Cakes Books - Page 3

Cakes to Dream On: A Master Class in Decorating

Colette Peters

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Culinary Arts & Techniques

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

cake decorator 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Cakes extremely too difficult to recreate except for a professional. Very little detail given in the art of doing it. Great pictures and beautiful creations just not practical. Very little helpful know how explained. Does include pattern for the detail work which is helpful but you have to enlarge them and not all directions are included. When it says "Master" class, you better be a "Master Cake Decorator" cause other wise you just have a book to collect.

Editorial Review:

"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

The Whimsical Bakehouse: Fun-to-Make Cakes That Taste as Good as They Look!

Kaye Hansen, Liv Hansen

Amazon Price: $18.15 List Price: $27.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $15.52

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 74 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Three neon-bright layers of cake, tilted at a jaunty angle and adorned with edible chocolate candles; a Jackson Pollock–inspired cheesecake spattered with chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter icing; and a swarm of plump bees perched atop a rainbow of candy-colored cupcakes—these are only a few examples of the unfettered creativity at work at the Riviera Bakehouse. There, mother-daughter bakers Kaye and Liv Hansen turn out some of the most charming, refreshingly eccentric cakes ever to grace a birthday or wedding celebration.

Kaye and Liv believe that a cake should taste as good as it looks, so they skip esoteric (and inedible) decorations in favor of simple buttercream, flavored whipped cream, and tinted candymaker’s chocolate, covering their luscious cakes with amusing designs and gorgeous color that are easy to make and delicious to eat. The cakes themselves are no less enticing, pairing old-fashioned favorites like Banana Cake and Spice Cake with sumptuous fillings such as French Custard and Chocolate Mousse. Simple step-by-step lessons, illustrated with photographs, explain how to re-create Liv’s charming chocolate designs, from the bright polka dots that shine against dark chocolate glaze to the shimmering stars that adorn the enchanting “Starry Night.” Templates for the delightful designs allow you to adapt these techniques to create your own unique decorations.

With time-tested tips and complete information on everything from mixing colors to adjusting pan sizes, the Hansens explain all you need to know to get started. Whether you’re dreaming of an elegant Chocolate Apricot Pecan Torte or a three-tiered butter cake filled with spiked mocha cream and embellished with fantastical spring flowers, The Whimsical Bakehouse is the ultimate guide to creating delicious, showstopping confections that are completely original.

Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut

PAUL R. MULLINS

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: University Press of Florida Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $16.20

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Beloved and Detested Sweet Treat 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

"Tell me what you eat," said that philosopher of the kitchen Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, "and I will tell you what you are." What would he make of a nation which has the doughnut as one of the foods the world knows it by? What does it mean that doughnuts are defined as a particularly American food? Perhaps an anthropologist could tell us, and in the surprising and enlightening _Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut_ (University Press of Florida), anthropologist Paul R. Mullins has done so. Indeed, he has found those who say that a Krispy Kreme shop makes them proud to be Americans, and those who regard a shop as a shrine with pilgrims and converts. "It may seem absurd," Mullins writes, "that an apparently innocuous doughnut could be wrapped in the flag and lent an air of religiosity, but few dimensions of our world say as much about us as food." We do, however, have mixed feelings about our doughnuts. We may like them, but even those of us who like them know they are not really good for us, and there are those who hate them because they represent decadence or foolish food choices. Doughnuts, then, have a disputed symbolism, and their marketing and consumption can be mined, surprisingly, for various insights into American life.

The book reproduces a 1627 still life painting by Juan van der Hamen y Leon which shows pastries of the torus shape anyone would now recognize. This particular shape had one of its first mentions in print in 1877. That the toroidal shape certainly pre-dates cookbooks or oil paintings did not prevent an American from claiming invention of the doughnut hole. Captain Hanson Gregory, a cook at sea, found that the soggy and greasy doughnuts he was making resisted becoming more digestible by changing their ingredients, but once he lessened the lumps of dough by cutting a hole out, changing the shape made all the difference. He was nominated to the National Doughnut Hall of Fame for his contribution; the nomination read in part that he "not only discovered the hole in the first place, but invented the proper process for enclosing the hole in the doughnut." The Doughnut Corporation of America thus in the 1940s attempted to certify the appeal of assigning the origin of the hole in the doughnut to a New England seafarer. This is the same company that produced what Mullins says is "an ideologically distorted 1944 account" which claimed that the Pilgrims themselves brought their treasured doughnut recipe with them to the New World on the _Mayflower_.

