Book Description
This ingenious health guide offers hilarious first-person tales of the trials and tribulations of living with celiac disease, including the often embarrassing side effects and surviving college without beer. Author Vanessa Maltin uses her own personal experience with celiac disease to help you cope and offers tips for a gluten-free lifestyle that is easy and fun to maintain.

• Easy-to-make recipes including snacks, finger foods, soups, salads, main dishes, and desserts
• Cooking tips from Christina Pirello, Emmy Award-winning TV personality and best-selling author of Cooking the Whole Foods Way
• Advice from experts for managing a gluten-free diet at home, in the workplace, at college, and on vacation

Customer Reviews (11)

Great book for Gluten Free Diet!
I love this book. I bought after being told I had to eliminate gluten from the diet. Even though this book is done by a college girl, I find I like the different recipes and the convenience factors. This book goes great with a book of recipes that would be really challenging. We all need quick and easy ones and this has lots of ideas. Yes, some recipes are simple, but a good reminder that... hey I can eat that! You absolutely have to try the chocolate peanut butter cookies! My favorite and easy!

Book on gluten free cooking------
I have a young daughter who was recently diagnosed with Celiac.Ordering this book was a great help to her in determining what to eat.This book was definitely written with a young person in mind.

THANKS SO MUCH---------

Beyond Rice Cakes
A wonderful book for all and especially for people who live alone both young and old.Disregard Maltin's "young person" focus.Regardless of your age you will enjoy reading the book and using the recipes. Maltin writes with a practical and humorous view of reality.There are a lot of great tips and good advice in addition to the recipes.I am a senior citizen who lives alone who has cooked a lot of complicated recipes--this is one of my favorite books.

This cookbook is "OK"
This cookbook does have a lot of good information in it which is nice...and it has few recipes which I will probably try to use.... but I wouldn't say that it will be the one with the most bent pages. :)

I'm only 23, so I would imagine that I will qualify as a "young person", but some of the recipes were so basic that they probably shouldn't have been included.However, that being said, there are a few that are worthy of being included in our "rotation".

I like the fact that she is increasing Celiac awareness and that she provides bonus information.I just wish that there were some juicier recipes in there!

Very Basic
I found the book to be very basic yet informative.It had some good recipes, but I guess I was expecting a little more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of my most valued cookbooks
This book is EXCELLENT.Every recipe I have tried has turned out not just good, but great. I haven't tried every recipe, but from what I have baked, it seems to be a reliable source. I graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an AAS in Baking & Pastry Arts. This cookbook is one I turn to again and again for great-tasting and beautiful cakes. I look forward to trying them all.The "chocolate fudge cake" on p. 62 is my favorite:moist, rich, and everything a chocolate cake should be. Highly recommended.

HORRIBLE
okay, so, you think the recipes are awesome....well they are NOT.I have made the boston cream pie as well as the chocolate cake...and they both turned out horrible.It can't be just me, because we followed the directions completely.

Please please please, reconsider buying this book; it will make you look like a disgrace to all of your cooking friends!

In conclusion, horrible horrible horrible and don't buy this, unless you hate yourself and want to eat horrible cake. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Book I Almost Missed Out On
We took a trip to Michigan in the mid 1990's.I saw this book and wanted it badly, but was short on money.After I did not get it, I was so upset that I called the store a few weeks after our vacation ended and they did not know what I was talking about.They finally found the book and I was able to buy it via phone.Signed copy, no less!

What a fun and interesting book.Over 1300 recipes are collected here from historical sources, captured as originally written.There is a delightful intro which gives insight into the authors' perspective.A few recipes have been modified for modern kitchens, but most of them are left as they were.

Names and dates of the contributors are included in case you have a relative in there- you will know it!

Here is the table of contents, since little information is given here about the book.

Intro
Snacks
Stews, Soups, & Salads
Pickles & Preserves
Jams, Jellies, & Marmalades
Eggs & Cheese
Vegetables, Nuts, Grains, & Pasta
Meat
Fowl & Fish
Game
Within the Beast
Bread, Rolls, Pancakes, & Waffles
Cakes, Pies, & Other Sweets
Beverages
Measuring Tables, Oven Temperatures, Hints, & Suggestions
Sources
Historical Index
Index

The text is easy to read, nice font, and has a smattering of vintage pictures included.Sometimes recipes will have remarks from the cook included, which is delightful.

