you want to make your first decorated cookies or petit fours.If you are making your first tiered cake this book will provide inspiration, but you may need to supplement it with other sources for complete instruction.

Artistic
This is another of those step-by-step cake guides that was very well worth the money.This particular book kept selling out at Michaels so I had to go online and purchase.Definitely not disappointed
... Read more

Product Description

Cake mixes are more popular than ever and it's no surprise. Pressed for time, today's bakers love the quality, dependability and convenience that a cake mix offers. Better still, cake mixes are incredibly versatile. Keep one or two in the pantry along with a few other basic ingredients and you'll be ready to bake everything from cakes to squares, muffins and even cookies.

In Cake Mix Magic 2, you will discover more ways than you ever imagined to transform a good cake into a great cake or a mouthwatering dessert, simply by adding tasty but readily available ingredients such as nuts, chocolate, sour cream or fruit. As she did in her first best seller, Cake Mix Magic, Jill Snider provides you with the perfect shortcut solution. Now you can have delicious cakes that taste homemade in less than half the time it would take to bake from scratch. An no one will ever guess that your delightful desserts came from a box.

Here is just a sampling from the wide variety of baked treats: Cookies 'n' Cream Cake, Triple Raspberry Treat, Lemon Cream Torte, Chocolate Carmel Pecan Cake, Pineapple Coconut Dream Bars, Apple Crisp Cake, Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake, Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, No-Bake Bumbleberry Cheesecake, Almond Crisps.

• More than 125 delicious cake mix recipes
• From single layer to special occasion cakes
• Know your ingredients section
• Baking equipment essentials
• Tips and techniques for perfect cake baking every time
• Everything from cheesecakes to cookies
• 16 color photographs

Customer Reviews (4)

love it
I love this cookbook, I am sure my husband and co-workers love it too.Simple and tasty.All ingredients are common ingredients that you would find in every pantry.for e.g., one of our favourite is lemon crisp: it calls for 1 box of lemon cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/2 cup butter, mix them all together, form cookies, bake 12 mins at 350.I brought it to work, all my co-worker love it.

Better than homemade
I absolutely love this book.Everytime I make a recipe using this book, I get many compliments, and requests for the recipe.Delicious!!!Just got through making the Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cake, it is a keeper.

Great book
This book has some really great recipes and are really easy. I never cook and made a batch of cookies from a recipe in this book. My husband was in shock and is already requesting more cookies. Our friends loved them as well. This book was well worth the money.

quick tasty recipes
The recipes in this book are easy,quick and turn out wonderful.I like the time I save by using mixes and like the title says it really tastes homemade or from scratch.I have never really used cake mixes before as I used to prefer doing everything myself but this book has changed my mind! ... Read more

Product Description
We all deserve a little cake now and then. But with today's cramped kitchens and even more cramped schedules, making a big threelayer cake can be a monumental undertaking. And unless you're baking for an army, you risk having much of it go to waste. How about a small cake with big flavor?

Little Cakes is here to liberate us from the toobig, tooboring tyranny of boxed cake mixes and the traditional layercake recipes. Betty Crocker has fooled us into thinking that "yellow" and "white" are the only flavors available. We've forgotten about the imaginative range of cakes that our grandmothers made. Little Cakes brings back the creativity of those lost classics but updates them for today's smaller households.

Illustrated with original watercolors, Little Cakes makes a charming gift. But it's also an essential addition to any baker's bookshelf, with more modestsized cake recipes than any other cookbook. Rediscover the simple pleasures of baking and enrich any occasion with just the right amount of sweetness.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

This book saved my mom's birthday
Earlier this month, my parents were coming to visit to celebrate my mom's birthday.I'd recently moved and for some reason couldn't find my 9x13 cake pan or my round ones.Just when I'd given up baking her a birthday cake, there was a knock at the door: the mailman, with my copy of "Little Cakes"!Luckily, the one cake pan I'd been able to find was my 8" square pan, perfect for just about any of these lovely cake recipes!In no time at all, and not even needing a trip to the store, I whipped out a fudge marble cake and had it all ready by the time people started to arrive.The best thing about this book is that the small cakes don't take forever to use up.I haven't even had it for two weeks yet and have made three recipes out of it, all of which have been huge hits (and using only my lone cake pan!The others, sadly, have been sucked into one of those mysterious black holes that open up when one moves.C'est la vie)I'd recommend it to anyone, and I love the recipes in the back for frostings, fillings, and decorating ideas.It's already earned its place on my cookbook rack as a "first line of defense" (yes, not only do I have a bookcase devoted solely to cookbooks, I have them organized by priority, I'm a food geek)

