Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes [Hardcover]

Duff Goldman (Author), Willie Goldman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2009

When Duff Goldman, Food Network's "Ace of Cakes," envisioned Charm City Cakes in Baltimore nearly a decade ago, his goal was to make wonderful cakes for friends and family. As word spread about his fabulous creations, his dream grew into a nationally renowned business staffed by a team of talented professionals, including musicians, artists, and creative souls with experience in architectural modeling, graphic design, deejaying, coffee making, performance art, dog walking, sculpture, painting and more.

Aces of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes is a celebration of the bakery that started it all. This colorful scrapbook is loaded with stories about Duff's early days as a graffiti artist turned young chef, his successes and hilarious disasters, and the amazing team he built step-by-step. Through candid interviews and profiles and hundreds of photographs, illustrations, and collages, the book shows how energy, inspiration, collaboration, and a bit of luck can conspire to help anyone achieve their creative vision.

Of course, at the center of this stunning book are Charm City's Cakes. From the simple to the breathtakingly complex, Duff shows off some of the bakery's more unusual techniques and tools that shape their famous creations. He also offers a behind-the-scenes look at his Food Network show, shares his most incredible customer stories and requests, and reveals some of the bakery's favorite cake facts and tips—along with a comprehensive episode guide and a monster cake montage featuring seven years' worth of the bakery's astonishing cake creations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Duff Goldman studied at the Corcoran School in Washington, D.C., and was a young graffiti artist of some notoriety. He started working for acclaimed Baltimore chef Cindy Wolf while attending the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He studied pastries at the Culinary Institute of America and worked at the French Laundry under acclaimed pastry chef Steven Durfee, at the Vail Cascade Hotel and Resort, and at Todd English's Olives restaurant in Washington, D.C., before opening Charm City Cakes in Baltimore in 2000. Duff is also a sculptor and artist, and a musician who plays bass in the rock band . . . soihadto . . . . He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks (October 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006170301X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061703010
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Duff Goldman studied at the Corcoran School in Washington, D.C., and was a young graffiti artist of some notoriety. He started working for acclaimed Baltimore chef Cindy Wolf while attending the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He studied pastries at the Culinary Institute of America and worked at the French Laundry under acclaimed pastry chef Steven Durfee, at the Vail Cascade Hotel and Resort, and at Todd English's Olives restaurant in Washington, D.C., before opening Charm City Cakes in Baltimore in 2000. Duff is also a sculptor and artist, and a musician who plays bass in the rock band soihadto. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The in depth story behind Ace of Cakes, October 21, 2009

By 

Joseph Tidline (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Let me just start off by saying that I have the utmost respect for Duff Goldman and his staff at Charm City Cakes. I went to Culinary School and worked in a bakery right after graduation, so I can respect what they do day in and day out. And I only wish I had a fraction of the talent that they do. And after reading this book, everyone can also understand what they go through into making those beautiful, awe inspiring cakes that they produce every day. This is no cookbook. This book goes deep behind the scenes of the show Ace of Cakes. You learn all about Duff, how he got his start and how his crew at Charm City Cakes came to be. The book is filled with excellent photos of the cakes they make and of the staff themselves. And spread out through the book are stories about the staff and how they came to meet Duff. What makes both the book and the television show, Ace of Cakes, so special is that these are not just a group of people working in a bakery every day, doing a job. These are a group of friends that have grown into a close knit family and you can see that they love what they do and it shows in each and every cake that goes out their front door. So if you are a fan of the show or just have an interest in baking I highly recommend this book.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Thumbs Up!, October 20, 2009

By 

BOOK REVIEW - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes (Hardcover)

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I'd give this book 10 stars if I could! I love the program so was curious to learn more about the "cast," their stories, more about what its "really" like to work together etc. I had no idea that Duff's brother was one of the co-executive producers of the show. Hearing about that story alone gave me goose bumps all over. Duff is an awesome writer as well as a cake designer, so the narrative was "extremely" enjoyable to read. Lots of pretty photos of very inventive cakes too. This isn't a cook book or a how to book but it does offer inspiration and some recommendations if you are interested in becoming a cake designer/decorator, but mostly its about the background story of the people working on the show which is incredibly interesting, fun, heart warming, and extremely rare and unique.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delicious Surprise, October 27, 2009

By 

Karie Hoskins "karieh" (Everett, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Though I am an avid Food Network devotee...I never really watch "Ace of Cakes". It's not that I have anything against the show itself...it's just that I am one of the, what, 5 people in this country that despise reality TV. The snark, the nastiness, the stupid game-playing, the total lack of shame and/or pride of the people involved...no, thanks.

And yet, from reading "Ace of Cakes"...it appears that this is one reality show that has none of what I dislike about reality TV. This show is real, for one, and is about nice, talented people who love what they do and where they work. Whod've thunk?

The creator of the style of cake, the place (Charm City Cakes) and the great working atmosphere is Duff Goldman. In this book, the reader learns a great deal about him and the people that he's drawn together to create magic. His talent and outlook on life and art are what inspire his business, his show and now, this book.

"Yes, art can be something that hangs on a wall, but it can also be the shape of a building, the sleek lines of a race car, or lighted images projected on a screen. And, yes, art can be something you can eat. Food as art is a temporary medium, but, like all lasting art, where it matters most is not on the plate but in your memories."

I think what made this book so interesting for me was the love and passion that came through...mostly from Duff, but also from the other artists at Charm City Cakes and those who are now part of that family by way of the show. These people love what they do and where they work. They also love their city (Baltimore) and the man who brought them all together. All parts of "Ace of Cakes" come together in this book...the artists, the clients, those involved in the show...even those people who blog about the show. It's a multi-faceted look at an amazing (and very positive) phenomenon. It made me think of the "If you build it, they will come..." quote from Field of Dreams. Duff Goldman imagined it, started it...and then drew people to him with his talent and personality.

The pictures and illustrations are very well done. If you can eat with your eyes...I'd better avoid the scale for a while. And the gorgeous and outrageous designs...well, there's no putting those into words. Well, except maybe this quote from one of the decorators, Ben, might sum it up a bit: "...combining an aircraft carrier, a dog named Randolph, and a left-hand turn signal into one cake can be a daunting task."

This book provided a fascinating look for me into an art form, a place, and some very talented and wonderful people that I knew very little about. Though I doubt I will be able to ever experience Charm City Cakes first hand, this book provided just a taste (sorry...couldn't avoid that forever...) of what this "more than a bakery" has to offer.

"...mixing friendship with business is risky - because close camaraderie among management and staff can complicate hard business choices. Yet somehow we've made it work in most cases. We're all friends who enjoy applying their skills to cake decorating...treating everyone the best you can installs a loyalty that contributes to the collective success of the business."

And Charm City Cakes/ "Ace of Cakes" is a success indeed...and? It now has one more loyal viewer.