The hints and suggestions are fun to read too- they are also vintage.

The authors also have included comments if they have tried a recipe and found it to be particularly fun or interesting.

There is a recipe for Watermelon Cake, but it is a fascimile, not actual watermelon as an ingredient.

The recipes include everything from huckleberries to split pea pie crust and most of them are delicious. The book is hard bound and stays open well for cooking from too.Nice binding so far.

If you enjoy going to a 19th century type living museum and find yourself fascinated by the cooks in the old kitchens and what they are doing, this is a must have book for you.

I highly recommend it for the historical and cooking value of the book.It transports me back in time every time I read it.

finally a book good enough to eat
This book contains recipies from 1820's to 1920' ... Read more

Book Description
What could possibly top the New York Times best-selling cookbook 101 Things to Do With a Cake Mix by Stephanie Ashcraft? Why, more delicious cake mix recipes of course! Coming this spring, it's 101 More Things to Do with a Cake Mix! Stephanie Ashcraft has done it again, serving up more lovin' for every busy dessert-lover's oven. 101 More Things to Do with A Cake Mix includes simple and delicious recipes-allusing cake mix as a main ingredient-for sweet rolls, breads, cookies, cakes, trifles, ice cream sandwiches and cakes, dessert pizzas, and much more. With a delightful variety of recipes to choose from, there's a sweet treat for every occasion. Don't miss out on what will surely be another New York Times best-seller!RECIPE:Banana Split Pizza1 white or vanilla cake mix 1 egg 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 1/2 cup flour1/4 cup powdered sugar 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 8 ounces whipped topping 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained 2 bananas, thinly sliced. 1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced1/2 cup chopped nuts Caramel ice cream topping, optionalPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix, egg, and butter together. Mix in flour. Spread dough thinly to cover a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Bake 10-14 minutes or until a light golden brown. Allow to cool completely. Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese and whipped topping together. Spread over cookie layer. Top evenly with fruit and nuts. Drizzle caramel ice cream topping over top, if desired. Store in refrigerator.Stephanie Ashcraft, author of 101 Things to do With a Cake Mix and 101 Things to do With a Slow Cooker, was raised near Kirklin, Indiana. She received a bachelor's degree in family science and a teaching certificate from Brigham Young University. Since 1998, she has taught cooking classes for Macey's Little Cooking Theater in Provo and Orem, Utah. She and her husband, Ivan, reside in Provo with their children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

101 more more more
Well thought out recipes.
Clear and easy directions.
Easy to find ingredients and many already on hand.
I only wish there was a photo of the finished recipe.

The Hectic Chef's Best Friend
As an ocean going chef the "101" cookbook series is the chef/cook's best friend. I found a collection of these very handy cookbooks on my last ship and I knew I had to have my own copies. The ship was short handed and it ran out of basic cooking & baking supplies. These cookbooks gave excellent and simple meal preperation and desert ideas with the few supplies & staff we had on hand. It's all common sense but these ladies take the brain damage out of meal & desert planning. Most importantly, the crew was always satisfied. I'd recommend the series for the beginning cook or one that is short on time.

Another Winner by Stephanie Ashcraft
Stephanie Ashcraft's mother taught her "that anything could be made with a cake mix." It does seem to be true. This tiny, easy-to-read cookbook has recipes for everything from Red Raspberry Dream Cake to Peaches and Cream Pudding Bars.

There are a few helpful hints on page 9 that teach you a few tricks about baking cakes, making chewier cookies and keeping fruit fresh. I've never used glass or stoneware baking dishes for cakes, so that is a new idea for me. I've been buying my cake pans from "Jane's Cakes & Chocolates." The results were rather stunning when I used the pans she sells.

What amazed me about this cookbook is the sheer simplicity of the recipes and the absolute beauty of the results.

Some of the recipes you might enjoy:

Orange Rolls
Sweet Banana Bread - only 4 ingredients
Butterscotch Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Blueberry Swirl Cake
Chewy Peanut Bars
Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you love this cookbook, try the first 101 Things to Do With a Cake Mix. I can highly recommend the recipe for Pistachio Pound Cake. It turned out to be "Moist, chocolaty, pistachio, dream cake." My relatives were impressed. It is not every day that I try a new recipe and then bravely take the cake to a party, but these books are winners. The ingredients are little more than a cake mix and a few ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

All I have left to say is, you will get requests for the cakes in this book. I look forward to trying more of the recipes as soon as I can get to the store to buy more cake mixes and instant puddings.

