1,000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes (1000 Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was an interesting journey that surprised me in that, thinking that there might be some tutorials to go along with the photo's, this is instead literally 1000 photographs of cakes and cookies and cupcakes.
Within the covers of this paperback book are full-page or half-page or quarter-page photographs of cookies, cakes, and cupcakes that will definitely inspire. Under each photo is the name of the person that created the baked delight. Though some of these credits will be just the names of the decorators, some will have the accompanying website that you can access for further idea's. If you do go to the websites offered, there you will find more photo's along with some beautiful tutorials and/or instruction as well as more information on the decorator. So with a little extra effort, your journey will take you to many parts of the world to learn more on the photo's that piqued your interest. Each photo is full color with wonderful detail.
The book is set as such:
First there are 5 sections of groupings that showcase each set of pictures and each photo has an accompanying number.
Elegant Entertaining
Baby and Child
Holiday
Just for Fun
Weddings and Engagements
After the above groupings, the next section is "Frosting Recipes" for:
Meringue Buttercream
Simple Buttercream
Gananche
Royal Icing
2 Recipes for Fondant (as well as amounts needed to cover cakes)
Gumpaste
Marzipan
The next section of the book is labeled "Image Directory" and this is where you look up the number of the photo which is accompanied by a very short description of the baked good, which might include what type of frosting used or cookie cutter, etc.
The last section of the book is the "Contributor Directory" which lists each of the bakers and decorators, in alphabetical order, with their websites and contact information.
I think that this is a lovely book, especially for beginners, to help your decorating interest but understand that it is not a teaching book. You will have to be more of a detective with this book in that you need to check out the websites offered, which may or may not include specifics, but which will put you in contact with the artists. For those with advanced skills, perhaps you would like to look at other authors/books. Peace.

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A sugar-coated feast for the eyes and the imagination—this exciting 1,000 collection presents glorious full-color photographs of beautiful, outrageous, and deliciously decorated desserts, from extravagant wedding and birthday cakes to cupcakes and cookies that are miniature works of art.
Like all of the books in our 1,000 series, this is not an instructional book, rather, it is a visual showcase designed to provide endless inspiration for anyone who loves decorative baking and entertaining.

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Hello, Cupcake: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make Review

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(More customer reviews)SUGAR ALERT: I will be fawning and tripping all over in talking about this book!
If you are a closet cake-decorator but you don't feel up in the ranks of Duff or Colette or Martha, then grab this book and hold on to your socks, because Karen Tack and Alan Richardson will take you on a fabulous decorating ride!!
Wow, wow, and WOW! This veritable encyclopedia of "mini-cake" decorating is so fun and easy that there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to lament "they can't". With the use of food items found anywhere, you will be making the cutest, and most impressive cupcake creations you can possibly think of, and Karen and Alan will make you legendary to boot!
This team of talent has come up with extremely amazing and irresistable cupcakes like giraffes, Van Gogh paintings, clowns, aquariums, etc that will all fit on top of a little poof of cake batter.
The book size itself is large with big print which lends itself to the purpose of the photographic detail that is so big, sharp, and clear, there is no doubt or question on sequence or step. Karen Tack is the recipe creator and food stylist and Alan Richardson is the text writer and photographer; both are brilliant and incredibly talented individuals, so as a team, they are a match made in cupcake heaven.
The Acknowledgement page was itself fun and relaxed, not something plodded through; you can tell it was done with real gratitude and thought, which is part of the overall charm of how this book was put together.
There are 8 chapters between the "Introduction" and the "Sources"; got those socks gripped?........
INTRODUCTION: Your text page begins the journey, and right after, you are given an impressive section of pages that visually, and with text, show you how you will make the many creations through the use of candies, cookies, and types of sugars.
CUPCAKING TECHNIQUES: This was invaluable for those who are novice cupcake bakers or wannabe's. Hints and instructions on methods for pouring batter, spreading frosting, making frosting, and melting chocolate for designs, are shown in close detail. They show you how to make "fur" for the lion cupcakes and "leaves" for flowers. This is followed by methods used to draw "bugs", people faces, and hairstyles by using melted chocolate and candies. The next section shows how you will literally build up these creations, like the bowling pin cupcakes, so instruction is shown in simple and fascinating detail. Part of the more complex designs require a grouping of cupcakes, like "corn on the cob", "rabbits in a hole", or the "alligator", and you are given an idea of the schematics involved in getting them just right!
APRIL FOOL'S THEME:
Corn on the Cob
Bagels and Lox
Buttered Popcorn
TV Dinner ("peas & carrots", "drumsticks", & "mashed potato" cupcakes!)
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Box of Chocolates
Van Gogh's "Starry Night" in frosting (he'd love it!)
PARTY ANIMALS:
March of the Penguins
Fat Cats (cats with their paws on fishbones!)
Fishbowl (you use those Pepperidge Farm fishies for this one!)
Panda-monium
Westies
Crazy Horses (this uses candy circus peanuts and wafers)
Pup Cakes (a whole bunch of poochies to choose from!)
Monarchs (what a great Spring party or bridal shower presentation!)
Shark Attack (you'll want to go into these waters!)
Old Swampy the 'Gator
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CUPCAKE!:
When I Grow Up
Party Princess (any little girl will just LOVE these!)
Slumber Party
Big Birthday Party
Bowl Me Over (this is soooo darn cute; pins and a bowling ball!!!)
The Big Top (definitely a more time-required, but great, project)
HOSTEST with the MOSTEST:
Sunflowers (a veritable burst of green and yellow and Oreo cookies!)
Black and White Party
Play Pool (no one will mind the 8 ball!)
Baby Shower
Petit Fours (very elegant and delicate)
Garden Party ( a "garden" of carrots, peas, radishes, and cabbage)
Easter Eggs
Rabbit Holes (so unbelievably clever; Karen Tack is a genious!)
Candy Stars and Stripes Forever
Family Tree
Wedding Cake and Monograms
NIGHTMARE BEFORE THANKSGIVING:
Alien Invasion
Creepy Crawlers (almost good enough for goin' fishin')
What a Hoot
Pumpkin Patch ( absolutely adorable; Alan's photography is superb!)
Howling Werewolves
Autumn Leaves (how did they think of this great project?!)
Larry the Turkey
HOLIDAY ON ICING:
Edible Ornaments (incredible boxed "ornaments"!)
String of Delights
Snow Globes (this was sheer genius by placing the cakes on their side!)
Gingerbread Boys
Partridge in a Pear Tree (fantastic!)
Nutcracker Sweet (you'll be dancing!)
Frosting the Snowman (too darn cute!)
White Wreath (Christmas glory in white and red! Awesome!)
CUPCAKES AND FROSTINGS:
(Cake mix recipes): Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Chunk Surprise, Chocolate Mint, Orange Spice, Banana Chocolate, Gingerbread
(Homemade recipes): Chocolate Cupcakes, Banana Cupcakes, Carrot Cupcakes, Almond Cupcakes, Lemon-Poppy Seed Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes
(Frostings): Next-to-Instant Ganache (melted chocolate), Homemade Ganache, Almost-Homemade Vanilla Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Frosting
SOURCES
OK, OK.................I have gone beyond fawning but if you're a cake decorating fool like myself, you understand the passion. My deep gratitude to Karen and Alan; you guys ROCK!


