Some Favorite Cake Books

With the arrival of the holidays I wanted to share a few of my favorite cake books that I go to over and over. You can get them on Amazon, or even the library! A great gift idea if you are starting to bake or know someone who is.

• The Whimsical Bakehouse by Kaye Hansen & Liv Hansen
  Whimsical indeed! Modern designs with recipes, tips and creative chocolate art. I like how the book is organized into projects, yet still gives you the creativity to adapt the methods for mix ‘n match. (Oh, and the buttercreams are AMAZING!) They also have a Christmas Cookie book that is really fun.

• Wedding Cakes You Can Make by Dede Wilson
  I LOVE this book. I read it everyday while I was making the wedding cake and it quickly became my go-to reference. Great step by step descriptions for cake making methods, flavor combinations, assembly and finishing touches. It’s like having a mentor in the kitchen guiding you along.
• The Perfect Wedding Cake by Kate Manchester
  Great photos from popular cake artists (Sylvia Weinstock, Ron Ben-Israel, Collette Peters, the whole gang). The focus is divided between brides/prospective buyers and bakers, but she does include basic recipes from the Cake Bible and tons of photos. A good overview.

Happy reading!

p.s.- The Washington Post had a “cookie clinic” today worth reading. BAKING: This Is Where Things Really Heat Up.