LOVE the binding on these cookbooks. Great to cook from and everyone loves the recipes. I just made the Pistachio Cake again this November.

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection
of best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

P.S. Also look for the 101 Things To Do with a Slow Cooker books. Wonderful recipes for home cooking in the winter.

... Read more

Book Description
DK's series of affordable, quality paperbacks, including: Clearly Delicious, a colorful celebration of preserving, pickling, and bottling; Ultimate Cake, the definitive guide to baking and decorating cakes; The Complete Wilderness Training Book, an amazing collection of step-by-step techniques and tips from survival expert Hugh McManners; and The Complete Guide to Flower Arranging, inspiration for both novice and experienced flower arrangers. User friendly access to detailed, practical information clear, full-color photographs and illustrations. Packed with ideas and plans for the different aspects of life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Really is the Ultimate Book
This book has it all.Great pictures, easy to understand directions, and out of this world receipes.If you are looking to amaze w/your creations, then this is the one for you!!!!!

Bake your cake and eat it too!
Barbara Maher is an award-winning cookbook author who was born in Germany and brought up in England. She is fluent in German, French and Italian which allows her to conduct extensive research in a wide range of international cookbooks dating back to the fifteenth century. This is an amazing cookbook because it also includes a wide variety of cakes that you might not have heard of in an English/American cookbook.

This book is a collection of the world's finest cakes. There are such divine cakes in this cookbook, you will be seduced by lavishness. Not only are there full-color pictures displaying a bakeryful of tempting tastes, there are more than 100 recipes for cakes and desserts for every occasion. If you are looking for a light, airy treat for an afternoon snack you might choose lacy Florentines.

If you are new to making some of the cakes, there are easy-to-follow photographic sequences that demonstrate every essential baking and decorating technique. Whether you want to know how to pipe rosettes or sugar-frost flowers, it is all explained in pictures.

You can find recipes for: Luxury Layer Cakes, Chocolate Cakes, Cheesecakes, Flans & Tarts, Meringues, Fruit & Nut Cakes, Pastries & Cookies, Wedding Cakes, Children's Party Cakes, Butter Cakes, Sponge Cakes, Nut & Seed Cakes.

There are easy-to-follow instructions for:

Icings & Other Finishes
Piping Methods
Decorating with Chocolate
Cake Decorations
Fruit Preparations
Fillings, Icings & Toppings

There is an entire section on key ingredients and equipment used in cake making. This is the section where you can see all the basic skills required for baking. Basic ingredients are pictured. There are also "enriching" ingredients. The "bakeware" section is helpful because at times you can read "Balmoral pan" and have no idea what that is. I had never seen one myself.

I liked the "variations" on the butter Cakes recipe. You can chose to make a simple butter cake or turn it into a chocolate marble pound cake, a mixed spice pound cake or a fresh apricot pound cake which actually looks the best with icing dripping all over it.

I had never thought of using green grapes to decorate a cake. It is such a fresh beautiful idea. How about fresh cherries, mint leaves and chocolate curls?

Some of the delicious recipes include:

Fruit & Spice Cakes - could make a beautiful Christmas Gift that would not be soon forgotten. Chocolate Eclairs, Buche de Noel and Italian Easter Cake look divine.

Delicious Yummy Cakes that you will definitely want to make!

Also look for these books by Barbara Maher:

Cakes
Traditional Cakes and Pastries
Tempting Cheesecakes
Classic Cakes

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of
best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

Wowee-zowie fantastic cake cookbook
You wonder how much information can reasonably be put into a slim little volume like this (and confidently entitled "Ultimate Cake"), but in fact, Barbara Maher's book does an estimable job of getting the reader acquainted with a wide variety of information--everything from good kitchen tools to have to chocolate-decoration techniques to "basic, enriching, and decorative" ingredients.

Part of the Dorling-Kindersley "Living" series, "Ultimate Cake" does a fine job of providing a wide overview of many different types of cakes, from basic yellow cakes to pound cakes to regional specialties like genoise, tortes made with nut flours, and more.After the first third of the book is devoted to technique, ingredients, and tools, the rest has yumilicious cake recipes ranging from the simple (Pound Cake) to the exotic (Piskota with Walnuts) to the just-plain-delicious (Hazelnut Macaroon Cake, Rum and Citrus Torte, Swiss Black Cherry Cake, Poppyseed and Chocolate Torte, Apricot and Pecan Tea Loaf, and Nectarine Pavlova, to name just a few).