The lack of photos in favor of illustrations give it the feel of a coffeetable book, one that you could simply flip through for pleasure.Beautifully done

Not much to look at, but a great resource
Not too long ago, one of the "country"-themed magazines ran a piece on little cakes that was essentially a photo spread. The cakes pictured did indeed look appealing. Too bad the instructions boiled down to "look for sweet little pans and adapt your favorite recipes to suit, or make a bunch of cupcakes with the leftover batter." Thanks a lot. If I wanted that much cake around the house, I'd just bake a regular cake. And I have no desire to monkey around trying to cut standard recipes in half. I bought this book sight unseen and was pleased to find actual little-cake recipes, which the author seems to have been at pains to test for reliability. I especially like the fact that she doesn't mince words with the instructions: if she thinks something should be done a certain way and not another way, she says so! She is also generous with small-batch frosting recipes. Maybe I was spoiled by that magazine photo spread, but I do wish there were photographs rather than supposedly cute drawings, which don't show much of anything. Also, too many of the recipes are for a boring single-layer square or round cake. To me, that undercuts the "whimsy" of a small cake. (Could be why there are no photographs.) I guess I could experiment with interesting molds, as the author suggests in passing, but that just takes me back to "adaptation" territory. These quibbles aside, I'm more than satisfied with the book, which delivers what it promises.

Little Cakes
The classic recipes and more of little cakes are a delite
for dieters. Most use one eight or nine inch round cake
pan or smaller loaf-sized pan for pound cakes. Just enough
cake to satisfy my sweeth tooth.

great basic recipes that hold up to creative impulses
I love this book.I've made several recipes from this cookbook, and have really been pleased.What impresses me most is that these recipes hold up well when you substitute ingredients, don't exactly measure precisely, or take half of one recipe and combine it with another.The author did her research well, so if you read through a couple of recipes, you can replicate almost anything that you'll find in a fancy cake shop at home with what you have in your cupboard.And the best part?Most recipes make exactly 12 cupcakes - perfect for a midnight snack, and so much better than from-a-box.Yum!

Best friends gift
I love this book because everything I have made turned out very good. It is a splendid idea because nobody gets sick of the cake before it is all gone.I am buying these books as gifts for my friends to enjoy, because this is what I would like as a gift. ... Read more

Product Description
You only get one birthday each year, and in this book Dede Wilson has created 75 recipes for special cakes that will make your celebration a memorable one. The book begins with a set of master batter and frosting recipes that can be mixed and matched and used as the basis for fun, inspired cakes like Confetti 'n' Sprinkles Cake, Teeny-Tiny Chocolate-Orange Birthday Cake, Grand Golden 50th Birthday Cake, and the Banana Split Cake. With this book, anyone can bake and decorate cakes like a pro at home! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great Recipes
The recipes are great in this book. I have looked at lots of cake books and cake recipes and these seemed to be the best. This book gives you a great verity of cakes, icings, and even fillings.Some of the recipes are very unique.This book also provide interesting ideas for decorating that are attractive and also are not overly complicated. Perfect for a person who want a great looking cake but doesn't want to spend half the day decorating it.

Great recipes
This little book has the best cake recipes.I tried three of them and they were all spectacular!

eventy cake recipes for all kinds of cakes for adults and children
Seventy cake recipes for all kinds of cakes for adults and children alike offer all levels of baker an easy approach, using 10 master batters and 15 frostings to 'mix and match'. Explanations on how to produce foolproof cakes accompany tips on writing messages on cakes, storing them, and more. Melissa Punch's color photos pepper a winning presentation suitable for any general lending library.

