Product Description
"There's something magical about the process of makinga cake from scratch, a process that transforms a few simple ingredients--butter, sugar, flour, and eggs--into culinary artistry."
--Tish Boyle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

favorite cake cook book
I love baking and as a result I own a lot of books on cakes recipes.I usually find a few in each book that I love and mark as favorites.I borrowed this book from the library to give it a try.I absolutely loved it! I was able to try 3 cakes before having to return it to the library.They came out delicious and I got great feedback from everyone that tried them.I also liked her detail explanations and basic instructions at the beginning of the book.I will be buying this book and it will be my 'go to book' for all cake recipes.

An Absolute Must
As I make my way further into the world of baking, which I now find so interesting, I venture into trying new and more diverse recipes. All baking is new to me. After seeing this book and reading such wonderful reviews, I purchased it. So far I have made three recipes from it and they have all been successes, ie. the peach crumb cake a cake of layers, first cake, then sliced peaches, followed by the crumb, again cake and finally crumb. What a woderful tasting cake. The entire family loved it. Then one of her many chocolate cake, Moist Chocolate cake, using the sift and measure method as stated by a replier to one of the reviewers here on amazon. Thanks. The cake was very moist and chocolatey, containing no butter. After a long cooling, i noticed that the cake had a thin protective shell over it. It was interesting and very pleasing. You will enjoy this. And finally, the seven minute frosting. I know many of you bakers may find this trivial, but for myself and new bakers alike, it is amazing to see something come together so quckly infront of your eyes with only a few ingredients and such simple instructions. The frosting was fluffy, sweet - but not death defyingly so, and held up very well in the fridge and out side of it. It takes colors very nicely - I used it to coat mini muffins for a kids Halloween party. They loved it. All I have to say is, Thanks Tish Boyle, for making a baker out of me yet. :) Enjoy.

Delicious Cakes
This is actually the third THE CAKE BOOK I have purchased!The first was for myself and the other two were gifts to people who had tasted my cakes and wanted the cookbook.I have tried most of the recipes in my well-used issue and have always been pleased with both the results and the instructions that got me there.

Love this book!
If you want to make a really good cake from scratch, this book will tell you how.I have tried the Yogurt Mousse Cake, the Lemon Mousse Cake, the Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes, the Deeply Dark Devil's Food Cake (way more than once!!) and the German Chocolate Cake.All these recipes are wonderful and worked well. The pictures are beautiful and I am looking forward to trying more recipes from this book.
I am pretty new to making cakes from scratch and this book has helped me tremendously!They are complicated and take a serious amount of time.If you don't want to do that, maybe making a cake from scratch is not for you.
I also have the "Cake Bible" another great book!

product never arrived
I waited until the final day of when the product should of arrived, it never did and I wasn't notified either that the book was not in stock.not happy ... Read more

Product Description
Chocolate cake is America’s favorite dessert, from fudgy brownies to mile-high layer cakes. Now, virtually every rendition of this best-loved dessert is presented in one tempting volume–more than 150 cakes for every occasion.

Bestselling cookbook author and pastry chef Michele Urvater has collected and reinterpreted the finest recipes from American and European baking traditions. Here are easy homemade classics such as old-fashioned Devil’s Food Cake and Buttermilk Chocolate Cake as well as more challenging pastry-shop fare such as Sacher Torte, Hungarian Dobos Torte, and a festive Double Chocolate Christmas Log.There are heirloom cakes that date to the beginning of the last century and desserts as up-to-the-minute as individual warm chocolate cakes.

Urvater guides bakers of all skill levels through a wealth of original and tempting variations on the standards, such as Pecan Bourbon Chocolate Cake or Hawaiian Coconut Cake with White Chocolate Ganache. And a plethora of fillings, icings, buttercreams, and glazes allows for nearly endless mixing and matching of layers and frostings.

Each recipe has a designated level of difficulty, so even the novice baker will be able to achieve instant success–and chocolate gratification.Meticulous recipes along with advice on advance preparation, serving, decoration, and storage all make this comprehensive tribute to the ultimate dessert a book that belongs in every baker’s library.
Amazon.com Review
From the "mix-and-dump" variety to the exquisitely layered and filled Marjolaine, Michele Urvater's Chocolate Cake makes sure that no matter how much time you have or your level of kitchen experience--whether you prefer sweet to bitter chocolate, whether you're looking for something fancy to impress or something easy to make someone happy--you will find a chocolate cake to fit the bill in this book.

Urvater has both studied and taught the culinary arts, and readers reap the benefits of her knowledge. She begins with a clear and informative chapter on ingredients, one on baking equipment, and one on techniques, and then organizes the recipes from simple to most complex. Because they are all chocolate cakes, chapters are divided by technique. Plain and Easy Batter Cakes include easy favorites like the Classic Brownie, with its crispy crunchy top protecting a moist and chewy interior, and a Chocolate Pudding Cake, a soufflé-like cake on top of a custardy layer--heavenly when warm from the oven. A short chapter on cheesecakes gets creative with smooth and silky creations such as the Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake. Butter and Shortened Cakes start with the Dependable Chocolate Pound Cake with numerous variations, and move on to the most delectable, delicious, and easy-to-make Chocolate Banana Tea Cake. Rich and moist, studded with chocolate chips, nuts, and dried fruit, it is with great pleasure that we read that it's "fabulous for breakfast." Urvater continues to tempt with foam cakes, biscuit cakes, individual cakes, flourless cakes, and icings, and then explains a number of fancy decorative techniques like Caramel Shards and Meringue Mushrooms.

Even though everything is chocolate, the varieties are endless. With 150 recipes for desserts like Streusel-Woven Chocolate Coffee Cake, Minted Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Flourless Cake with Lemon, and the Gianduja (an aromatic hazelnut praline and chocolate "creamy concoction"), no chocolate lover should be without this delectably chocolate volume. --Leora Y. Bloom ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Dana Vigilante's Cakes
If you are looking for the best cakes in the tri-state area, I strongly suggest contacting Dana Vigilante.However, if you are looking for one of those theme, fondant crusted cakes - look elsewhere, you won't find Dana making them.Rather, you will find her cakes and desserts unique, elegant and beyond anything you've ever tried before in your life.

I've had her Salted Caramel Ganache cake on three different occasions, the first time being in a restaurant in Central Jersey, where it was on the dessert menu for $12.50. The second time was at a friends bookclub.I contacted her shortly thereafter having it at the restaurant (the restaurant refused to give me her personal info, I had to do a little research), to make a cake for my husband's 45th surprise party.People who had this cake at the party are still talking about it.Here is the best part about Dana - she isn't a "cake diva" who thinks she's God.Rather, she is a gorgeous 40-something Italian, who works in the medical industry full-time.She is friendly and approachable.If you call her, she actually picks up the phone - none of the "I'm too busy being a cakediva to answer your call, but leave a message and I might call you back". She started Brown-Eyed Girl Cakes last year, because she said, baking gives her a diversion at the end of the day.The other great thing is the fact that she doesn't charge 500.00 (or even $100.00, for that matter) for her cakes, like other cake makers do.Her cakes are extremely reasonable and I know that the caramel salted cake must cost her alot to make.However, I have the feeling that even if she did charge hundreds of dollars, she would still have a great clientele. I love working with her and alot of my friends have contacted her to do afew different cakes.She is currently doing about five or six different desserts right now and I think about six or seven restaurants in NJ carry her cakes on their dessert menu's and 2 or 3 in NYC and Nyack do the same.I would highly recommend contacting Dana if you would like an extraordinary dessert.