As with all D-K books, the photography is a big part of the equation.Dave King's sumptuous, richly colored photographs go a long way towards supporting Maher's concise and clear text.Highly recommended as a fine, basic cake cookbook.

My guests are in awe !!!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful book. It has been such a pleasure to use.I love all the illustrations and how the book walks you through things you might not know. Every recipe I have made from this book hasenticed all of my guests. I grew up in California and most of my relativeslived in Germany, so my parents used to send us all the time, and for thoseof you that are familar with european desserts, they are wonderful. So manyof the recipes in this book come from the european countries. It bringsback great memories of my relatives that were wonderful bakers... Thanksagain Corina Synowicki

BEST BOOK!!
I've read it again and I was ashamed formy previous review!!!There're lots of step by step method and how to check that it's the right consistency.There're alsouseful tips suchas hoe to make a crisp pie and moist filling!!Buy it!!andyou won'tdisappointed! ... Read more

Book Description
"Create over 40 simple yet incredibly stylish cakes for every occasion, from weddings and anniversaries, to birthdays, christenings and Christmas.

Discover a variety of irresistible cake designs in all colors, shapes and sizes.Includes a wide selection of sweet cupcakes and gorgeous minicakes to make when time is short.

Explore a wide variety of quick and easy sugarcrafting techniques.Beginner and intermediate sugarcrafters will complete the projects with ease, while discovering professional sugarcrafting tricks.

Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, simple recipes, and beautiful photography ensure mouthwatering results.Clever packaging ideas are also included to make your cakes look even more desirable." ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Very Disappointing!
I like Carol Deacon's designs but was very disappointed with this book because a lot of the designs were repeats from other Carol Deacon books that I already had. In fact, I bought two (2) new books by Carol Deacon and found the books to be over half-filled with repeat designs from other books by this author.
If you are looking for new cake design ideas like I was and already have book/s by this author, do not bother to buy this book - try someone else.

Perfect for beginners
This book is wonderful. Includes step by step instructions to make the cakes illustrated in the book or you can simply take ideas from it and design your own. Includes easy to make recipes for sugarpaste, etc. This book is a great place to start if you're just venturing into cake decorating. You can go from having no experience to making professional looking cakes that will wow everybody! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Book Description
Mich Turner is London's top cake designer for society and celebrities alike.She has refined a simple and modular approach to entertaining-start with a dozen basic recipes and let the art of icings, glazes, and finishing touches be the key to perfection.This versatile guide is a sourcebook of ideas for celebratory treats, such as cakes, petit fours, and canapes for any event, formal or informal. The book begins with how to choose the right cake design (reflecting the venue and the season as well as the guest list and flower arrangements) and then details establishing the theme, the shape, the icing, and the flavor of the cake. The heart of the book is the step-by-step section on decorative techniques and designs that enable anyone, regardless of experience, to create show-stopping cakes with confidence and style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Party Cakes
Party Cakes a nice book full of information mainly on small cakes and cupcakes. Great pictures. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Great pictures!
Debbie Brown is incredibly talented! I've been decorating as a hobby for over 10 years without alot of sculpting experience. I dont think I could recreate many of the cakes but the pictures are great! I bought this book along with the "Naughty Cakes" and I love them both. Very cute, very naughty! They offer great ideas when you are lucky enough to find the right client to show them too! I recommend both and I cant wait to see the next one!

Xtra Naughty Cakes
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.

Hilarious
The book is not really naughty it's more like, hilarious.I enjoy looking at the book just for the pictures.The cakes are actually simple to make and easy to decorate.

Great cake decorating cake idea book.
I really enjoy looking through this book.Some cute ideas.Another great addition to the cake collection.Highly reccomend this book.Debbie Brown does it again.