Great gift
Ordered this as a gift for my daughter who is in charge of organizing birthdays for four busy girls and she is delighted with this book.

can't decide 3 or 4 stars.Its good but....
I keep going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars.Great information in the beginning of the book.Ms. Wilson tries to cover a lot of ground, answers many questions and wants to share her knowlegde which is great.She even goes into freezing which is nice.I may not make a cake ahead andintentionally freeze it but I have made extra of the componets "just in case" as I have been known to be clumsy. It is nice to have guide lines on how to save them. Really like the selection of cake and frosting/filling recipes.My issue is lack of pictures and decorating ideas.In her past books, each cake has a picture and each cake is differnet in its decorating style.Along with great cakes, you were inspired creatively which doesn't really happen here.So I guess if you are looking for some good recipes (all of her recipes I have tried in this and past books have been outstanding)this is the book for you.If you are looking fornew ideas on how to visually present a birthday cake to make it "more" look elsewhere. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

If you have a Bundt pan, you should have this book!
Bundt Cake Bliss is "bliss" in every way.Informative and entertaining, Susanna Short gives delightful insights and background to each recipe, as well as presentation and frosting ideas.There are recipes for the cook who prefers a made-from-scratch cake, as well as those who have a cake mix in the cupboard but want to fancy it up.Most of the recipes use ingredients which are staples in many kitchen pantries, which is a bonus.A native Minnesota cook, I could appreciate the references to Midwest culture and food.I enjoyed paging through the book, trying to decide which ones to make! You will quickly discover your favorites--there is something for everyone! This little gem of a book (along with a Bundt pan) would make a wonderful present for a wedding, shower, or birthday.

Bundt Cake Bliss
Good book to add to my collection. Goes good as a Shower or Birthday gift along with a Bundt pan.

cake mix variations, nothing more
Do not expect much of this book other than how to dress up store-bought yellow cake mix.
Very disapointing.

Outstanding
This is an excellent book.Recipes are 80% from scratch, 20% use box mixes.All are fairly simple and use standard ingredients.They are easy to follow.No pictures, but nice homey descriptions and anecdotes. A nice introduction giving the history of the bundt pan in the USA by the wife of the founder of Nordicware and a basic tips section preface. So far all I have tried have worked great.Recipes are organized by type: chocolate, harvest, coffee, springtime, etc.There are around 50 different recipes plus a section for glazes/sauces/fillings.I think it is a terrific buy and highly recommend it.

First Recipe I Tried was a Distaster
I consider myself an experienced baker and was skeptical of the first recipe I tried from this book - PUMPKIN SPICED BUNDT. As I feared, it was awful - way too dense, probably attributed to the lack of baking soda - what I assume is a misprint. I'll give a few other recipes a try, but I'm pretty enervated by the first bad recipe. ... Read more

Product Description
The Cake Mix Doctor is in! And the prescription is simple: By doctoring up packaged cake mix with just the right extras--a touch of sweet butter here, cocoa powder there, or poppy seeds, vanilla yogurt, sherry, eggs, and grated lemon zest for the Charleston Poppy Seed Cake--even the least experienced baker can turn out luscious signature desserts, time after time. The proof is in the taste, and the taste never stops--from Toasted Coconut Sour Cream Cake to Devilishly Good Chocolate Cake; from a to-die-for Caramel Cake and a Holiday Yule Log to cheesecakes, coffee cakes, sheet cakes, pound cakes, bars, brownies, and those all-important frostings, here are 175 fast, foolproof recipes that will transformthe art of home baking in America.

Who could believe these cakes came out of a box? Moist, tender, rich, deep, and complexly flavored, without a hint of artificiality, each cake stand up and delivers. But without any of the fuss of baking from scratch. Anne Byrn, an award-wining food writer and self-described purist, creates recipes that employ a cake mix's strengths---convenience, ease-of-use, dependability, and almost imperviousness to overbeating, underbeating, overbaking, and underbaking.

