Customer Reviews

The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-Fashioned Recipes From New York's Sweetest Bakery

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I consider myself to be an avid and skilled baker/cook. I have been baking and cooking successfully for well over 22 years. I got this book and MORE FROM MAGNOLIA as gifts from a friend who is a big fan of the cupcakes at the Magnolia Bakery in New York. I was very careful to follow the recipes exactly and I most certainly am not a beginner. The first recipe I tried was Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes. The cupcakes turned out okay; a bit on the dry side and I would have used maybe a bit more vanilla. I tried two more recipes (Devil's Food Cupcakes and Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake) just to give the books the benefit of the doubt. I used only the freshest, highest quality ingredients and I was extra conscientious when following the recipes and the results were still mediocre. The cupcakes were dry and the layer cake was bland. Old-fashioned is a quality I like in my baking but dry and bland are qualities no one likes. I have heard so much praise about the goods at the Magnolia Bakery that it leads me to wonder if the recipes in the cookbooks have been adjusted to turn out inferior results. The book itself is easy to follow, well-written, and laid out neatly. The lack of so many pictures did not bother me at all and the pictures they did include were beautiful and attractive. But the recipes are what matters the most in any cookbook. The results have been consistently just okay. I really expected a lot but I'm sorry to say I'm disappointed.

I am a teacher who has a dream of owning a corner bakery like the Magnolia Bakery one day. Therefore, I cook desserts for the faculty at my school at least once a week. Everything I've made from this book has received rave reviews. The day I made the apple walnut cake, two of my colleagues went out bought the cookbook for themselves. The caramel pecan brownies and the chocolate sour cream cake were also a hit. Also, the white chocolate macadamia cookies are much better than the ones at the mall cookie store. This book is a must have for every new bride!

You will find this book a great resource on basic baking items such as muffins, cakes, and cheesecakes. This is not the book for you if you are looking for something completely original, but is perfect if you are looking for really good recipes for standards. I liked that the instructions were extremely clear, there was no room for error when preparing the recipes. This is one of the most detailed books in this respect that I have seen. All the recipes that I have tried have come out well. I also like the fact you do not need exotic recipes for this book. Most ingredients can be readily found in your pantry. If you are looking for a resource for classic bakery recipes this book is for you. The page design is lovely, and there are many pictures to go along with the recipes.

I had read about this book on another website and was immediately intrigued by one of the recipes listed. It was an orange vanilla chip cookie that was supposed to taste like those old fashioned orange creamsicles. The day I bought the book and brought it home, I baked those cookies and took them to a bake sale at work. They were a big hit. I made about 5 dozen and they were quickly gone.

When I was mixing the dough, I thought the authors had made a mistake. The dough was very dry and difficult to mix. I had thought about adding extra eggs. I decided to go ahead and bake the first batch. They baked up thick, soft, chewy, and delicious. They didn't spread and become thin. They were surprising light-tasting and made everyone want more.

The other recipes look just as wonderful and I look forward to trying them all. They are simple, with no complex ingredients and the instructions are very clear. Even a first-time baker would have no problem with these recipes. The only complaint I had was that there were too few pictures.

this review is actually from my wife! I am a big fan of the delicious cupcakes and other goodies at the Magnolia Bakery and was pleased to find out that they opened a similar store near my work (Bttercup Bakery) Unfortunately we moved uptown and it was very difficult for me to have my cupcakes on the weekends. Then I happen to find this book and immedialy purchased it hoping to recreate some of the magic from the bakery but lo and behold I am a terrible cook - so I did the next best thing and gave this book as a holiday present to my wife and earmarked the pages where I wanted her to concentrate on. The book must be geat because the output of my wife's work was just as good as the real thing and now I am happy on the weekdends. It is the first gift that I have given that I can reap the rewards over and over again! My wife enjoys using the recipes and I enjoy eating the results..............The only problem for the authors is that I do not visit the bakeries as much as we can replicate my favorites at home

I must agree with others who found that the recipes simply do not work. I have been baking for over 30 years and have had great success with other cookbooks, but the recipes I have tried in this book are *complete disasters*. The cakes and cupcakes come out flat and dry. The icing recipes are very sweet and make very large amounts. I would caution cooks too not use these recipes for special occassions, bake sales, etc. unless you have first tried the recipes so you can make adjustments. In all fairness, it seems to be a problem caused by adjusting recipes to smaller batches coupled with insufficient testing. My supermarket flour and home oven have worked fine with baking recipes from many other chefs.

Magnolia Bakery is in my neighborhood and I know the taste of their cupcakes very well. The recipe in the book tastes exactly like the cupcakes in the bakery and suffice to say I am shocked--thrilled, but shocked. I don't know what I was expecting--I guess I assumed that they'd alter an ingredient or two, but clearly they did not. I've only made the cupcakes and the chocolate chip cookies, but hell, who needs anything else?

I have tried several recipes from this book and can't wait to try more. My family is asking when I will bake another coconut or german chocolate cake. It is great to have old fashion recipes that taste like my grandmother cooked.

It is very important to follow the instructions exactly for the recipes to turn out right. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I am.

After visiting the famous bakery in New York, there was no question I had to get this book. And the results have been amazing...absolutely everything I've made has been to die for! My colleagues at work beg for my cupcakes after I brought them in for a birthday and the icebox desserts take minutes, but look beautiful and taste even better! A lovely book that brings me back to NYC and my mom's kitchen at the same time!!

What sweet treats Alyssa Torey and Jennifer Appel whip up in this wonderful cookbook! I haven't yet had the good fortune of visiting the Magnolia Bakery when in NYC but I've heard so much about them. I'm a sucker for classic old-fashioned desserts (Mexican family, loving the kitchen, all sorts of goodies, what can I tell you?) and got this book along with the "More From Magnolia". Well... in the course of only a few days, I'd baked about 5 different desserts from both the books. They're wonderful! The Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Buttercream was an especially big hit... marvelous!

It's true that this book is not a primer on baking and you should have at least a basic knowledge but the instructions are easy to follow and the pointers very helpful. I have to disagree with the reviewers who state that the recipes don't come out right. I love baking but I'm certainly no pro and I haven't had any problems whatsoever, neither have any friends or family members who have borrowed them.

So, yes, expect to be breaking your diet often with the sweet, sugary goodness that you find in between the pages of this wonderful book. Very, very recommended!