Mich Turner

Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes
Author: Mich Turner
Photographer: Lisa Linder

What a gorgeous book this is! The photographs drew me in and then seeing that simple recipes were taken from being decorated simply to quite elaborate with complicated steps made this a book I would love to sit and read then get up and bake from.

The recipes provide both imperial and metric measurements making this book easy to follow. There are tips to make success more likely along with step by step show more instructions on how to make the cake, icing(s) and decorations. Whether you are a beginner or more skilled there are ideas for everyone interested in tackling cake baking.

Cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, baby showers and more are included. Frostings are not limited to buttercream or fondant and the ways to take a recipe and use it for cupcakes or more complicated layer or shaped cakes are also included. Use of candies, flowers, fruit and so many more items to decorate with made this a joy to read and get new ideas from.

A chocolate chip cupcake can become quite elegant with peanut butter frosting, peanut brittle and a few other additions. A cake with a heart inside? Haven’t tried that before. A simple layer cake then frosted with caramel inside? Hmmm… Flavors of fruit, vanilla, chocolate, gingerbread and more are included along with meringue-based deserts like pavlova.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I buy it to bake from? I would

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars show less

You'll wonder if it's a cookbook or a garden guide with names like champagne primroses, classic Christmas rose, cascading roses and lilies. When you look at the photos you'll know that these delights are edible, however, you might want to just look at them. The fun could be trying to make them. Although the recipes are here, along with tips such cutting out the tiny crowd pleasers, covering cakes with a fondant, using marzipan, luscious frosting/filling recipes , stencils and "how-to" you show more still need to have a little Martha Stewart in you to make these tiny bits of perfection.
For those of us who are challenged in the decorating department and can just look longingly at the lovely photos of the gorgeous little cakes, there are some killer recipes such as chocolate-orange roulade and vanilla cake with fresh raspberries which even bake challenged cooks can do in their own kitchens.

Do not look at this cookbook if you are even remotely hungry -- it will cause you to run to the nearest bakery and order anything that looks remotely pretty from their display case..... show less

2007