In addition to the recipes are the Cake Mix Doctor's Q&A's, extensive "Doctor Says" tips, lists--15 Beautiful Birthday Cakes, 15 Cakes That Will Cash in at a Bake Sale--and more, all illustrated in a full-color photographic insert.Amazon.com Review
Cake mixes are undoubtedly convenient, but do they produce good cakes?They can, says Anne Byrn, author of The Cake Mix Doctor, if you knowhow totweak them. Doing this involves the addition of ingredients to enrich themixes and flavorings to enhance and, in some cases, conceal questionabletastes.To prove her point, Byrn offers more than 175 recipes for mix-based cakes andother desserts, including formulas for frostings that, Byrn maintains, mustbe made from scratch. The results are convincing; readers interested in satisfying, dependable desserts prepared quickly and with little fussshould welcome the book.

Beginning with a useful discussion of cake mixes, their history and composition, and an outline of the mix-transformation battle plan, thebook then presents the recipes in chapters such as "Chocolate Cakes,""Cake-Mix Classics," "Special Occasion Cakes," and "Incredible Bars and ComfortingCookies." Among the most successful offerings are Deeply Chocolate AlmondCakewith Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, Banana Cake with Quick CaramelFrosting, and Lemon Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake. A chapter devoted tocrumbles,crisps, cobblers, trifles, and even a dessert pizza shows how to use themixesin innovative ways, and "Lighter Cakes" presents "healthier" offerings,such asPear and Toasted Pecan Buttermilk Cake. With sidebars such as The LegendaryPillsbury Bake-Off and tips for success throughout ("Cinnamon is oneof the great tools to use when doctoring up cake mixes," begins one), thebookexplores every aspect of cake-mix fixing while revealing the unexpectedrichness that the process can yield. --Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Customer Reviews (303)

Can't Go Wrong
I've had this book for years, but recently bought this as a gift for a relative.Although all of the Cake Doctor books are great, if you can only buy one, this is it.I've made dozens of the recipes, and most get rave reviews.People are shocked to find out that the basic ingredient is a cake mix.I enjoy trying new recipes from the book all the time, but there are some that have become birthday favorites in our house.Try the book, you'll like it.

cake doctor cookbook
A very good cookbook.We have really used this cookbook.We would recommend this book to anyone interested in baking.It can be used by both beginners and experienced cooks.It would make a nice gift to a new bride.

Yum!!!!
I found this book in our local library and had to get a copy for myself!If you like to bake, but do not like the work that goes into a cake from scratch, this is your answer.This book "dresses up" cake mixes so that they no longer resemble a boxed cake mix with frosting from a can.It may require a few extra steps, but it is definitely worth it.The book has a good introduction section explaining what baking utensils/pans/etc will be needed as well as what ingredients will work the best with the recipes.It is a cookbook I will be referencing often!

Cake Doctor
If you are making cakes and want to make them extra special this is the book to get!

Very handy book
This book is very handy and useful for making "take out" desserts. There are always covered dish events as well as other events that need a homemade dish and this book supplies easy recipes that are quick and delicious. It has been very useful in my job as senior events co-ordinator of a local business. And it is used when needed to take to a bereaved family. ... Read more

Product Description
Enchanted Cakes for Children contains over 20 endearing characters and scenes, including familiar characters from favorite fairy tales such as the Snow Queen, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. You'll also meet several new characters from the world of make-believe, such as friendly elves and bewitching mermaids playing with sea creatures. Clear, step-by-step text is complemented by color photos of each cake. Cake decorators of all levels of experience will soon be producing delightful cakes that will enthrall children and adults alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Flowers
As always I love all of Debbie Browns books, this one is no exception.All here books are top of the line in pictures and instruction.She alway does a great job on giving you something to inspire.Will always buy any book she comes out with!

Great ideas
Can't stop reading this book.I got so crazy just looking at the pictures.I WISH i could at least build one of the cake in there.I'm not too sure about this book.Maybe it's for a more higher level person?But just looking at the book is fun, lots of GREAT ideas.

Wonderful
This book is totally wonderful. I can't believe how easy it is to make these cakes.

Amazing
Are you kidding!! Debbie is Amazing,this book is so much fun. I have made a few of her cakes, so easy if you follow her easy instructions. Everyone loves her cakes. Thanks Debbie, keep your ideas coming.