GREAT naughty cakes!!!!!
I've purchased the first book, and HAD to have the second one!!! Awesome!!!!!!!!!! I made one of the cakes and it was so much fun!!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Move over Betty Crocker--101 Things to Do With a Cake Mix will amaze your friends and leave them Jell-O green with envy! From Snickers Surprise Cookies to Christmas Rainbow Poke Cake, it's the best thing to happen in the kitchen since your last romantic rendezvous! So what are you waiting for? Grab a cake mix, whip up some goodies, and throw some flour on your face so it looks like you spent days in the kitchen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

101 Cake Mix Recipes
The first of 2 booklets.
Good basic recipes taken a step further.
Easy to use.
I love the spiral binding, it's easy to keep open.

PLAIN AND SIMPLE
THERE ARE SOME NICE RESCIPES, AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING SOME OF THEM, BUT IT IS A VERY PLAIN AND SIMPLE BOOK WITH NO PICTURES, AND IF THE CAKES COME OUT DELICIOUS, THEN IT WILL BE WORTH IT...BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT....PLAIN, SIMPLE,AND DELICIOUS!!

Fun little book
The recipes in this book are fun and easy to follow.The spiral binding allows the book to lay flat - no worrying about trying to prop the book open to read the recipes.I even rediscovered one of my favorite cake recipes that my grandmother used to make (and found out it was incredibly simple).I recommend it if you like cakes (and other sweets, since you can make more than just cakes) or love to bake.

THE BEST COOKBOOK FOR BAKING EVER!
I tell you what, this cookbook RULES. I got married with ZERO skills in the kitchen, and I married a man who loves good baked goods. I was like "Sheesh! HOw do I learn how to make yummy stuff, when I haven't clue one how to begin, & we're broke....it's not like I can experiment with expensive ingredients & make a bunch of mistakes & turn out gross cakes."

THIS BOOK was my total salvation & I am not kidding! I literally use it EVERY WEEK. I have had this book for probably 4 years and I have developed A GREAT reputation as an EXCEPTIONAL breads & cake baker!! NO KIDDING.

I bring refreshments at church every other week for after service, & people RAVE about my stuff & can't wait until I am Treats Lady the next time.

YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY the corn bread. It is THE EASIEST thing in the WORLD to make; my children can make it. And it tastes soooooooo good! The loaves bake up so pretty; I even give it as gifts. One lady was like "What makes this SO GOOD? DO you put cream in it? butter?"NOPE! NEITHER!

And I don't give ANYONE my recipes from this book OR give this book as a gift. because the recipes are SO EASY that it would blow my cover as a great baker! I just tell everyone the recipe is a SECRET whenever I bring a super-good treat somewhere!!

My mother in law is a total from-scratch cook & does all recipes the LONG way. EVEN SHE cannot duplicate the results I have gotten from THIS BOOK!

EASY! FUN! And I have NEVER had a recipe flop from this book.
YOU HAVE GOT TO TRY IT! YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!!!!!

OK book
I love to bake but found this book to be missing some very important features.The number of servings per recipe is not included along with other important measurements.The cooking times are also way off for some of the recipes.It's a good book for creative ideas. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Great ideas
Great ideas for shapes and types of cake, the only thing missing isalternatives for some ingredients.
... Read more

Book Description
Of all the decisions that go into planning a wedding, choosing the cake may be the sweetest. Much more than dessert, this beloved wedding symbol should be as special as the bride and groom themselves. Whether you imagine a majestic cake blooming with fresh flowers, a pristine fondant-covered masterpiece, or a homespun take on strawberry shortcake- or even if you don’t know where to begin- Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes will provide you with more than 100 delicious and inspiring ideas for timeless and beautiful confections that are perfect for every style of wedding.

Not just visually inspiring, these pages are filled with information you won’t find anywhere else. Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer, the master baker and decorator who has been creating cakes for Martha Stewart Weddings for more than a decade, guide you through everything you need to consider when selecting a cake- and even how to bake and decorate one yourself. Novice and experienced bakers alike will find recipes and insiders’ techniques to create truly memorable wedding cakes.

You will learn:
Where to begin- how to decide what style and flavors are right for you, taking into account the season, location, and theme of the event

Buttercream or fondant? Ganache or meringue? Useful charts explain the delicious materials bakers use, so you can choose the ones that suit your taste and style

Creative ways to display your cake so it takes center stage at the reception

How to find and hire a baker, including questions to ask and contract considerations

Ideas for cutting costs without sacrificing quality or beauty

How to incorporate traditions from around the world

Everything you need to know about baking a cake yourself, with complete recipes as well as how-to decorating techniques with color photographs and reference charts

A treasury of inspiration, Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes will ensure that your cake, whether homemade or professionally baked, triple-tiered or a tower of cupcakes, embellished with fresh fruit or elaborate sugar roses, is every bit as magical as your big day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

cake decorators
This is a great book for people doing cake decorating and planning a formal affair.It has been a great help in planning my daughters wedding cake.