In 2005, Florida governor Jeb Bush tried to strike a blow for Republicans within blue collar workers, when he wanted to know how many tax cuts Democrats had proposed for "Joe Bag of Donuts." In this, he was able to avoid reference to the drinking habits of Joe Six Pack, but Mullins shows that the consumption of doughnuts transcends economic class. However, the great spokesman for the doughnut is that industrial worker Homer Simpson, who gets four pages of coverage here in acknowledgment of his addiction. Mullins writes, "In _The Simpsons'_ hands, doughnuts are an especially powerful mechanism to examine the limits of desire, since doughnuts seem to have no significant redeeming feature besides the pleasure their ingestion produces." This "bad" characteristic has been the focus of the moralizing about doughnuts as early as 1846, and the importation of American doughnut franchises to other countries has been called "`calorie colonialism' planned by corporate America". The moral connection links cops to doughnuts, too; perhaps doughnut shops encourage being frequented by cops to keep robberies down, and perhaps, as one policeman argued, doughnut shops are easy places for cops to meet to discuss and solve crimes. Perhaps also they get free doughnuts (although any police force has rules against this), but there is no perhaps that doughnut shops remind citizens of the policeman's reputation for sloth and corruption. On a lighter note, wedding cakes are made from Krispy Kremes; one such record-breaker weighed over a ton, but many brides opt for a smaller version. In Portland, Oregon, Voodoo Doughnuts has doughnuts for weddings, and since the proprietors are ordained ministers, they offer weddings in the store. Mullins, as you can tell from this little summary, has pulled many facets of a humble luxury food together in a serious but entertaining study that answers in diverse ways the question, "What does the doughnut mean?"

Editorial Review:

In Mullins's skillful hands, this simple pastry provides surprisingly compelling insights into our eating habits, our identity, and modern consumer culture.

The Twinkies Cookbook: An Inventive and Unexpected Recipe Collection from Hostess

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Ten Speed Press Amazon Marketplace: 63 new & used starting at $0.75

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A slue of fun and tasty recipes 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Wow, what a fun little book! This book contains a slue of fun and tasty recipes, all made with that quintessential American treat, the Twinkie! My favorite two were definitely the Chocolate Twinkie Trifle, and the Chocolate Twinkie Pops - two hits with the kids.

So, if you want to really make a connection with the kids, get this book, and make one of the fun and easy recipes. I give this book my highest recommendations!

MMmmmmm Twinkies 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I got this for my boyfriend as a semi-gag Christmas gift, and we love it! I cook a lot and would have never thought to do some of the things that Hostess has come up with. There is a brief section about the history of the Hostess Twinkie, and then it gets right to the good stuff. I like the fried Twinkies and the Twinkie sushi. We don't have any kids, but for those of you that do, this is perfect! Everyone will love to make (and of course eat) these treats. I think the hardest part, oddly enough, has actually been finding Twinkies at the grocery store.

Editorial Review:

The official Twinkies cookbook, with sweet and savory recipes from hard-core fans showcasing the many ingenious ways to cook appetizers, main courses, desserts, and snacks with Twinkies.

Betty Crocker Just Cupcakes: 100 Recipes for the Way You Really Cook (Betty Crocker Books)

Betty Crocker Editors

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $8.31

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Editorial Review:

No one can resist the cute and compact confection called a cupcake, and Betty Crocker Just Cupcakes: 100 Recipes for the Way You Really Cook shows you how to make everyday, elegant, holiday-themed, and special occasion cupcakes that are easy to make and fun to decorate. Affordable and conveniently formatted with a lay-flat binding, this book includes quick tips, directions for substitutions, and advice on make-ahead cake to save you time. Fifty-five photos accompany recipes like Key West, Peanut Butter and Jelly and Midnight Molten cupcakes.

The Cake Decorator's Motif Bible: 150 Fabulous Fondant Designs with Easy-to-Follow Charts and Photographs

Sheila Lampkin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

150 tempting designs with no-fail instructions.

The Cake Decorator's Motif Bible presents 150 foolproof motifs to create that special cake for any occasion, from simple and fun to elegant and elaborate. Using easy-to-follow instructions and illustrated templates, the book takes the home baker through all the steps: from making the right amount of fondant or marzipan, to choosing and sizing a design and transferring it to the cake.

The book includes icing and fondant recipes, seasonal designs, patterns and borders, 3-D models, marzipan fruits and figures, and sugar flowers. Features include:

• 188-page design directory
• Large full-color photograph of the finished motif
• Black-line template size guides
• Dough gauge showing how much fondant to make
• At-a-glance color listing in recipes
• Flat, low-relief, three-dimensional and piped motifs
• Tips on application
• Mixing and matching motifs
• Designs graded for difficulty.

