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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Cakes for Romantic Occasions Review

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(More customer reviews)I buy a lot of cake books off the reviews - because lets face it - we are the real judges not the book critics. I have about 20+ cake decorating books and this has to be one of the best ever. Not only does it give your great recipes (more than boring maderia) but portion sizing too! So many cake fall from grace because of their lack of pictures and instruction - this has it in spades. Well set out, well written and the photos are just what you need and none of what you don't.
The whole idea of this book is to inspire. It's brilliant and certainly does inspire you to come up with something unique for your own cake decorating future.

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You will indulge in this fresh and contemporary collection of irresistible cakes to suit every romantic occasion, from traditional wedding cakes to quirky Valentines treats and cupcakes to share with their loved ones.
The author does not only show readers how to create beautiful cakes with ease, but also advises on the best way to transport, display and serve.
Offering instruction on how to make coordinating favors and gifts, the versatility of each cake will ensure readers will be creating them all year round for all of those special occasions.

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Wedding Cakes: Exciting Designs with Full Step-By-Step Instructions Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book because of the beautiful lacy detail work Sylvia does on her cakes, but the more I looked at the cakes in the photos, the more I kept saying, there is something wrong with the way these look. Sylvia uses very large separator plates and does not blend in the base to the top of the cakes. The look is very distracting to the overall presentation. It is a shame because many of her designs are so elegant. I would not reccomend this book as a sole source of cake decorating tips.

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14 elegant confections, from a traditional three-tiered stunner topped with a happy bride and groom to a whimsical pair of his-and-hers top hat and picture hat cakes. Complete instructions are given for more than 20 different decorating techniques, including making lace, embroidery, extension work, ribbon insertion, and creating a whole garden full of flowers.80 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 11.

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Picture Yourself Decorating Cakes Review

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(More customer reviews)I checked this book out from my local library and I'm glad I did, because I would not be willing to pay for this book. The pictures are helpful for learning techniques, but I had huge issues with the recipes included in the book. At the beginning, it offers a fairly detailed, scientific description of the ingredients that go into a cake and what you should look for in the grocery store. This depth is completely missing from the recipes. The instructions are incomplete or not descriptive enough (a pat of butter? This is baking- not cooking! Accurate measurements are important!) and it doesn't tell you how long to let things cool before moving onto steps like taking the cake out of the pan and cutting it into layers. I tested out the Boston Creme Pie recipe and ended up with soupy creme filling instead of the very thick creme it should be. The chocolate ganache recipe included in the book (for the sole purpose of this one cake) made a huge amount of topping. They should have said it doesn't use the whole recipe or just halved the original recipe. Not impressed by this book at all!

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From birthday parties, to baby showers, to holiday dinners, cakes play a special and delicious part in each celebration. Whether you have dabbled in cake baking and decorating before or you have never attempted to create a cake from scratch, "Picture Yourself Decorating Cakes" will introduce you to the pleasures of creating an edible work of art in your kitchen to share with family and friends. This primer on cake decorating includes recipes, methods, and tips that show you step-by-step how to bake and frost cakes that not only taste good but look beautiful. Full-color photographs illustrate each step of the cake creation process, including the ingredients to buy, the basic tools you will need, baking secrets, and decorating techniques from the simply striking to professional quality. Learn how to create cakes for a variety of occasions using buttercream, cream cheese, royal, and fondant icings. And if you want to take your cake decorating to a more advanced level, follow along with the accompanying DVD as co-author Linda Shonk shows you how to apply and mold her Choco-Pan fondant frosting into beautiful flowers and other designs to crown your cake with. Discover how fun and easy it is to create tasty and stunning cakes, cupcakes, petits fours, and more with "Picture Yourself Decorating Cakes!"

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Cakes to Inspire and Desire Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this book with very high hopes, because Lindy's cakes are so spectacular. However, I was a little disappointed. Her specialty is the wonky cakes like the one on the cover, but I found her instructions were pretty sparse. I have learned more about how to put together wonky cakes from free online tutorials than from the info in this book. I also think the photography was insufficient. All of the photos of the wonky cake construction are shown from the top, looking down on the top of the cake. This isn't helpful in seeing how the wonky cake is supposed to look from the side.
There are only 2 recipes included, one for chocolate cake and one for madeira. Both recipes are presented in chart form (use this amount of ingredients for this size cake) with another chart for fruit additions.
There are lots of instructions for using "cake jewelry" (wire and beading to decorate the cakes) and specialty cookie cutters that look great but are also an unbelievable amount of work.
There are complete decorating instructions for 15 different cakes in 3 categories: round, square and creative (odd shapes).
All of the cakes are gorgeous, but most look extremely intimidating to try to make. But the title of this book is "Cakes to Inspire and Desire", not "Cakes to Whip Up in a Few Minutes". And they certainly do inspire!

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*Written by a popular and experienced cake designer *Range of techniques and skill levels ensures broad appeal *Lindy's other best-selling titles include Celebrate with a Cake (28,000copies sold) and Party Animal Cakes (20,000 copies sold) Readers will discover a collection of 15 truly inspirational anddeceptively simple celebratory cakes, each with a modern and distinctivefinish. Lavish colour photographs display a unique variety of traditionaland contemporary styles from florals and frills to stripes and beadwork. Each cake is accompanied by exquisite mini-cakes to put a creative twist onthe main theme, or to make as an alternative when time is short. Chaptersare divided by shape, showing how a simple square or round design can bethe basis for the most desirable of cakes.

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