Great creative guide
As a caterer, I found this book to be a good guide for those who create cakes for special occasions. Many of the cakes in this book are ones that have previously been in "Martha Stewart's Weddings" magazine, and I have made several of them over the years, but it is nice to have the collection all in one source. For the inexperienced, some of the instructions may seem a bit vague, but that is the martha Stewart way, as mostly she assumes that everyone knows how to do the basics. If you've never done this type of baking/creating before, this book is not for you. I do recommend it for those who do this professionally or as an advanced hobby.

Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes
A comprehensive guide to modern wedding cake design that is precise, valuable, and beautiful. I purchased this knowing I could use it both for reference and inspiration. This book has all the things you expect from Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer- detail, originality, and outstanding content. There are glorious photographs that have captions peppered with ideas for the necessary architectural unpinnings of a multi tiered cake. The guides contained in the book are helpful and detailed. The section on partnering with a professional is especially good - as itbrings attention to some of those things the client should think about before meeting about "the cake". The creations contained in this book are spectacular and the creators of this book have been most generous with ideas, design guidelines, and recipes. I have already used this as aguide and reference for two couples going through the process of deciding what to do about "the cake". This book would be a tremendous asset on any cake decorators bookshelf - professional or passionate amateur.

Beautiful...
Beautiful in every way ,well written , superb photography , and fantastic instructions.... make this book a " must have".......whether you use this book as a coffee table, or as a reference book, it is definatley "Top Shelf".......... I also gave one as a gift...... the receipient was overwhelmed....

Martha Money Maker
It's a beautiful book. Wish it weren't so pricy though. It is worth it I suppose. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com
Cake mixes are undoubtedly convenient, but do they produce good cakes? They can, says Anne Byrn, author of The Cake Mix Doctor, if you know how to tweak them. Doing this involves the addition of ingredients to enrich the mixes and flavorings to enhance and, in some cases, conceal questionable tastes. To prove her point, Byrn offers more than 175 recipes for mix-based cakes and other desserts, including formulas for frostings that, Byrn maintains, must be made from scratch. The results are convincing; readers interested insatisfying, dependable desserts prepared quickly and with little fuss should welcome the book.

Beginning with a useful discussion of cake mixes, their history andcomposition, and an outline of the mix-transformation battle plan, the book then presents the recipes in chapters such as "Chocolate Cakes," "Cake-Mix Classics," "Special Occasion Cakes," and "Incredible Bars and Comforting Cookies." Among the most successful offerings are Deeply Chocolate Almond Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, Banana Cake with Quick Caramel Frosting, and Lemon Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake. A chapter devoted to crumbles, crisps, cobblers, trifles, and even a dessert pizza shows how to use the mixes in innovative ways, and "Lighter Cakes" presents "healthier" offerings, such as Pear and Toasted Pecan Buttermilk Cake. With sidebars such as The Legendary Pillsbury Bake-Off and tips for success throughout ("Cinnamon is one of the great tools to use when doctoring up cake mixes," begins one), the book explores every aspect of cake-mix fixing while revealing the unexpected richness that the process can yield. --Arthur BoehmBook Description
The Cake Mix Doctor is in! And the prescription is simple: By doctoring up packaged cake mix with just the right extras--a touch of sweet butter here, cocoa powder there, or poppy seeds, vanilla yogurt, sherry, eggs, and grated lemon zest for the Charleston Poppy Seed Cake--even the least experienced baker can turn out luscious signature desserts, time after time. The proof is in the taste, and the taste never stops--from Toasted Coconut Sour Cream Cake to Devilishly Good Chocolate Cake; from a to-die-for Caramel Cake and a Holiday Yule Log to cheesecakes, coffee cakes, sheet cakes, pound cakes, bars, brownies, and those all-important frostings, here are 175 fast, foolproof recipes that will transform the art of home baking in America.

