Cakes to Inspire and Desire [Paperback]

Lindy Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 16, 2007

Be inspired to create celebration cakes that are as desirable as they are delicious

Step by step, combine and decorate basic shapes for results as simple or sensational as you desire.

Achieve effortlessly eye-catching effects through clever color choices and bold embellishment.

Ensure your cake is party-perfect with expert tips and techniques, easy shortcuts and extra design ideas.

Make exquisite coordinating mini-cakes to be enjoyed at celebrations or given as delightfully sweet gifts.

Inspirational styles include:

• Funky Flowers
  
  
• Twinkling Snowflakes
  
  
• Opulent Swirls
  
  
• Retro Graphics
  
  
• Quirky Cut-outs
  
  
• Delicate Mosaics
  
  
• Wonky Tiers
  
  
• Beautiful Beads

Editorial Reviews

Review

Cake Craft and Decoration This aptly named delightful book contains 35 uniques designs, with a contemporary fresh funky feel --Cake Craft and Decoration 15 truly inspirational yet achievable celebration cake designs. --Inspired by Food --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Lindy Smith is the author of three other D&C titles, including Celebrate with a Cake. She runs a successful business making celebration cakes. Lindy is a British Sugarcraft Guild accredited demonstrator and holds workshops to share her techniques and experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: David & Charles (August 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0715324977
• ISBN-13: 978-0715324974
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking > Cakes

More About the Author

Lindy Smith is the author of three other D&C titles, including Celebrate with a Cake. She runs a successful business making celebration cakes. Lindy is a British Sugarcraft Guild accredited demonstrator and holds workshops to share her techniques and experience.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wow, these cakes are gorgeous!!, September 13, 2007

By 

Janet Lee Wolfson (Woodstock, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cakes to Inspire and Desire (Paperback)

I purchased this book with very high hopes, because Lindy's cakes are so spectacular. However, I was a little disappointed. Her specialty is the wonky cakes like the one on the cover, but I found her instructions were pretty sparse. I have learned more about how to put together wonky cakes from free online tutorials than from the info in this book. I also think the photography was insufficient. All of the photos of the wonky cake construction are shown from the top, looking down on the top of the cake. This isn't helpful in seeing how the wonky cake is supposed to look from the side.

There are only 2 recipes included, one for chocolate cake and one for madeira. Both recipes are presented in chart form (use this amount of ingredients for this size cake) with another chart for fruit additions.

There are lots of instructions for using "cake jewelry" (wire and beading to decorate the cakes) and specialty cookie cutters that look great but are also an unbelievable amount of work.

There are complete decorating instructions for 15 different cakes in 3 categories: round, square and creative (odd shapes).

All of the cakes are gorgeous, but most look extremely intimidating to try to make. But the title of this book is "Cakes to Inspire and Desire", not "Cakes to Whip Up in a Few Minutes". And they certainly do inspire!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars They can inspire but not really instruct, September 15, 2007

By 

Jane Austen Fan from VA "John & Mary Catherin... (NOVA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cakes to Inspire and Desire (Paperback)

I bought this book primarily because I also wanted to learn about how to make the "wonky cake or topsy turvy cake". I was also disappointed in the instructions for this particular cake. However, she can give great instructions as evidenced by the section on how to make cake jewelry & how to decorate the cakes, as was also noted by another reviewer. Additionally, her stands that she shows in this book are available on her website which is fine as I couldn't find them anywhere else.
I was disappointed especially since it was such a long wait for the book but the pictures are pretty and there are some great instructions on how to do some of the decorations, just not the instructions I was looking for.
Here's hoping Toba Garrett will come out with a book discussing how to do these cakes.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous cakes, spotty instructions, May 9, 2008

By 

C. Weaver "CrissyLuvsCakes" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cakes to Inspire and Desire (Paperback)

I love the cakes in the books they're gorgeous and creative, but the instructions are difficult to follow. They seen to leave parts out and the illustrations aren't always helpful. Overall it's a good book and the cakes are definitely worth trying.