Product Description

This compact, portable, user-friendly guide is the definitive reference book for all cake decorating enthusiasts. Cake decorating is a fabulous mixture of cookery and art, with a sprinkling of inspiration, precise care and reckless use of the imagination thrown in for good measure. This book will lead the novice through the simplest basics, but also contains great ideas and fantastic creations to inspire experienced sugarcrafters. If you have never baked before but want to make a teddy bear's picnic cake for your toddler's birthday, or if you are planning a three-tiered traditional cake with a cream frangipani for a family wedding, this is the book to show you how to do it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2016 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Customer Reviews

There is more to this book than the title suggests
This book is excellent value for money and covers far more than just decorating cakes. The parts of the books devoted to decorating are inspirational. Not all the cakes are to my personal taste but with so many cakes shown this book must come close to catering for all tastes. There are traditional birthday and wedding cakes, novelty cakes, simple cakes and some that would be tricky if you were a beginner. There is also a large selection of dessert cakes which look good enough to use on a special occasion if a sugar paste creation is not your cup of tea.
The great thing about the book is the vast range of techniques shown and the number of delicious recipes. Normally books with the level of detail for decorating cakes that Jane Price has provided don't focus on making the actual cake but this book is different. There are clear and easy to follow instructions for all of the cakes and more detailed information for working with sugar paste and royal icing including making flowers, figures and animals. There are 50 pages devoted to gateaux which all look stunning. There is the peach and orange mouse cake made with white chocolate mousse, cappuccino truffle cake with instructions on how to make homemade cappuccino truffles coated in white chocolate, pears baked in Madeira cake with a spun sugar halo. The section on working with chocolate was a bonus I hadn't been expecting, it isn't very in-depth but there is enough information to make me want to have a go.
Everything I have tried so far has turned out really well. I am really glad I bought this book.

One Warning......
This is a great book for starters who need to know everthing about cake making. I love how this book has recipes for gateaux's and layer cakes etc as well as cakes recipe's as well (ideal for icing). The other books I have bought contain tips on decorating cakes, but not on actually making the cake itself.

My one warning would be that there is a duplicate of this book being advertised on Amazon:
"The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating" by Merehurst Ltd. I ordered both these books assuming they were different, they both have largely the same content. However, having bought both, I recommend "The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating" as a sturdier, easier to use and much broader book.

Whichever one you choose, I can recommend them both.

I'm a self made cake decorator!
I have always enjoyed baking but I was not fantastic at decorating cakes, This tells you everything you need to know especially for the beginner. The cake recipes at the back of the book are fantastic, I followed them and produced my best cakes ever! Made my first wedding cake from this book and judging by the comments from the guests it was a big hit!