Who could believe these cakes came out of a box? Moist, tender, rich, deep, and complexly flavored, without a hint of artificiality, each cake stand up and delivers. But without any of the fuss of baking from scratch. Anne Byrn, an award-wining food writer and self-described purist, creates recipes that employ a cake mix's strengths---convenience, ease-of-use, dependability, and almost imperviousness to overbeating, underbeating, overbaking, and underbaking.

In addition to the recipes are the Cake Mix Doctor's Q&A's, extensive "Doctor Says" tips, lists--15 Beautiful Birthday Cakes, 15 Cakes That Will Cash in at a Bake Sale--and more, all illustrated in a full-color photographic insert.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (223)

My Favorite Cake Cookbook
This book has easy to make recipes (mostly) that you would never guess started with a cake mix.Everything I've tried has turned out wonderful.We especially liked the strawberry cake, although it was a bit more work than some of the others, it was well worth it.It was one of my favorite cakes I've ever baked.All of them have been BIG hits with my kids and disappear in two days.Now, if we could just remove the calories...

You can become a professional baker!
This book is great to have for all occasions....birthdays, holidays, etc...She gives you ingredients to dress up the cake mixes and then gives you some easy icing recipes.She says to never use canned icing.She is right...canned icing tastes so terrible!I would have always homemade my icing if I knew how easy it was to make.Homemade icing tastes so much better!Everyone will rant and rave over your cakes when you use this book.All kitchens should own one!

fun cake cook book
Totally awesome cookbook, 100s of suggestions and recipes to change up and fancy up purchased cake mixes. Most are fast and fun with a lot of flavor. This makes a good gift for the baker in your family.

cake dr
She love this.She said that this is the first cake book that she got. Within 10 minutes she had already picked out 5 receipes to try.

Baking Made Easy

If you have cried (figuratively) about cakes that failed to rise, rose but then fell flat or just plain didn't work out, and if you love shortcuts in the kitchen - this book is for you!Using cake mixes as basis and adding a variety of easily obtained ingredients you can nowbake cakes guaranteed to fool and delight everybody.I only wish that I had had this book years ago! ... Read more

Amazon.com
Ann Byrn is on to something. Her first book, The Cake Mix Doctor, showed readers how to tweak store-bought cake mixes to produce "like-homemade" treats. The sequel, Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor repeats Byrn's foolproof approach, focusing solely on chocolate. The strategy? Begin with commercial mixes like chocolate cake, devil's food, and chocolate brownie; alter them with ingredients that add flavor, such as cocoa powder, or richness and moistness, like sour cream; use homemade frostings (supermarket versions won't cut it); and you're in business. "My mission," says Byrn, "is to help busy cooks find the time to bake even when company is not coming." If her sweets lack true homemade quality, they nonetheless produce entirely creditable desserts most bakers, and those they feed, will applaud.

Beginning with a blueprint for mix-doctoring success, which includes information on pantry essentials and a useful chocolate primer, the book then presents over 150 easy recipes for a full range of chocolate layer, pound, sheet, angel food, and chiffon cakes, as well as muffins, cookies, brownies, and more. Among these, readers will surely want to try Triple Decker Raspberry Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Peach Cake, Frozen Chocolate Neapolitan Cake, and Jessica's Caramel Chocolate Brownies. Besides more basic finishes, the frosting chapter offers recipes for the likes of Crushed Peppermint Buttercream Frosting. An introductory section presents color photos of all the cakes; Byrn also supplies interesting technical information, lore (Nuggets of Chocolate History, for one), and a chocolate cake glossary all bakers can use. --Arthur BoehmBook Description
The Cake Mix Doctor goes chocolate! Anne Byrn brings her proven prescription for doctoring cake mix to an ingredient that inspires love bordering on obsession.

It's a marriage made in baker's heaven-150 all-new, all-easy recipes for cakes, starring the ingredient that surpasses all other flavors, including vanilla, by a 3-to-1 margin, and that Americans consume to the tune of 2.8 billion pounds a year. Starting with versatile supermarket cake mixes and adding just the right extras-including melted semisweet chocolate bars, chocolate chips, or cocoa powder, plus fresh eggs or a bit of buttermilk, dried coconut, mashed bananas, or instant coffee powder-a baker at any level of experience can turn out dark, rich, moist, delicious chocolate layer cakes, time and again. Not to mention sheet cakes, pound cakes, cupcakes and muffins, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, and bars. Rounding out the book are 38 all-new homemade frostings and fillings, and a full-color insert showing every cake in the book.