Magical!
As soon as I got this book, I started getting orders for the cakes in it. I have been using it a lot for little girls' birthday cakes. My only dissatisfaction [and this is minor] is that I would have liked it to contain a greater number of interesting cakes for little boys. Nevertheless it's a very good book - I am happy with it. ... Read more

Product Description
Melissa Gray is National Public Radio's Cake Lady. Every Monday she brings a cake to the office for her colleagues at NPR to enjoy. Hundreds of Mondays (and cakes) later, Melissa has lots of cake-making tips to share. With more than 50 recipes for the cakes that have been dreamed of and drooled over for a lifetime including Brown Sugar Pound Cake, Peppermint and Chocolate Rum Marble Cake, Lord and Lady Baltimore Cakes, Dark-Chocolate Red Velvet Cake, and Honey Buttercream and Apricot Jam Cake All Cakes Considered is an essential addition to every baker's library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

Interesting Read, Aweful Recipes!
I generously gave this book 2 stars due to the interesting anecdotes included in the book. As for the recipes, I have baked 5 cakes from this book, and have yet to find one that was any more than "edible". Most were inedible. All are very dense and tasteless. The author even uses text from Dorie Greenspan's "Baking" without quoting her, as if it were her own words. I had hoped to bake my way through the book, as in my own "cake project", but this quest has been abandoned. No more wasting ingredients on any more of these aweful recipes!

My Wife Loves This Book
I obtained this book via the Vine program for my wife.She loves it, as she really enjoys trying to bake new desserts.We have tried many, and have yet to be disappointed.

Terrible distributor
I am so disappointed in Amazon.I received the cookbook and some of the pages were stuck together, wrinkled and upside down.Is there no quality control.This book is a disgrace and Amazon should be ashamed that their quality control is so terrible.I think it is going to Barnes and Noble for me.

Awesome
This is an awesome awesome cook book.I got it as a gift from a friend who knows I love to bake.I've tried the first two recipes so far and made the chocolate pound cake twice.The first time I used my own icing recipe and the second time I used the recipe for the icing that goes with the Coffee Cake recipe.It tasted great.I used the cream cheese frosting when I made the brown sugar pound cake and my friend said that was her favorite part.Everyone agrees that the Sour Cream pound cake was good.The crust of it comes out looking a little like Angel Food Cake but it's a good cake all in all.I look forward to trying out other recipes.Anyone who likes to bake will love this book.

Way more than just cakes! A cake bible, and much more
All Cakes Considered is like a cake bible, with a vast selection of cake recipes ranging from sheet cakes to layer cakes to tube cakes and bundt cakes. Dessert cakes, birthday cakes, and coffee cakes are included. There is also a chapter called "Break from Cakes" with several cookie recipes and one for fried fruit pies. And last but definitely not least the first 25 pages provide exhaustive guidance that will give confidence to even the most novice of bakers, including very clear, easy to understand descriptions on the steps in cake baking, information about different baking equipment, and ingredients with what they do. Melissa is a great guide and teacher, and will hold your hand through the whole experience of baking. She also provides stories and insights throughout the book that are very entertaining to read. She really makes you feel like she's right there in the kitchen with you, helping you along and chatting it up with you while you bake. The book itself is of extremely high quality with a thick, heavy hardcover, nice dustjacket, high quality paper, and gorgeous mouth-watering full color photographs throughout. One of my favorite recipes is a tube cake called "The Naughty Senator" that has a beautiful marbled pale green and brown color and tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Another of my favorite recipes is "Cowboy Cookies", where you choose 1 1/2 cups of your favorite mixed morsels (chocolate or other chips, nuts, candy, dried fruit - whatever you want!) and follow a base cookie recipe that adapts well to whatever morsels you throw at it - the possibilities are endless and customizable by you. Another notable recipe is "Martha Washington's Great Cake", which comes from a modern adaptation of Martha's original recipe and is one Founding Fathers fans will get a kick out of. There's also a Paula Deen cake included, "Paula Deen's Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia". Most of the recipes in the book are fairly simple to complete, and Melissa's clear instructions make them even easier. There are a few challenging recipes for the more adventurous, but most bakers will have little problem with the majority of them. This is a great book for novice or experienced bakers who want a helpful and entertaining companion providing great insight during their cake (and other) baking endeavors. ... Read more