I highly recommend Dana if you are looking for a classy, uniquely decadent cake.She delivers within the tri-state area and she is an absolute pleasure to deal with.

150 Chocolate Cakes!
Who doesn't love Chocolate Cake?Flourless?Layer?Angel Food?Genoise?Chiffon? Cheesecake? Black Forest? Grand Mariner?They're all here - and more.I have hundreds of cookbooks and this is one of my favorites.The volume is logically divided into four sections: Part Oneis a superb 50-page section dedicated to "Ingredients, Equipment, and Techniques"; Part Two gives recipes for more than 150 cakes; Part Three is 37 pages devoted to "Frostings, Buttercreams, Icings, Fillings, and Glazes"; the last section consists of "Decorative Techniques" including presentations, plating, and garnishes.The final installment provides a helpful glossary, a list of sources for equipment and ingredients, and an excellent bibliography.

The recipes are sound and many are creative, including two employing chestnuts (I love chestnuts, especially with chocolate): Rum Chestnut Chocolate Cake and Autumn Chestnut Cake. Two of the 18 reviewers gave the book one star, with one reviewer complaining that "one recipe after another proved dull, tasteless, and dry."Another complained that the "Chocolate Chocolate Tea Cake" was a dismal failure after three tries.Not having made that particular cake, I cannot comment on personal experience - and will probably avoid that recipe - but perhaps the reviewer used natural cocoa as opposed to Dutch process without making adjustments for the baking powder.In recipes with leavening, natural and Dutch process cocoas are generally not interchangeable.Also, the brand of cocoa can vastly change the outcome of a cake.The Cook's Illustrated staff baked the same cake with Pernigotti Cocoa and Droste Cocoa with remarkably different outcomes - the Pernigotti producing "a very moist, soft crumb" and the Droste producing a cake that was "a bit dry with a more open crumb." My experience with these two cocoas has been identical and I'm a huge fan of Pernigotti cocoa (made in Italy and available exclusively at Williams-Sonoma).Although I like Valrhona chocolate, I find their cocoa to be sub-par. The brand and type of cocoa does matter. Perhaps, too, the reviewers did not properly sift or measure the flour - or use the right kind of flour.The tea cake may indeed be flawed - or the recipe may be misprinted. The recipe for "White Cake Layers" is not one I would choose - I much prefer the Cook's Illustrated "Classic White Layer Cake", which is hands-down, the very best in terms of taste and texture. But this is supposed to be a book about chocolate cake.

There aren't many photographs, but I don't think the book suffers as a result.Each recipe is laid out as a numbered series of steps and marked with a "Level of Difficulty"- so the baker can feel confident about the final outcome.The fonts are easy to read, as is the "Index".The book is a comfortable size and the permanent cover can be wiped clean.

Urvater has a friendly and approachable tone (unlike Pamela Asquith's book on the "Ultimate Chocolate Cake"). While I have a great respect for the chemistry of baking and I'm choosy about using quality ingredients, I dislike cookbook authors whose fundamentalist approaches stifle creativity.A good cookbook should inspire, not discourage - and this one makes you want to get out to the kitchen and play.Highly recommended for bakers at all levels.

Yum!
This delicious cookbook has an incredible variety of chocolate cake and icing recipes (who could imagine so many variations of Devil's Food??). I have made a few cakes from this cookbook, and they have been absolutely to-die-for. My only complaints are: 1. that they don't tell you which recipes produce that heavenly-looking slice of cake on the dust jacket, and 2. too few color plates! The recipes themselves vary from simple to very complicated, and from lightly to intensely chocolatey. There is sure to be something for everyone who likes chocolate cake here!

Chocolate Lover's Heaven
It would be hard not to like this cookbook. I've made six cakes and one icing so far, and each one has been my "favorite cake ever" until I made the next.

Until I looked through this book, I had no idea there were so many different varieties of chocolate cake. Even if you take away the cakes made from white chocolate, the white and yellow cake layers destined to hold chocolate frostings, and the pudding made with leftover chocolate cake crumbs, Urvater has compiled dozens of exciting recipes that can each undeniably be called chocolate cake. Some are quite exotic - one is made with potatoes, another with beets, still another with tea leaves - while others are straightforward.

Grading the recipes by difficulty level is a nice touch, as are the "plated dessert" suggestions on many of the recipes. The information about ingredients, equipment, and the different categories of cakes is also very useful. I could wish for more pictures, but it's also exciting to make something new and see what it looks like afterwards.

Chocolate Cake for Dummies
This is an excellent book for those who like to make chocolate cakes but may not be a skilled, experienced baker.If you are an average person who is trying to bake that chocolate cake at home, then I can happily recommend this book.

The most important feature of this book is that all recipes are rated according to difficulty.Those who are beginners can choose easy recipes, while those who are already adept at angel food cakes and butter cream frostings can go directly for the complicated ones.Bakers of all abilities will be able to find a recipe that fits your skill level.For example, she correctly identifies French butter cream frostings as difficult.Other recipes that are impressive and seem to be hard are actually easy to do, and this book will rate them as such.

This book has a lot going for it besides the rating system.The first 50 pages or so give you just the right amount of information so you can do the recipes.It is also very good about telling you what kind of equipment you will need for the various recipes.The recipes are clear and easy to follow most of the time.It also has a good dissertation on various types of icings and frostings, and matching them up to various cakes.The only short point here is the subject of matching up refrigerated versus cakes that can be stored at room temperature and what icings and frostings will match them.

There are a few problems, but they are minor.The description of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate is not correct.The statement that margarine can be substituted for baking in all recipes is also not correct, since the margarine can have wildly differing amounts of water that will have unpredictable results on any one recipe.The author is a trained, professional baker.This is often good, as the instructions are based on tried and true professional techniques that really work (which is sadly not true of many books about baking), but she often overestimates the abilities of beginner bakers.The vocabulary can have professional terms or techniques not otherwise explained, and the difficulty rating of some of the recipes should be increased; for example, anything that involves whipping and folding egg whites should be intermediate, not easy. ... Read more

Product Description
What makes an unforgettable birthday party? The cake! In this colorful, charming cookbook, Matthew Mead has created 35 whimsical cakes sure to be a hit at any party. Designed for the novice or expert, Cakes for Kids includes basic cake and frosting recipes as well as guidelines for baking, assembling, and decorating 3-D works of art. The chapters are divided into three levels of difficulty: easy cakes like Over the Rainbow (which uses multicolored candies to do the hard stuff), medium-level masterpieces like the Rockin' Guitar, and trickier designs like the Delicious Dinosaur. No matter what the level of expertise, step-by-step illustrated instructions make preparing of these confections a piece of cake! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

You Can Have Your Cake And Eat It Too
What first attracted me to this book, other than the price, was the vibrant cover. I should have gone to the book store and looked at it before I bought it online. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to see pictures of actual cakes when I clicked on the link to look inside. The first few pages contained decorating information and tips and the last few pages were taken up with the book's index. Some of the cake ideas are cute, but you can find just as cute if not cuter ideas on family websites for free.

