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(More customer reviews)What an absolute treat!!! Fun, whimsical, and creative idea's all put into a great cake decorating book!
I had first heard of the Planet Cake Shoppe when I had been perusing the Flickr website, and had looked into their baking section. There are untold joys of finding cakes, cookies, and such that are decorated by both non-professional and professionals alike. It was during one of my sojourns that I noted that they were coming out with a cake decorating book and I wasted no time in acquiring it.I needed to go through the "New and Used" section at Amazon in order to acquire it, but I'm hoping that they will be able to get it for the baking faithful soon.
Planet Cake is owned and operated by Paris Culter, who started in finances but had been pulled to cake baking and decorating because that was her real love. With the help and support of husband, family, and friends, plus an incredibly talented staff, Planet Cake stands out as a creative and "outside-the-box" cake company, which has catered to the likes of the average Joe to celebrity events such as the wedding cake for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.
For those who are skilled or advanced bakers and decorators, this might be a bit too basic for you, though you will find the idea's refreshing and fun. For those who are just beginning, this is an excellent teacher and guide that will make your work a showstopper the first time out. Large, clear print plus close, vibrant photo's are the reason I found this so helpful. The only drawback I found was that when you began the actual decorating projects themselves, rather than have photo's of all steps involved in the decorating process, colored pencils drawing were used; they were large and detailed enough, but for my thought, I'd rather see photographs. Nonetheless, it doesn't detract from the learning.
Paris begins her book with her WELCOME and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which are sincere and heartening. You do not get to her level of notoriety without the help of really good, trustworthy folks who are as committed to your vision as you are.
"STARTING POINTS" helps you to understand how you must build your foundation of knowledge in order to eventually get to the top.
"HOW TO USE THIS BOOK" brings you to the basics of cake design and temperment; how to prepare, how to design, how to transport, etc all in the mode of giving a solid education of the basics of what to do first. Full page photographs of Icing Equipment, Edible Decorations and Materials, Ganaching Equipment, Decorating Equipment are presented with the tools numbered explained, and it finished with a detailed Glossary. All templates for the projects are included.
"CAKE RECIPES": In making batters for cupcakes, box mixes might be OK, but for cakes, especially those that are to be created and decorated for special events, you need a strong batter that will hold up to the layers of coverings and fillings that will weigh upon them; box mixes will not do. Hence, Paris gives you Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Mud Cake, Carrot Cake, White Chocolate Mud Cake, Coconut Cake, and Flourless Orange and Almond Cake (for those who are dairy and gluten sensitive--woo hoo!!).
"ICING RECIPES": Ganache (methods for both stove and microwave, Syrup, Rolled Fondant Icing, and Royal Icing.
"TECHNIQUES": How to ganach cupcakes, round cakes, square cakes, shaped cakes, 3-D cakes, plus cutting and ganaching rectangular cakes.
"USING READY-TO-ROLL FONDANT": You can make fondant or buy it already made, but there are peculiarities to it, and she gives you the 411; especially with those tricky corners. She shows you how to use it to cover cupcakes, round cakes, square cakes, and shaped cakes.
"COVERING A BOARD WITH ICING": This makes the presentation look finished and coordinated with your masterpiece. You can cover the whole cakeboard, or cover a board around the cake for both regular and shaped cakes.
"TECHNIQUES, TIPS, and TROUBLESHOOTING": How to color icing, how to use a pasta machine for rolling out your fondant, glazing icing, smaking gluing icing for pieces that you attach to the cake, making tassels, piping with royal icing, tracing letters, applying edible glitter, making a bow, making a "zipper" for the purse cake, covering acetate film (this is a wonderful tool for making and applying chocolate and other mediums), making sand icing, making coals, frilling of fondant, basic painting, making an icing roll, marking a paper cupcake case, making a template, how to use a DIY board (helps you to move your cake more easily), mending torn icing (and this happens to everyone eventually!!), covering up cracked icing, mending cracked icing, cleaning stained icing, dealing with humidity, too dry icing, too wet icing, and air bubbles. Whew!!!! She sure covers everything---lucky us!!!
"CUPCAKES": This is what got me to her book; I just love the cupcakes!!! My favorites were the Babyface Cupcakes (absolutely perfect for that really special baby shower; so cute and fairly easy to create!!). She also teaches Bow Cupcakes (pink cupcakes with a thin, black bow across; elegant!), Dragonfly Cupcakes (purple cupakes with 3-D dragonflies popping out; very pretty for a spring party); Honeybee Cupcakes (big, bright yellow and brown "bees" with little antennae's!), Green Monster Cupcakes (very green, very easy to make, and very boyish!), Ladybug Cupcakes (like the bees but red and black), Pirate Cupcakes (cute 'Matey cupcake face complete with headscarf, earring, and eyepatch!), Naughty Kids Cupcakes (same facial theme that you can match to whomever your "naughty" kid is!), Crying Babies Cupcakes (too cute with facial cupcakes that have a wide-open mouth and 2 budding teeth on their top gum!).
"ROUND CAKES": Racing Car Cake (a round cake with flat racing cars applied round the cake base; very clever and a great project for a beginner), Round Pirate Cake (perfect with the Pirate Cupcakes, and again, a simple project), Round Present Cake (simple, easy to make, yet elegant round cake with a lovely fondant bow), Princess Cake (lovely, frill-edged cake), Lollipop Cake (very clever and very simple to make in which you insert a dowel at the bottom of the cake and put a fondant bow).
"SQUARE CAKES": Boat Cake (any little sailor---or even a not so little sailor, would love this with its appliques of a boat on the cake along with a fondant life preserver, and nautical rope), Briefcase Cake (a bit more involved but well worth the time), Exploding Star Cake ( multi-colored fondant star appliques and ribbon with fondant stars on wires bursting out of the center of the cake), Record Player Cake (for those of us old folks who remember record players and vinyl discs---yikes!---this is for you; you wouldn't know it from the real thing!; a bit for the more advanced baker, me thinks); and Make-Up Box (simple but adorable).
"SHAPED CAKES": Flag Cake (simple in its concept but so beautiful in the execution b/c you can do so much with color and decor), Ice Cream Cake (this was sooo cute; it looks like a FreezePop that had the top half dipped in dripping chocolate); Flip Flop Cake (super great!! A simple, flat cake who's shape is cut out in sandal form then decorated with "straps" and flowers); Rocket Cake (another simple shape that once decorated with multicolored fondant of stars and stripes, is out of this world---no pun intended, well....actually it was------too cute!); Boot Cake (this cake rocks; it really looks like a ladies go-go boot complete with high heel and bow; awesome!!).
"3-D CAKES": Airplane Cake (this really looks like a infants stuffed airplane that they would carry around, complete with eyes and nose , windows, and wings); BBQ Cake (this looks like a real Weber BBQ grill complete w/ hotdogs, kebobs, chicken---all made from fondant); Giant Cupcake (for this you could use the giant cupcake mold pan and still use the decorating ideas here, if you wish, but if you don't, the cake shaping steps are here), Paint Tube Cake (a giant paint tube); Handbag Cake (outstanding!!! The cover photo of the beautiful handbag with zipper, initial, diamond fabric pattern!).
This book has been a real treasure to find and a treat to read. Consider checking their website, or look for Planet Cake on Flickr. Peace.
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