Product Description
Good binding. We ship fast! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Baker's Easy Cut-Up Party Cakes
Cut up cakes make a much bigger impression on children (and grown-ups) than any store bought or 'form' pans. I've been making them for over 50 years. What fun for me, too

So many cakes - so little time
I was looking for a cookbook that had instructions for making shape cakes.My mom had one that she used to make birthday and other holiday cakes when I was a kid.I have a grandchild now and wanted to make an airplane shape cake for his first birthday.This book had instructions for an airplane.I also found many of the same shape cakes that my mom had made.I am so glad I found this book.I gave this one to my daughter-in-law and will be buying another one for me.(Instead of coconut I use colored frosting and sprinkles.)

great condition!
When I was growing up, my mom made all of our birthday cakes using the designs in an earlier edition of this book. I bought the paperback version new, as soon as I was living on my own.My sister recently expressed interest in having a copy, so I went online to see if I could find one for her birthday.I was very pleased with the condition of this book, and the price was very reasonable.I feel that I got a terrific deal.

Great Fun!!
Kids love to pick out a cake for their birthdays and my adult children take turns making cakes for holidays.We have gotten a lot of use from this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (22)

A Must-Have for basic cakes
This is one of the most user friendly cookbooks I have ever owned.It is filled with the kind of cakes that are fun
and easy to make.It would be a terrific gift for a bridal shower.Lots of pictures really help in creating a desire to bake and confirm that there is a baker in most of us.The fancy time consuming offerings show on the Food channel are often way above the average baker. Not so in this book.It is definitely a keeper and one that will be resourced often.

It depends!
I love cake, have been baking many years, and was very excited when I discovered this book.So much so, that I purchased a couple of new pans with the intent of baking a new cake (or two!) a week.The book is well written and organized (despite a few editing glitches), and provides great information on the basics, as well as helpful tips (the same tried and true ones I've learned over the years).

I never like to review a cookbook or craft book unless I've tried to make a few things first.I made several of the cakes (most recently the pear cake and the yogurt cake) and they came out just fine - as expected.However, the author's suggested ingredients of unbleached flour, and cornmeal for some, just didn't produce the kind of cake I personally like most.Out of curiosity, I tried at least one, substituting bleached flour, with similar results.I did find, however, that all tasted better a day or two after baking.

The cakes rose just fine, etc., but have what I think of as a muffin or heavy sponge cake texture/flavor.(The heavier type cake that's good for snacking or breakfast.) There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I just thought I would mention it in case other readers prefer a lighter cake.I've perused some of the recipes I've still left to try in the book, and based on the ingredients, they'll probably all come out similar.

I still haven't found a cookbook that features what I refer to as an `old-fashioned' yellow cake texture, but I'll keep looking!Maybe I should look at old cookbooks instead of new ones!


BTW: to anyone who makes the yogurt cake covered with confectioners' sugar - Isliced through each piece, and put rasberry jam between the layers

This is one great cake book
It's always iffy buying a book you can't browse so¨leafing¨through the pages on line was most helpful.Don't pass over the introduction material - I learned a lot about butter and cake pan sizes and so much more.Then start baking.If you like cake you won't be disappointed.

recipes were not great
I am an avid baker. I was really excited about getting this book and tried three recipes and they were ok at best. When I bake something I want it to be a crowd pleaser. The first recipe I made was the Apricot Jam Cake and it barely had any flavor. Second recipe, Sour Cream and Lemon Cake, it was better than the Apricot cake but not great. Third and final cake I tried was the Dulce de Leche Coffee Cake and it was too sweet tasting. I am fairly disappointed in this book. I will probably try one or two more recipes but this is not the book I will be going for when trying out a new recipe for guests.

Great book!
I just got this book today.It had shelf appeal and really was the kind of book I was looking for.I collect Nordicware bundt pans and cookbooks, etc. I love cooking/canning/baking etc.It is so easy to read through.I could not decide which one to do first.I had just bought a new jar of peanut butter, so decided to do the peanut butter chocolate chip pound cake.Followed exact recipe.Baked in an Emile Henry loaf dish.It came out PERFECT.It is not too sweet.I find it very good and totally addictive.Will be good for breakfast.