All Kids should learn to be creative
This book was sent to my great grandkids in Oklahoma.Since I'm not able to be there to bake for them I sent them the books (3 of them) and all the extras to make fun cakes and cupcakes.Hopefully it will get them doing something fun instead of just watching mindless TV

good ideas
there are alot of neat and creative cake ideas in here.hopefully mine will turn out as nice as the ones shown in the pictures.:)

Deserves 10 stars!
I really really like this book. It contain real cake decoration to make at home forget about fondant. It uses icing but it does not contain a recipe for buttercream for which i contact Matthew Mead on his website but I DID NOT GET AN ANSWER.. oh well this is worth every penny! Beautiful designs and difficulty levels & a lot of ideas.

THE Book to get!
I absolutely loved this Book, All of the project ideas, are doeable, easy to understand , I loved every page of it. We have not tried any of it yet but my 6 year old daughter wants to have the Teacups for her birthday party in september. I recommend it if you want ideas that are simple, extra cute and somewhat beginner techniques. ... Read more

Product Description
Need Cake? Now you can bake a microwave mug cake just for yourself in 10 minutes or less. All you need is a microwave oven, a mug, a saucer, a mixing bowl, and a few simple ingredients. Microwave mug cakes-the ultimate single-serving snack! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Quick & Easy Dessert
These are great simple recipes for single people who just want a little bit of "something". Most ingredients are usually in everyone's pantry and with little effort these cakes can be something special.

Microwave Mug Cakes Recipes
It works.The only thing I have to work on I think is the high altitude or something.Mine turned a little heavy. More like a pound cake.Which wasn't bad.I made a carrot cake for my first and it was really good.What a great book!!Its fun.I bought two so I can give one to my sister.I'm planning on giving it to her on her birthday this month. She is raising her granddaughters and that will be fun for them.Yes it is well worth the price and kids will be able to do this easy and not get burnt or in much trouble.Of course you have to watch them and not let them take it out of the micro too early or they will get burnt.So watch that ok.

Yummy & Easy Receipes
I ordered this after hearing about the author on the Rachel Ray show. The receipes are yummy, easy to make, and even easier to enjoy. Not only are the receipes easy but the author's sense of humor in presenting them is quite enjoyable. Well worth adding to your cook book collection!

Mug Cakes
I can't wait to make some of these mug cakes when my grandchildren come for a visit! They sound so delicious and yet easy to make. It will be so much fun for my granddaughters to make and my grandsons to "help" eat.(the grandsons are younger and I haven't been brave enough to let them do much in the kitchen yet.)The directions are so easy to understand, I'm sure we will just have a very fun time making the Mug Cakes.

Horrible tasting
I got this book as a gift and thought it was a cute idea, but the recipes in this book are horrible tasting! My kids would not eat them. The cakes turn into little bricks if allowed to cool. If you eat them warm they taste ok, but have horrible texture.You are better off with a box mix, making cupcakes, and sticking them in the freezer. Then just eat one when you want it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Meh
This was my third Debbie Brown book - and I pre-ordered it since I liked the others I'd gotten. Fairly disappointed in this one. Seemed simpler and repetitive. Granted, I don't have a whole mess of children to bake for in my life, but some of the others (Magical Cakes and Enchanted Cakes) had some cool/cute dragon and elfin cakes. Learned my lesson, wait until its out and you can see some pictures or a list of cakes.

LOVE IT!!!! (I POSTED THE CUSTOMER IMAGES ABOVE)
I have to say that this book is WONDERFUL! All the recipes are there and all the techniques are shown. Fantastic book.

Of course, to be good at something, it takes time and practice. Thats okay...in the end, if you follow the directions, even maybe change things about the overall look of it a bit, you'll end up baking those cakes just fine.

I love the little dog cake...its a great start point.

ENJOY!!!!!

Debbie does it again!
This is very inspiring...she is always awesome and does a fabulous job.Gets your imagination going for sure!I just looked through the book for about an hours just captivated!Love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
A man in Texas wrote to Maida Heatter looking for her Bullseye Cheesecake recipe; he and his wife had divorced, she had taken therecipe with her, and he was desperate for it! No wonder--it's astunning work of art with its impossible-looking concentric circles ofrich chocolate and vanilla-almond-flavored cheesecake. That recipe canbe found here, along with other treats such as Chocolate Soufflé Cake,Boston Cream Pie, Florida Rum Cake, Kugelhopf, Swedish Leaf Cakes,Portuguese Sweet Walnut Bread, and West Indies Ginger Cake. Heatter,deemed "the legendary baking maven" by Food & Winemagazine, is a member of two cooking halls of fame: James Beard's andChocolatier's. She has been cooking for decades and clearlyindicates how to make classics perfect; she shares her tricks and tipsfreely like a good friend. (She swears by Philadelphia Brand creamcheese, for example.) She also steers clear of unusual or hard-to-findingredients, even for the more exotic-sounding cakes. The bookincludes plain, chocolate, layer, and fancy cakes; cheese and nutcakes; yeast cakes and sweet breads; muffins, cupcakes, andgingerbreads; and ice cream and sauces. Simply divine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Wonderful book
I'm surprised there are any poor reviews of this book.I've tried between 6 - 8 recipes so far.They are excellent, get rave reviews and requests for the recipe.I've had no issues with baking times or other instructions.Love this book!This is my first Maida book and I will buy more.