The Cake Decorator's Motif Bible is wiro-bound for easy lay-flat use. It provides innovative inspiration with complete and truly fail-safe instructions for unforgettable results every time.

Bake Me I'm Yours Cupcake: Over 100 Excuses to Indulge (Bake Me Im Yours)

Joan Belgrove, Graham Belgrove

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Really good, I think 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Honestly, this is my first cupcake-book, but I have seen (and I own) a lot of cookbook and this one is really cute: beautiful pictures and a lot of ideas about decorating your cupcakes.
Yes, there are just 2 recipes, but the authors suggest you changes and because I was searching for a decoration book, I'm fully satisfied!
I've found some really nice ideas I certainly will try at my next dinner with friends!!

Editorial Review:

Cupcakes are all the rage, with `cupcakeries' such as New York's Magnolia Bakery leading the way.

Cupcakes are now an established alternative to the traditional cake at weddings and other celebrations.

The first book to combine recipes with a celebration of the joy of cupcakes themselves.

This indulgent, beautifully photographed, yet totally practical celebration of the world of cupcakes features 100 ideas for baking, decorating, displaying, serving and consuming cupcakes--the small cake with BIG potential. Recipes include a range of yummy sponge cakes, icings and frostings, while ideas for embellishment and display show that the sky's the limit. Includes suggestions for incorporating cupcakes into every occasion, from chic weddings and cute baby showers to festive Christmas parties and sassy girls' nights in. Written by two experts in the world of cupcakes who know just how cupcake connoisseurs want their creations to look and taste.

Enchanted Cakes for Children (Merehurst Cake Decorating)

Debbie Brown

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

GO DEBBIE! 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Another great book to put on my shelf with all my other Debbie Brown Books. My children are absolutely enthralled when they look through this book trying to pick out their b-day cake for mom to make (six months away!) Keep the amazing ideas coming Deb!

Beauiful book 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book has beautiful cakes and examples of how a cake can tell a story.
This book is not for the baking or decorating amateur. Be prepared to have to practice with expensive ingredients in order to replicate one of these cakes.

Editorial Review:

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

Swedish Cakes and Cookies

Amazon Price: $12.21 List Price: $17.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Skyhorse Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $8.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A full-color guide to delectable Swedish cakes and cookies—3.4 million copies sold in Sweden, a copy for every Swedish family!

Swedish Cakes and Cookies has become a modern classic since it was first published in 1945. Modernized and improved over the years, today's full-color edition, with beautiful photographs of each recipe, contains nearly 300 recipes. Some, such as Berry Muffins, Coconut Macaroons, Linzer Torte, and Jelly Doughnuts, may be familiar, while others, such as German Lemon Cake, Almond Meringues, Truffle Tarts, and Toffee Crunch Torte, are deliciously unique. Gluten-free, egg-free, and sugar-free recipes ensure that this book is accessible to all dessert lovers. Beginners and experts will be reminded that baking is both easy and enjoyable when they read the practical advice and step-by-step instructions in each section. Swedish Cakes and Cookies is an essential resource for any home baker, and for anyone who loves to meet with friends for coffee and cake. 300 color photographs.

Xtra Naughty Cakes: Step-By-Step Recipes for 19 Cheeky, Fun Cakes

Debbie Brown

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Xtra Naughty Cakes 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Debbie Brown's books are really well written, with a lot of step by step directions along the way. This book is no exception to that rule. It is funny and not really very naughty at all! The only thing about her books that I don't care for is her cake receipe. It is dry and gets hard quickly. She does waste a lot of cake in her carving process. She seems to be all about the "look", not the total taste of the cake. Still, I do recommend all of her books, just know that you will have to do some modifiying when it comes to using her designs.

Editorial Review:

First came Naughty Cakes to entice and delight—and now playful bakers with a wicked sense of humor have 19 new, even naughtier temptations to try! Debbie Brown has created a fantastic follow-up to her successful first collection, with wildly imaginative creations sure to get any party—especially a private gathering for two—started. The recipes range from the quick and simple “Saucy Stockings” to more elaborate designs with molded characters, such as the sexy “Centerfold” or the racy “Scrub up!” A full-page photograph of the finished cake accompanies the instructions and how-to photos, and an introductory section has basic recipes for cakes, buttercream, icing, and sugarpaste, and some essential techniques.