Linda ... Read more

Product Description
Cartoon Cakes is the eagerly awaited book from Debbie Brown, the UK's bestselling author of character and novelty cake books.Featuring favorite characters from Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, and the Cartoon Network, this book will delight adults and children alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Flowers
As always I love all of Debbie Browns books, this one is no exception.All here books are top of the line in pictures and instruction.She alway does a great job on giving you something to inspire.Will always buy any book she comes out with!

Awesome Cakes!!!
WOW! This book is terrific, for all of us who still know who are Tom & Jerry, we will really enjoy all the cakes on this book and I bet the kids will love them too. As always Debbie explained everything in pictures and with some easy to follow instructions.

[...]

Buy it, buy it, buy it! Is a great book to have!

AMAZING!!!
Love the Cartoon Cakebook!! It has the cutest cakes! They simplify the steps for you and make it easier for you to follow the steps.

Cartoon Cakes (Warner Brothers)
This is a great book. Great for Cake decorators. Wonderful colorful easy to follow step by step instructons and templates. Great selection for Warner Brothers Carton Characters. So Happy to have found this book.Highly recommended.

Adorable book!
Our sons, ages 6 and 11, have recently shown an interest in cooking and baking. We were watching the Food Network with our oldest daughter and her boyfriend, when we saw some of Debbie Brown's amazing cakes. After that I happened upon her books on Amazon and really wanted to get all of them - for 2 reasons - the first is obviously because the cakes are amazing, and the 2nd is because everything that can be created for a cake could also be created with polymer clay! Debbie does an amazing job of giving step by step directions on how to make these cakes, and how to create all the characters and details on the cakes.

I didn't want to pay the price to get all of them and just happened to luck out finding two of the books at Half Priced Books - this one for $11, and 50 Fun and Easy Party Cakes for $6 - so I picked both of them up. They're both beautiful full-colored books with tons of great pictures - which is just the way I want my recipe books to be. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
A comprehensive, inspiring guide to the art, craft, and business of wedding cake design

Combining inspirational cake designs, step-by-step decorating instruction, and advice on the fundamentals of running a successful cake business in a competitive market, Wedding Cake Art and Design is an invaluable guide for industry professionals and students. Master cake decorator Toba Garrett includes stunning designs for cakes inspired by textiles, seasons, fashion colors, flowers, and much more, and gives decorators the tools to translate their own clients' ideas into creative new designs.

    • Decorating techniques ranging from simple to advanced are explained in a clear, fully-illustrated, step-by-step format
    • Sample scenarios included throughout the book show readers how to handle a client consultation and how to create appropriate cakes for every client's budget, theme, and creative needs
    • Nearly 200 beautiful full-color photographs showcase finished cakes and illustrate key decorating techniques, while full-color illustrations provide insight into the professional decorator's creative process
    • Author Toba Garrett is one of the country's foremost artists in the field of cake decorating and the founder of the Institute for Culinary Education’s Department of Cake Decorating and Design, where she now serves as master chef–instructor and where she has trained some of the top cake artists in the world

A must-have for professional cake decorators, baking and pastry students, and even advanced cake decorating hobbyists, Wedding Cake Art and Design is the only resource a decorator needs to design, plan, and execute picture-perfect wedding cakes for every client, every time.

Cake-Decorating Ideas from Wedding Cake Art and Design

Victorian-Styled Cake

The Cake with Lily and Pleats

Customer Reviews (11)

Have Your Cake, But Not Design It Too
With the arrival of summertime comes the influx of church bells and satin trains. But with any romantic event there is the necessity of planning out the particulars. So you have the dress, the flowers and the locale. But what about the cake? For a more modern, economical approach to wedding planning //A Professional Approach Wedding Cake Art and Design// is a coffee-table sized do-it-yourself guide to creating that sweet unifying treat. Excited to see what beautiful designs I or anyone could manage, I scoured the book like a little girl with bridal fantasies, only to find my adult self very disappointed by the unappealing variety. Thick, uneasy on the eyes, and everything but Martha Stewart worthy, these fondant towards of strange shapes and themes are best suited for mastering cake making where the finished product is not seen in public, least of all on the most wonderful day of your life.