Lovely
I have enjoyed reading and flipping the pages of this lovely book of cake tales. Maida Heatter is kind of a cake story teller wwhich appeals to me for I love stories. The recipes are precise -you must study them carefully but they work and produce wonderful results plus you'll have a story to tell -hers and yours!

dissapointment
I have owned Heatter's 'chocolate deserts' book for years, and it is a great book for the most part, so I have been VERY dissapointed in her 'cakes' book. Cakes of all kinds are my speciality, and this is just a poor, poor cookbook. Nearly all of the recipies contain odd errors-especially in baking times-if you try to use this book, be very careful, cuz her overly specific baking times are usually too long. Neither of my kitchens have been able to make her times work as printed.
The recipies themselves are very odd as well-frankly, most of the times that I have gotten them to be succesful, people dont really like them that much. It seems like her goal was to collect as many recipies as she could that involved at least thirty dollars worth of nuts and dried fruit. "Fruitackes" would have been a more accurate title for this book. For God's sake even the chocolate cakes are packed full of fruit etc. Yuck.
The cheesecake section of the book speaks for itself in the overwrought fussiness department...almost all of the recipies just sound gross-reading the ingredients is enough to ruin your appetite...way, way overdone.
I would definetly recomend her chocolate desert book, but this one goes in the trash. I gave it the benefit of the doubt for a while, but that only goes so far!

great recipes
I just had my first succes from this book, and it is called the old fashioned coconut cake. A delicious cake, sophisticated in it's simplicity. The book is written in a very friendly and encouraging matter, the description of the techniques and what to expect during the proces of creating your master pieces give you all the confidence you need to bake an excellent treat for any occasion. The recipes vary from pound cakes to layer cakes with frostings and from cheesecakes to sweet breads and yeasted sweet treats. Had there been some pictures, I would have given it 5 stars (I like the visual aspect as an extra inspiration). But the recipes definately deserve 5 stars in itsself.

A Dessert Book By Which Others Should Be Measured
Stated simply, there are no better dessert cookbook writers than Maida Heatter. I have five of her bookbooks and from pleasant experience know that she has no bad recipes in any of her books. This one is no exception. If you can read English and own an oven, I'm not sure how you could possibly screw up one of these cakes. Ms. Heatter spends two to three pages on the simplest of cakes. She tells you where to place the rack in the oven, how many minutes to beat the sugar and butter together and what the batter will look like. For example, in the recipe for Cranberry Upside-Down Cake on page 201, she says: "The mixture might appear slightly curdled--it is okay." I'm happy to say I cooked this cake for the first time a few days ago. My friends thought it was wonderful. The best lemon cake I have ever baked and/or eaten has to be East 62nd Street Lemon Cake(page 22.)Over 20 years ago, when I had never melted chocolate in my life, I cooked a perfect Queen Mother's Cake (pp. 54-56.)The Robert Redford Cake(59-61)is a wonder to behold. Then there is the Oreo Cookie Cake, and on and on they go.

There are sections on all kinds of cakes here: plain cakes, chocolate cakes, layer cakes, fancy cakes, cheesecakes, fruitcakes, cakes with fruits and vegetables, yeast cakes, sweet breads and more. And all kinds of tips-- even how to wash a pastry brush.

There are no photographs in this book but who needs them? Your own cakes will be pretty enough to photograph. If you own other Heatter cookbooks, be forewarned; these recipes have been previously published in two of the author's earlier dessert books but here the cake recipes are all together.

I must admit that I find the cheesecake recipes-- at least most of them, a little over the top. I suppose that's because cheesecake recipes have been anthologized to death and Ms. Heatter sought out the most exotic ones. And I, being a lazy cook, an unwilling to fool with baking a cheesecake in a pan of water. Having said that, if I could have only one dessert cookbook, it would have to be this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Think of delicious Pumpkin Bread, Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, and Cheddar Herb Scones homemade from scratch. But who has that kind of time? You can cut your kitchen duty considerably by using the secret ingredient: cake mix! In this unique cookbook, author Sarah K. Sawyer shows readers how to bake all of the classics?and some new surprises?using cake mix. Recipes include:

• French Toast Casserole
• Rocky Road Bars
• Potato Pancakes
• Green Tea Cupcakes
• Rhubarb Strawberry Crumble

Customer Reviews (1)

Great cake mix book
I bought this book as a gift and she loves it.She even brought a piece of cake over for me to sample yum!! ... Read more

Product Description
Welcome to the fabulous, mysterious world of Magical Cakes, with its witches, wizards, gnomes, dwarfs, trolls, sprites, and goblins.Successful cake decorating author Debbie Brown has used her unique talents and magical touch to create 20 fun and fantasy cakes.There are amazing party cakes to appeal to both boys and girls, including designs for children of all ages, such as a mystical castle guarded by a fiery dragon and a cute baby dragon suitable for the younger ones.With clear, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and photographs, and cake designs for all levels of expertise, this book will satisfy both beginners and more experienced cake decorators. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

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!

Amazingly talented woman, but this book is not for the faint of heart
Gorgeous designs and variety.Similar to what others have said, the typical beginner who hasn't had training will be totally lost or toally overwhelmed.I found myself saying, "Where do I find that item?", "When do I prepare that part again?" --- and that level of detail just isn't here.An experienced cake maker could copy the designs and know when to start different things to minimize bake and design time, but for a creative beginner like me, there is no way I can actually do any of these without spending hours of extra time backtracking steps, rereading, and mixing colors and fondant as I realize I need them rather than having a solid plan or recipe for the entire design ahead of time.
5 stars for the designs; 3 stars for the instruction.

Great Ideas To Copy
Full of great designs to copy - I have made at least 3 already - but the instructions are a bit disjointed so you keep having to go back over them to find out what your supposed to do next and the images are only semi-helpful.Shows a great photo of the end product but not really how to get there.

I have been decorating for years and most my cakes turn out sort of like the picture but not exactly.The icing colours, the modelling and the covering - you really need to have some sort of skill or decorating experience to achieve these designs.

marvelous!
the ideas in this book are absolutely worth every penny! The instruction in the book is pretty great, too. So why didn't I give it a full 5 stars? Because it doesn't show you how to do each step. They tell you to make a piece, and while visually you think it should be easy, there are actually tricks to getting the fondant to do what you want. And those visual and verbal steps are not shared.
Only drawback to this book.

However, would I give it back based on that small flaw? Never in a million years!!

fantastic
This book is awesome.I think it would be hard for a novice, since some of the instructions aren't always very specific...but with a little know how you can create really awesome cakes!I'd recommend it to anyone who loves decorating cakes. ... Read more

Product Description

Cookies, brownies, muffins, cheesecakes, trifles, crisps, cobblers, cinnamon rolls, dessert pizzas, ice cream sandwiches, and so much more can be made with a box of cake mix! 200 Cake Mix Creations is the perfect little cookbook for the busy dessert lover in your life. It's full of sweet and luscious recipes that use cake mix as the main ingredient and will remind you of the goodies grandma used to make.

Customer Reviews (1)

A Little Gem
I found this book recently and it has made me want to get out my mixing bowls, cake pans, and cookie sheets and start baking. None of the recipes have long lists of things you need, and there are recipes for cakes, cookies and bars, even breakfast items! The index goes by ingredient as well type of mix used, butter pecan, white, yellow etc. The Pumpkin Caramel Cake will be baked soon and shared with friends at church. I am a Butterfinger candy bar lover and there are recipes using them also. I look forward to making many of these recipes in the coming weeks and months. ... Read more

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Product Description

What better way to welcome friends and family than with a steaming cup of coffee and some delectable cake?