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Customer Reviews (37)

Yummy!
Just found this book and I am very impressed! I've made two cakes and they were both hits! The pumpkin w/choc chips and moist chocolate cake.In addition, there are basic bundt cakes frosting recipes that are easy and delicious!If you like chocolate, you'll love this book! Some great and easy recipes!
Both for beginners and advanced bakers!

Yum!
This is a great book for people who don't want to bake cakes from scratch, but want something better than store bought or straight from the box.This book is focused on chocolate cakes, though there is also another book from the same author focused on all types of cakes.

A Chocolate Lover's Must Have!
Just a easy as the original Cake Doctor, but think CHOCOLATE!Easy to follow recipes that promise your cakes will be a favorite at parties and pot-lucks.By the way, don't let anyone know just how easy your baker's treats are, that's between you and the cake mix!

Great cookbook~Good variety~Lots of recipes
Perfect book for busy moms and grandmas who bake a lot. This is a great book if you have to do a lot of potlucks, school treats, etc. I like her other cake mix dr cookbook even better but her dinner dr book is awful.

Recipes are really good and so easy. Ingredients are easy to find and keep on hand.

Love all of her tips.

Good purchase.

Great & Easy dessert ideas
Easy & tasty ways to make desserts starting with a simple cake mix!You'll want to try them all! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Just like the title says.
Cake Decorating for the 1st Time, is a neatly and creatively pieced together book.While the last few pages contains a colorful catalog of some of Jaynie's work, be aware this book's focus is far from wowing you with many pictures of cakes that are far beyond your skill level or with no instructions.Jaynie goes into detailed, step by step instructions in each chapter telling the novice just how to decorate a cake with simple and short, yet precise directions.Each step comes with near flawless color photography guiding the reader along.The meat of the book covers many tips and tricks used by the pros that can easily be mastered by us mere mortals; such as how to make fondant, ganache, how to decorate a bundt cake,or how to make gum paste as well as some suggestions as to what to do with each; while the first bit of the book goes over tools of the trade, again accompanied with photographs.
At the start of each chapter, the reader is provided with a list of ingredients and other supplies that will be needed to complete the chapter's project, which is what each chapter basically is.
Quite simple and concise, yet wonderfully decorative Cake Decorating really does make decorating your cake like the pro's a breeze.At this low price (at least at the time of this review) I'd recommend purchasing Cake Decorating for the 1st Time if you are new to cake decorating and looking to go the next mile.
Here's wishing you well on your baking endeavors.

good but needs some proofing
For most things, the instructions are clear and easy to follow- great for learning the basics. However, something is wrong with the chocolate cake recipe. It tells you add 1/4 CUP cinnamon (although the picture shows what looks like a 1 tsp) and no where in the directions does it tell you to add sugar. This is the only mistake I've found so far, but I haven't tried everything yet.
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Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Amazing cakes, mediocre recipes
Yes the designs are fun and gorgeous albeit mostly for advanced decorators but the cake recipes at the beginning of the book are not tasty at all. When I do make the cakes I use my own recipes and they come out tasting as good as they look. AS a cake designer my foremost priority is to make cakes that not only look good but are delcious too. They're equally important in my opinion. This book is all about the look. That's not a big handicap if you've got recipe files of sure-fire delicious cakes. But for beginners who may need details about what cakes are good for carving, which cakes for stacking, etc,they may not have the option of substituting better recipes.

Still I would recommend this book if only for the ideas and step by step techniques for creating naughty yet classy cakes.

Super fun!
I also bought this book for my daughter and her and I had a blast exploring the ideas in here. What a great idea to set your cakes apart. She even got an order for a Bachelor party cake the other night! This is a great compliment to her favorite site www.sellcakeslikecrazy.com, where she also gets tons of tips!

Fabulous
Fun and tasteful adult cake ideas.I purchased it for my husband who's a pastry chef and he loves it.Plus, it gives good tips on how to make people.

Great Book!
This is just another awesome book by Debbie Brown.I love it!

Simply Superb
This book offers creative techniques explained simply. The results are just as good as the pictures!
The unique designs offer new ideas for novelty cakes! If you are a decorator, there are some good techniques, and for beginners the simple step by step instructions are very easy to follow!
I just wish I had found this tittle sooner!!! ... Read more