Reviewed by Natalie Fladager

Great recipes, Awesome ideas
The recipes in the book look wonderful. I 've been looking for an almond paste pound cake recipe for 35 years that matches the one that was in my wedding cake. I found it. Some of the flower making techniques are easier than the ones I learned in Wilton classes, with a nicer outcome. This WILL be one of my DO NOT LEND books.

um..NO
um...NO just from the video.
she has no idea what she is talking about. I feel sorry for all those students that learned the wrong thing from her.
Definatly will NOT be buying this book.

You get what you pay for...
I saw this book at Barnes and Noble and quickly rushed to Amazon to purchase it.I am so glad I did.The pictures are beautiful, her explanations are great and her recipes are fabulous.

I used the chocolate pound cake recipe for a customer order (my place of employment) and it was a complete hit with all 100+ employees that tried it.My sister-in-law who doesn't care too much for chocolate, devoured a cupcake I made with the same recipe and topped with chocolate ganache.My sister was impressed with the quality of the book and praised it over all of the other books I own.

I've become a huge Toba Garrett fan and can't wait to try all of her recipes. :-D

Wedding Cake Art and Design: A Professional Approach
This is a Bible of the cake production. This book must have anyone who begin the cake business or run it. ... Read more

Product Description

When it's time to celebrate, it's time to bake a cake! When it's time to be creative, it's time to bake a cake! When it's time to find comfort in the kitchen, it's time to bake a cake. From weddings to birthdays to something nice for yourself and your family and guests, nothing marks a special occasion better than a freshly baked cake.

The recipes come from home bakers who are aunts, grandmothers, friends, and friends of friends, as well as food writers and professional bakers; some also come from Malgieri's kitchen, of course. The delectably moist Orange Poppy Seed Cake is as easy a recipe as you can hope to find, and don't miss his Aunt Virginia's Sour Cream Coffee Cake. The 19th-century Morris Cake is simple yet elegant, and the truly unique Green Tea Pound Cake comes from Paris's Mariage Frères. Beware the decadent Chocolate Pecan Caramel Cake. Whatever the celebration or occasion, there's nothing like a perfect cake--and you're sure to find it here. --Leora Y. Bloom ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Overly complicated recipes
This book knows nothing about simplicity.It is filled with time-consuming and complicated recipes that just are not worth it- even if you follow the instructions.I have made 6 cakes out of this book.Only one of them was really any good.The cakes just aren't good enough to warrant spending the time.The Townhall cake takes 3 days to make all of the parts.I did not think it was all that good.(It looks quite amazing) I made a tastier cheesecake from the cream cheese package recipe.Yeah, there is some history on each of the recipes.That's kind of special, for about 5 minutes.What would be more special is an author that had spent the time to simplify the recipes so that good results could be had without following complicated instructions (that either are so finicky that they don't always work, or aren't very good no matter what you do.)You will find my copy for sale in the used editions section.

Best cake cookbook I have ever used!
Every recipe I have tried in this book has turned out "perfect".The texture and the flavors have all been out of this world.I highly recomend this book to anyone with a passion for cakes!

Show Stopping Cakes
The cakes come out picture perfect and taste fabulous. I agree with the other reviewers that a certain level of baking experience is needed in order to understand his directions. Beginners could find this book intimidating. Some of the cakes are time consuming and expensive. I would not use those recipes for commercial baking but they make great party desserts. The kind of desserts that build a baker's reputation

Great Receipes
Great receipes.Wish that it had pictures for all the cakes receipes.

some recipes are for experts only
I tried his chocolate souffle roll. I know that folding melted chocolate in egg whites is no childs play but I expected a chef of his level of expertise to give better tips. The cake went poof on me. I couldn't roll the souffle !! but it tasted so good that i served it anyway. Thats the good thing about chocolate.
i tried his blueberry cake...yum. ... Read more