Customer Reviews (17)

The Coffeetable book that wasn't
Coffee and Cake , by Rick Rodgers is a fun, nice sized book to look through and read.
The book is divided into 2 sections Coffee and Cake.

The coffee section begins with a coffee primer with a brief history of coffee, a section on coffee talk where the author describes that as wine coffee has its own terminology, an explanation of where coffee is harvested, how it is processed, and finally how it is brewed.

The coffee primer is followed by hot and cold coffee beverage recipes. In my opinion a fault in the recipe section is the lack of pictures for every recipe. I like to see what the end result of a recipe is supposed to look like. This book really seems to be missing this since it is of somewhat gastronomical educational nature.
The next section is the cake primer it begins with a list of ingredients commonly used in cakes. The ingredient section begins with flour and gives information about the types of flour and why they are used, it then moves on to other basic ingredients like butter and eggs. The cake primer section finishes up with decorating, storing and serving.

Finally we get to the cake recipes! There are 26 recipes with at least one recipe from every type of cake I could imagine, from cupcakes to cheesecake and everything in between. As in the coffee section the major downfall I see is the lack of pictures of the recipes. I would also like to acknowledge that there are many tips throughout the recipe section that were very helpful. I now know why my cheesecake cracks!
But with so few recipes and a book that was designed to be more than a simple list of recipes, the omission of pictures from each recipe is simply unforgivable. Less than 50% of the recipes are pictured, 4 coffee and 14 cake. It's hard to choose a niche for the book. It's more like a coffee table book, with lots of glossy pictures, but the pictures don't necessarily correspond with the recipes, and as I've said, there were lots of recipes that I simply have no idea how they are supposed to look.

Pros:
Educational Book
Great Variety of Recipes
Beautiful Pictures
Fun to Read

Cons:
Lack of pictures for all recipes
Few recipes (only 26 cake recipes and 11 coffee recipes)

Lastly, here is a list of recipes in the book

Coffee:

Spiced Mocha
Café Brûlot
Irish Coffee
Viennese Fiaker
Vietnamese Coffee
Coffee Frappe
Mocha Frappe
Thai Iced Coffee
Caramel Freeze
Espresso Martini
Caffé Affogato

Cakes:

Apple-Cranberry Ginger Loaf
Almond Blueberry Buckle
Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Pear Coffee Cake with Streusel Crust
Peach Kuchen
Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake
Banana-Walnut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting
Blackout Cupcakes
"Butterfly" Cupcakes
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Ganache
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Big Buttercream Flowers
Ambrosia Coconut Cake
Daiquiri Chiffon Cake
Limoncello Cake
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Malt Frosting
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Malt Frosting
Spiced Layer Cake with Praline Frosting
S'mores Cheesecake
Black Forest Cake
Mocchaccino Torte
Hazelnut Gâteau with Coffee Buttercream
Chocolate-Strawberry Sachertorte
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Tiramisù Cake Mascarpone Frosting

A great little bakebook...
If you are looking for some new innovative recipes that you might find in a coffee shop, then this is a great little book.It is a nice size...smaller at about 8 inches and square...not bulky like a lot of cookbooks in my kitchen.It has some nice twists on traditional recipes as well as things you would expect like coffee cake.What I liked about it was the section on creating designer coffees. You will even learn a little about their history as well as useful tips for baking.All in all it's a great little cookbook if you are looking to switch things up in the kitchen or hosting a coffee shop night or something, this would be a great help.You won't be disappointed because this little book is a wealth of information and recipes. It is different from anything else in your kitchen!

Coffee and cake -- two of my favorites
My two favorite things in the whole world just became easier with Rick Rodgers' cookbook release, COFFEE AND CAKE.

With a well written introduction Rick takes the reader on a journey back to the whys and hows of coffee and cake.A coffee guide is even included.The recipes for the cakes are easy to use -- my only complaint is that since I have diabetes I wasn't able to eat any of my connoctions but my husband and children swear that what they were eating was excellent.I would have loved to have seen two or three sugar/carb free recipes that people with diabetes would be able to use.

If you collect cookbooks and need recipes for simple, easy, and tasty treats, then Rick Rodgers' COFFEE AND CAKE is the recipe book for you.

Natalie S. for Amazon Vine

nice giftor specialty book
This is not the kind of book that you would buy as a primary baking reference.It is a "themed" cake and coffee book that contains recipes for coffee drinks as well as for cakes, although the cake recipes are far more numerous.There is also a long-ish section that describes tools and the characteristicsof various potential ingredients, which is unusual and interesting.The heart of the book is its section of cake recipes, which includes sections on coffee cakes, cupcakes, American favorites, and European cakes, such as black forest cake.There is a recipe for that gorgeous coconut cake that I always see advertised as a southern specialty.I knew I had to try one of the recipes (at least) before reviewing the book, so I tried the lemon meringue cupcakes, which include a filling of lemon curd (made from scratch, not bottled).They were absolutely fantastic, and the recipe worked with no hitch.While "coffee and cake" will not always be the first cake book I pluck off the shelf, it will be one I look at for special occasions.

The Perfect Marriage
If you suffer from the same disorder that we do - you can't enjoy a cup of coffee without an accompanying sweet something - then "Coffee and Cake" is for you.

The first part of this book is dedicated to the beverage itself and many fancy variations, while the second half provides a nice array of sweet cake creations that pair perfectly with your cuppa joe.

Our favorite section is the one for cupcakes for "kids of all ages" - most readers will probably qualify -- but the only quibble we have with Rodgers' choices are that most of the recipes seem quite involved and time consuming.A few recipes in the vein of Idiot's Guide ideas would be welcomed.But that's the only thing keeping this volume from earning five stars.

Definitely a book that worthy of being stuffed into any foodie's Christmas stocking! ... Read more

Product Description
There are enough people out there obsessed with chocolate cake to warrant an official holiday, National Chocolate Cake Day, January 27th. Beloved baker Elinor Klivans, author of the best-selling Cupcakes! and Cupcake Kit, has dedicated her new cookbook to the stuff of chocoholic fantasy: chocolate cake. There's something for bakers of every skill level in the 50 recipes included here, from fast chocolate fixes like the Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake to more elaborate recipes like the Mocha Whipped Cream Truffle Cake. This book is certain to be celebrated by chocolate lovers everywhere. And how will they do that? With cake, of course! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Plenty of Pictures
This book makes a welcome addition to anyones 'beautiful' coffee book collection. There are plenty of great full color photos that make the recipes even more enticing. The illustrations and reading/workflow are also solid.

Pro's: Weights are included for all key ingredients (like flour) which will lead to far more accurate readings.

Cons: Where this book ends up in 3 star territory however is the editing/proofing - it's simply unacceptable that there are errors or missing steps. I would also only give 4 stars for creativity - good effort but not world class.

Super Yummy Fun to Make Chocolate Cakes
I got this book because my teenage daughter loves to bake.She absolutely loved this book.The recepies aren't complicated, the photos are mouthwatering and the ones we tried tasted amazing.Chocolate lovers everywhere will enjoy these yummy cakes.