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Cake Decorating at Home Review

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(More customer reviews)Bravo to Ms. Clark on her cake decorating book debut! An experienced cake decorator but new to the publishing field, Zoe Clark has hit a home run with her first foray into the field of teaching and writing. This 128 page, soft cover book is quite a thorough class in the basics of cake decorating and through simple, yet well-written direction, she will take anyone from a novice or an intermediate cake decorator, and teach them well.
And it all seems to have started after she created and baked her own wedding cake back in 2005. From there she went off to work with top UK cake designers then opened her own shop in 2008. The projects will be challenging enough for the beginner and intriging enough for the intermediate decorator. Those with either high-level or professional-level talent will find this a wonderful reference guide for those they teach.
This book has been identified for the home decorator and so the projects would be those that are basic but still pretty and elegant. And the family can definitely be involved in the projects as some are quite simple and any extra hands in the kitchen when preparing cakes and such, are always welcome!
While there are 10 actual cake projects to enjoy, Ms. Clark begins the book with a solid Introduction and solid Conclusion of this work. There are bountiful photo's both close-up and distant, and while there aren't detailed step-by-step pictorials, you have all the visuals you need. I was very impressed with the amount of detail she put into the "Basic Techniques" section; she covered everything and this was definitely one of the better books in this area. It is sectioned as such:
INTRODUCTION
BAKING ESSENTIALS and GENERAL EQUIPMENT
CREATIVE TOOLS
BASIC TECHNIQUES: Preparing cake tins/layering, filling and preparing cakes to be covered/carving and sculpting the cake/covering with marzipan and sugarpaste/working with shaped cakes/ using icing boards/securing ribbon around cake boards/assembling tiered cakes/cake stands/mini-cake assembly/baking cupcakes/decorating cupcakes/fondant-dipped cupcakes/petit fours/baking cookies/covering ccokies with sugarpaste/royal iced cookies/run-out icing/drop-in flooding/making a piping bag/working with flowerpaste/coloring icings.
BASIC CAKE RECIPES: This was a wonderful section with several charts to help with determining cake size, ingredient amounts, filling amounts, portions, etc. Of course, there are the recipes for Classic Sponge Cake, Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Cake, Fruit Cake, flavoring, fillings, buttercream, and sugar syrups.
THE PROJECTS: With each project, she also gives you "theme" ideas which add just the right touch!
1) Daisy Chain Days: Cover photo of a mini daisy cake beset by surrounding daisy cupcakes; fresh and clean; just right for a Springtime celebration!
2) Baby's Special Sewing Box: A patchwork cake that at first, seemed difficult in how to piece the fondant together but when studied, is quite easy. The pastel colors are enchanting, with the addition of fondant stars and hearts and circles, and the use of a stitching tool to make "seams" makes this a mighty fetching "quilt" for baby!
3) A Birthday in Technicolor: A 2-tiered chocolate birthday cake with lollipop cookies and fondant streamers gently placed on the cake. The matching cupcakes are bedecked with stars and sprinkles to coordinate the colors.
4) Summer Seaside Celebration: This was adorable! A pale blue "sand pail" cake with seashells and starfish on the top of the brown sugar sand! Seashell cookies, bikini cookies, and frangipane blooms finish the scene. She placed the sand pail atop a white cake pedestal; how beautiful!!
5) Cherry Blossom Breeze: Now this one was my favorite and making the cherry blossoms was a breeze, yet they were so delicate and fragile looking, that is was a joy to make these; the petals are one shape of 3 descending sizes, stacked upon each other with the edges of each petal trimmed in edible gold dust. The cake was one of the simplest in which you have 2 graduated square cakes, stacked, with their bases wrapped in a wide fondant ribbon. These ribbons are covered with simple shades of the pink/red color family of dainty little flowers. The cherry blossoms come in as the 2 large main ornaments, each placed on one tier. Matching petit fours and lantern cookies complete the presentation. Very elegant but dramatic!
6) A Magical Tea Party: This will be the most fun to make!! An "Alice in Wonderland" party complete with a Mad Matter Cake as well as a Wonky Cake with a Teacup atop! Teapot and teacup cookies make this perfect for any little girl!
7) Dressed All in White: Ethereal!! Floating tiers hold a square wedding cake of 3 graduated tiers covered in ivory fondant, and with the use of cel boards, white "lace" is applied to the cakes with delicate scalloped edges. The placement of mini cakes, with delicate butterflies perched atop as if ready to fly away, as well as wedding cake cookies, made this photo a dream!
8) A Secret Garden Party: This was amazing to behold! So simple in its construction but just breathtaking in its presentation. A white dome-shaped "birdcage" all in white with brown fondant "wrought-iron" strips with scroll designs at the bottom of the cage, begins this project. A pastel pink royal icing bird is perched on one of the scrolls as tiny, delicate pink and white roses are scattered all about the cage. Birdcage cookies and domed cupakes in silver liners and pastel icing, toped with larger roses, and "wrought-iron" icing from center to edge of the cupcake, complete this dream of an idea.