Great for chocolate fans
This cookbook would be perfect for someone with a serious chocolate jones. Most people (including me) are going to try only a couple of the recipes, but real chocolate cake fans will get a lot out of this. I've baked two recipes and they both turned out very fine.

There's a good breakdown of cake baking practices and the various uses of chocolate in baking. The recipes are sometimes hard to read and leave steps out, but if you're an experienced or semi-experienced baker, you won't have a problem.

The book itself is beautifully set up (except for the sometimes too-small print) and the photos are very nice.

Nutshell: For the average person, 50 varieties of chocolate cakes is overkill, but this book isn't meant for the average person, really. It's for people who really want to delve deeply into one thing -- chocolate cake -- and for them, it's great. And if you're a pro baker, it might give you some great ideas to play off of.

Reads as easy as a prescription medicine bottle
This chocolate cake cookbook looks better on a coffee table than it performs in the kitchen. The villains here are DC Typography and designer Anne Donnard for producing a cookbook that is as easy to read as a prescription medicine bottle. Recipe titles are in muted colors. Detailed instructions appear to be in 9-point type, arranged in a series of long paragraphs. Striped backgrounds sit behind the ingredient lists, serving only to create a fuzzy look that makes reading a chore.

And don't get me started regarding the editing. I checked my copy twice, wondering if they slipped me an advance reader copy instead of the finished version.

I expected a color photo to accompany each recipe, considering there are only 50 contained within. No luck there either. Few of the photos "pop." For example, the Chocolate Pavola photo on page 74 shows a chocolate meringue lined with chocolate and filled with whipped cream and strawberries. The overhead photo flattens out the cake and a dusting of powdered sugar on the strawberries only dulls the contrast of colors.

I tried using the book in the kitchen. The book can stand on its spine but the awkward layout and small type prevented me from easily referring back to the recipe.

On a positive note, there are enough chocolate cake variations to satisfy everyone. The Chocolate Whiskey Cake on page 66 and the Happy Chocolate Cake on page 123 (Devil's Food cake layers and chocolate buttercream!) are next on my list.

In summary, this book suffers greatly from poor design. Cookbooks should be user friendly and this book is not with small type, muted colors and no step-by-step illustrations. Rating: two stars.

Nice and user-friendly book
I've bought this book as I've had great experiences baking from Ms Klivans' cookie book (big, fat, cookies), which might be my favorite cookie book all together.

I like the format and the quality of the book and the photographs.
The recipes are very approachable and suitable for both novice and experienced bakers, and there is a good variety, even though everything has chocolate. I love the fact that ingredients are presented in weight, as it ensures more accurate baking and succes in the outcome of recipes tried.

I've tried a few recipes: the white chocolate cake, which turned out excellent, that I used in the trifle recipe, in which I unfortunately came across an error in the recipe. The cream filling definately indicates a wrong amount of cream. I had to guess and used too much, which resulted in an almost seized filling, but I was able to rescue it and got rave reviews anyway. Liked this one a lot and the cake lends itself to many uses with fruits and fillings.

I also tried the chocolate cupcakes and the ganache from the 'master' recipes. The cupcakes turned out well enough, but the combination with the ganache made them into something truly special. We loved them. Unfortunately, I also discovered a slight error in the directions for the ganache: the recipe was correct, but in the directions you were told to 'let the ganache cool down for half an hour' until it was ready to spread on the cupcakes. My ganache only firmed up enough to spread after an overnight stay in the refrigerator, after which it was perfectly spreadable and delicious still. I knew before I started that half an hour wouldn't cut it, but I can see inexperienced bakers being misled by this. ... Read more

Product Description
The only cookbook that focuses exclusively on layer and sheet cakes, the fourth book in the American Baking Classics Series offers 40 delicious and detailed recipes for these old-time favorites.

Distinctively American, tall layer cakes and serve-from-the-pan sheet cakes are festive treats often baked for family gatherings, birthdays, community suppers, and school or charity bake sales.Layer Cakes and Sheet Cakes features these one-,two-, and three-layer wonders that serve up light and downy-textured cakes capped with tasty frostings, icings, and glazes.

Sure to please every time, the cake recipes include Banana Cake, Mint Chocolate Chip Cake, Wellesley Fudge Cake, Spiced Pumpkin Cake, Apple Cake with Walnuts and Raisins, and Blueberry and Spice Cake; and the frostings and icings include: Fluffy White Frosting, full of Chocolate Frosting, Creamy Coffee Frosting, Coconut-Pecan Frosting, and Cream Cheese Frosting.Along with these recipes, Lisa Yockelson, author of the three previous books in the series, also provides introductory material and notes on ingredients and equipment.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Charming Book - wish there were photographs!
This is a really charming cake book with a surprisingly extensive number of recipes considering the small size and width of the book.Physically, the book is small and doesn't look like a cookbook to take too seriously.However, the recipes really are well written, as well as produce great results.My favorite is the banana cake.

The recipes tend toward being homey, classic tastes rather than anything fancy or sophisticated.I really appreciate that all the recipes are all given good descriptions in the beginning so you can make good decisions - for instance, which one of the many chocolate cakes to make for your next occasion.

My only complaint is that there are no photographs - maybe next time! ... Read more

Product Description

With One Cake, One Hundred Desserts master just one basic cake recipe and you'll be able to turn out one hundred other desserts simply by adding a pinch of this or a dash of that.

Customer Reviews (6)

One Cake 100 Desserts
This book is very well conceived , well written and easy to follow. I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in baking cakes. This book supplies you with the information you will need to satisfy your sweet tooth, impress guest or simply enjoy the success of baking a beautiful cake, Enjoy!

Dessertlover
I am already familiar with Greg Case's delectable pastry desserts in the Boston area. His new cake recipe book gives a vast range of ways to take a familiar pound cake and make it into something that can satisfy nearly everyone's dessert tastes and need for something special.My wife and I will be trying out these recipes for years to come. This dessert book is definitely different and a welcome addition to our kitchen.

Good concept.
This book is great for a home baker.The concept is really great.It is truly, one recipe with many variations.

Destined to be my dessert cookbook cornerstone.
Who knew I was famous? But there I am, right there in the introduction. I'm the one always bringing the same dessert when I go out because that's the recipe I know by heart. But no more! I feel like I'm learning how to bake like a pro. This cookbook gives me the tools to be creative and infinitely adaptable just by mastering one simple but elegant recipe.

The directions are simple and straightforward, accompanied by warm stories and good bit of humor. Each new recipe flows naturally from the last, and I'm already coming up with creative new twists.

I highly recommend this cookbook for anyone who wants to increase his or her dessert repertoire painlessly.

Concept
Like the simplicity of the concept and the layout from the publisher. Same formula but 100 different tastes. I think this is great gift book for the Holidays. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Product Description

"Whether blowing out birthday candles or cutting the first piece at a wedding, there are no cakes better suited to wishing and dreaming than Colette’s enchanting creations."
--Donna Ferrari, Food & Wine Director, BRIDE’S Magazine

"Colette is an inspired artist who follows a road never-before traveled. Her cakes are amusing and loveable, and they defy gravity. Colette’s creations awaken the childlike spirit in all of us."
--Jacques Torres

"Colette’s innovative style and approach are vivid and unique. Her work is an inspiration! This is a brilliant and innovative composition of edible art!"
--Ewald Notter, Notter
International School of Confectionary Arts

Cake Decorating Tips from Cakes to Dream On

"Comfort Food" Pillow Cake

Aqua Applique

Colorful Cloisonné

Customer Reviews (64)

Not What I thought
I borrowed this from the library before I bought it.Thank Goodness.If is no way a learning book and way to much money for what is taught.I think the cakes are way to gaudy.I even showed two neighbors the book and they totally agreed.

Great product.
I ordered this product to give as a present and wasn't sure it would arrive on time.I was plesantly surprised when it did.The book was very well packed and was exactly as described. Recommend this seller to anyone!

Fantastic!
This book is my day by day Cake decorating book!
Any doubt that I have I can find the answer inside.
I totally recommend....

Amazingly accomplished, awfully tacky
To be fair, I am not the target audience for this book, ie. a cake pro. I am an experienced home cake baker and avid reader of cookbooks on baking and decorating.

I give this book a two star rating for originality and lots of pictures. Unfortunately, to me the visual style of these cakes is just off-putting in its (very American) garishness. They do not look like something one would wish to eat, in fact to me they are mostly amazing, can't-believe-this-is-a-cake eyesores. I'm sure they do impress a lot of people though which would make them ideal for corporate events, tacky weddings and such.

This is not a fair review to be sure - I'm sure that people who would want a cake that looks just like the (hideous) thing on the cover will be pleased. However, the book won't tell them - or anyone else - HOW to make such a cake. It seems that the whole idea behind the book is to promote this "author's" cake-making business.

Amazing!
This book is amazing!So many great ideas.I love the included recipes.I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

modern for its time
The best feature of this book is the layout. As the title suggests, instructions are given out in a most logical sequence. Directions start off with information on sculpting, then covering with fondant, onto to using color, then instant decorations and so on.
The techniques offered here were modern for its time, but now seem a bit dated. The sculpting ideas are good. I like the way she showed how a # 3 cake could be made, and there is some interesting information in the instant decoration section. Using jimmies as a board covering is a neat idea as was the caramel decoration-they looked like little butterflies. Other techniques new to me were the fondant ribbon insertions and modeling applications similiar to the polymer clay Fimo (the striped fondant on the circus cake is a good example).

However most of the other techniques have been better represented in other works.The cake designs shown in the book didn't appeal to me and I was not inspired by her book as it read like a text book. She should of shown a different cake to illustrate painting; a toy top would of been a much better choice, as the example she offered looked amateurish.
Other complaints include having too much information in this book to fit the title listed and the piping techniques being too difficult for a beginner to do. Overall not a great book.

Fine if you like fondant
Like many cake decorating books published in the UK, this book's cakes are not apt to have broad appeal to the US home baker. People who grew up with Aunt Betty's buttercream icing and Mom's frosted cupcakes after school may find the taste of the sugarpaste (rolled fondant) covering used on nearly all these cakes unfamiliar, too sweet, and with a stange texture. Most of the cakes are lovely to look at, but there is not a single one in here that I would actually make.

Beautiful cakes for the advanced cake decorator
The book is beautifully photographed and written, however the tools and ingredients are not for beginners.Ribbons and marzipan are used frequently, rather than plain icing, and the cakes are elaborate.

Only discusses fondant and sugarpaste techniques
This book does not illustrate any techniques used with piped icing.There are some beautiful cakes but they are decorated with either poured or rolled fondant.

I would reccomend this book to many others who are learning.
I have enjoyed reading this book, and learning all the techniques described inside. The recipes, and guidelines to follow are easy for the first time decorator.I will definitly recommend this book to all my friends, who wish to learn the basics about the art of cake decorating.Thank you Janice Murfitt ... Read more

Product Description
This work contains 20 recipes for making dinosaur cakes. The cakes range from the very quick and simple to the more complicated. Charts for different sized cakes are supplied to cater for different numbers of guests as well as slicing instructions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good but on the beginners side of cake decorating
This book was good as far as the sculpturing, but the over all designs were some what childish. ... Read more

Product Description
Make the cake?

Yes, you can.

If you love to bake and are willing to plan ahead, you can make a spectacular wedding cake--and you don't have to be a pastry chef to do it! Let prominent wedding cake expert Dede Wilson guide you through every layer of the process--from choosing among flavors and styles to baking, assembling, and decorating your way to a beautiful and delicious cake. This accessible cookbook not only gets you ready for the big event, it helps you lend a truly personal touch to the celebration.

"If you want to make your own wedding cake, Dede Wilson is the perfect guide. She helps you bake with confidence every step of the way to a delicious personalized result."
--Donna Ferrari, BRIDE'S magazine ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Wonderful book for beginning and advanced bakers, alike!
I love this book!Dede Wilson's directions and recipes are excellent - despite the number of cake books I own, I have quickly found this book to be my "go to" cookbook for cakes!Her recipes are very easy to execute, and allow for various sizes of pans.I use her essential chocolate cake and essential white cake recipes - along with her variations on these - constantly.I bake special occasion cakes as a side business, and these recipes never fail to receive rave reviews.Lots of helpful hints on planning out your baking, as well as transporting, assembling, decorating, etc.She also lists sources for specialty ingredients, which is extemely helpful!Highly recommend.

Perfect book for first time wedding cake bakers!
This book gives excellent, step-by-step directions on how to bake a wedding cake.Perfect for the first timer!I had baked birthday cakes in the past, but until a couple months ago had never attempted a wedding cake (for 125 guests - yikes!).I absolutely could NOT have pulled it off without the information in this book.Got the book from a local library first, but actually purchased my own copy on Amazon to to keep on hand for the next wedding!This book's worth buying for the butter-cream frosting recipe alone, which is now a family favorite.

Great for amateur bakers!
If you've never baked before or your cookies always come out burned and your cakes never seem to rise right, this book isn't going to turn you into a pastry chef.But if you bake for fun and you're good enough to have friends/family request tasty treats from you, this should be all you need to take on the challenge of creating a wedding cake.

This has all the basic directions you'll need to pick flavors for a wedding cake, bake, decorate, construct, and deliver it successfully.There are charts for serving size, how much syrup, frosting, and filling needed for a given size cake, and cutting methods.The cakes in this book all have the same components: 1 of 3 basic cake recipes (white, yellow, chocolate), a moistening syrup w/ flavor, filling, and frosting.Once you figure out what flavors you want incorporated, it's easy to find the recipe you want or to improvise from the ones given to make your ideal cake.