9) A Gift-Wrapped Christmas: This would be the crown jewel centerpiece of your Christmas sweet table. 2 graduated boxes, one in white fondant and the other in red, wrapped in fondant ribbons and bows with tiny holly, berries, and polka dots! Festive Christmas trees and candy cane cookies would welcome Santa anytime!
10) Dressing Up Box: This was quite different in its conception and design. 3 white, graduated round cakes with each layer being decorated either in white chocolate panels, ruffles, or scalloped trim at the base. The theme is black and white (with a single pink rose on top the cake) and while it is more modern in thought, it is rather impressive in sight. Shoe cookies and mini cakes matching the various layers is quite eye-catching.
Templates and Suppliers
Acknowledgements and Zoe's story
Index
I was very much impressed with this book, perhaps because I so much enjoy the delicacy and femininity of the projects. The colors were all joyous and enchanting. But the real pull for me was the manner in which Ms. Clark taught and the attention to how best to get her ideas across without too much fuss or unnecessary detail. I admit to not having started on any one cake just yet but I have enjoyed doing the side projects offered. Nonetheless, this one is a keeper. Peace!

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Cake decorating is creative, fun and easy to learn, and this book proves that you shouldn?t save your cake decorating ideas just for birthday and weddings! Over 30 designs for cakes, cupcakes, minicakes and cookies allow you to make sweet treats for friends and family all year round; the featured cake decorating techniques suit all skill levels.

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Starting A Cake Business: How To Start A Cake Decorating Business Review

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(More customer reviews)The first red flag with this book is that the font is like size 18. I'm an adult, not a 5 year old. I can read with big-girl sized letters. Once you actually read it, it sounds more like a high school report (including several grammatical errors). It supplies vague information that is not useful to anyone. Here is one of my favorites when talking about purchasing cake pans:
"Try to get quality pans, talk to other professionals or do some research online if you aren't sure which ones to buy."
Seriously? I would think cake pans are some pretty fundamental building blocks for a cake business, but that's all you have to say? No suggestions on brands? No thoughts on dimensions or material? I'm glad she took the time to tell you to ask other professionals, because clearly she is not one.
"If you have issues with your oven, buy a new one."
Wow. No, really, that's about all she has to say about that. That's 1 of the 4 sentences in the paragraph involving ovens.
If you want to start your own cake decorating business, don't waste your money on this book. Invest in a solid, general home-based business book. Invest in cake decorating books. "... talk to other professionals or do some research online ..." instead of getting this book.

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This book is about starting a cake business. Learn how to set up your cake baking and cake decorating business, including marketing, lowering your taxes and organizing your business. It also reveals "insider" baking secrets, professional baking tips, and special ways to easily make more money. Time management secrets and a unique action plan are also provided to you.

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