My sister-in-law and I both used this book along with The Wedding Cake Book to bake each other's wedding cakes.We both enjoy baking, but had never taken on a task like this before.This is a must-have for any first-time wedding cake bakers.The Wedding Cake Book is a nice addition if you're looking for more complex recipes and flavors.

Great book!!!
I am making my friend's wedding cake in the fall.I took a cake decorating course where I learned to make and decorate with frosting that is made of crisco and powdered sugar.It looks great, but tastes blah.Same with fondant.The cakes and frostings in this book are soooo delicious.I made the lemon and blackberry cake for a friend's birthday and it got rave reviews.

What I like most about this book is that it gives specific, step-by-step instructions on making a wedding cake, how far in advance to prepare parts of the cake, and lots of 'troubleshooting' help.The taste of the frosting is pure heaven and it is nice to pipe with as well.I can't wait to finish making every recipe in the book!This is a must buy.

Helpful, beautiful pictures, but...
While the content is generally helpful and the finished product is a beautiful cake, the recipes for the cakes were not very good. They smelled good, but basically that was it. The layers tasted almost cornmeally and were very, very dry. Even after brushing on the syrup flavoring, they still had a cornbread texture in the mouth. If you're looking for ideas for a wedding cake, this is a good read. If you're looking for recipes, please pass. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

More like four hours though
This is a great book for making a professional looking cake. I have never done a class but I managed the smaller version of the fairy castle cake. BUT no way could I do that in two hours. I bought a sheet cake and cut two rounds out of it so I had a very flat cake to start with. Making the decorations and putting it together took about three and a half. Also, you have to work over a couple of nights to allow the turrets to dry.

Wonderful instructions
This book has fondant covered cakes for beginners and the somewhat advanced decorator. There are instructions on how to cover your cakes with fondant, and how to decorate them with figurines to be molded out of fondant. The instructions are all very clear and result in doable cakes with wonderful results. Lots of pictures guide you through the proces of making and decorating the cake of your choice. The recipe for the Madeira sponge cake is the easiest I've ever tried and delicious too. Most cakes will probably take a bit longer than two hours, but there's something for every occasion, from baby themed to sports, birthday ideas for children and grown ups both, and suitable for both males and females. Overall, a wonderful book that will make you confident to make your own cakes into a succes.

I don't know about the two hour's.
If you are like me it would take longer than two hour's to make one ofthese cakes. ;> It is a wonderful book filled with cakes that willdefinately get people's attention.Some of them are so cute you may have ahard time cutting it to eat.The pictures are very good,it goes step bystep,has a list of ingredients and utensils needed for each one.Someexamples are: a hot dog,jungle scene,birthdayfairy,puppy,purse,babies,bears,birds,wedding couple,etc.These really makeyou want to spend the time to make a fondant cake.

Great Party cakes
I found this book at the library and fell in love with it, and bought it for my own collection. My daughter is turning 4 next month and I was going to buy her a cake. But after finding this book I decided to do it myself. Ialways thought I would have to take cake decorating classes in order tomake a cake worth showing. But with this book, I was able to make a cakethat everyone raved about. There are so many different cakes for alldifferent occasions. Anyone can bake a cake they are proud of with thisbook. ... Read more

Product Description
The Cake Decorating Guide offers hints and notes on unusual ingredients, while step-by-step photographs guide the reader through many tricky techniques. Included is a comprehensive pictorial guide to essential equipment with detailed instructions on the best ways to use and maintain them. Preparation pages with step-by-step photographs and easy-to-follow instructions explain different methods that make this book perfect for bakers of all ages and abilities. Beautifully photographed glossaries show unusual ingredients and food varieties with their common and not-so-common names. Snippets of related history add interest while colorful double-page features provide a wealth of information on buying, storing and preparing some of the more unusual ingredients. Over 500 full-color photographs are featured. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

So-so book
The book, while having the information i DID need, isn't the best overall. there's a lot of cake ideas but they're kind of strange. i guess that's just opinion though. It's a european book and all the ingredient directions are ...well they're nt american. not good for someone who doesn't want to take the time to convert.

But like i said, it had the info i needed so im happy!

Good but a little disappointing....
This book is beautiful and helpful, but I was disappointed there are no instructions for the small purple flowers on the cover (violets?).Still and all, a good book.

Excellent Book
I took this book out of the library and ended up buying it.I been doing cakes for many years and took at least 5 classes and still learned a lot from this book.I would recommend this to anyone interested in cake decorating.

Helpful Tips, and Strange Snakes...
Hello All,

Yes, this book was full of useful cake decorating tips, and ideas. I learned many things that I was curious about. I would not feel that I had done the right thing, though, if I didn't leave a review about the book, as it contains imagery that some may find offensive. They do not bother to tell you that on the cover, or in the description above, so I thought I would take care of that for the rest of you, because I have acquired a copy of this manual, and I care.

The director of this book was obviously very into Christendom. In the "MODELING" portion of the book, which runs from pages 92-103, there is a small section under the subheading, "ACCESSORIES," on how to create a "book" from your paste. There is only one example showing there, and there is a huge, gold cross on theirs. I guess they thought it was cute.

Pages 140-191 cover "CHILDREN'S CAKES." The image of the "SPOTTY SNAKE" cake, on page 144 of the manual, may cause your adult friends to either be amused, offended, or both. The head of the snake is shaped rather strangely, and it was obviously distracting enough to the makers of it, that they even forgot to fork its tongue. I had to mention it, because it was offensive to me. I wouldn't make that particular dessert for any child. Not like that. It looks weird.

Pages 192-225 are nothing but "CHRISTMAS CAKES." I don't celebrate Christmas, so I could not view this part of the book as being anything "essential."

Anyhow, other than that, this book is a nice addition to anyone's collection of culinary manuals. I am not trying to deter anyone from purchasing this book, I just thought it would have been nice if I had been forewarned about the aforementioned, by someone. I am glad that it wasn't sent as a gift for someone! I like to know that I am sending nice things. It wasn't a bad purchase, I was just caught a little off guard, that's all.

If you do decide to purchase the book, enjoy, and just WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES!!!

Sincerely,
Nidus Productions

POSTED: 10:33 p.m. PST, May 11, 2010

Lots of great information
Being a new cake decorator I've been searching all over Amazon for cake decoration books.I'm pretty much a sponge right now trying to absorb all I can.This book is really a great find for those looking for information beyond the basics.As one other reviewer mentioned this book doesn't cover much in regards to butter cream designs but it does tell you tons of information on working with fondant, modeling chocolate, gumpaste etc.The book has great pictures and step by step instructions.The only thing I didn't like as much is that the cakes they created are really more to get you familiar with the techniques and not necessarily cakes in line with today's trends.I found some of the designs reminded me of things from the 80's.So I won't be replicating any of the cakes in the book but the techniques can definitely still be used for today's styles. ... Read more