More than the ultimate collection of cake recipes, A Piece of Cake is a book that demystifies the baking process, explaining the techniques, methodologies, and chemical reactions that cause a cake to rise or fall. 200 line drawings.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Many cakes rise in this superb collection--"Marvelous Mud Cake," "Crazy Mixed-up Chocolate Cake," "Jo's Blitz Torte," even "Parsnip Cake"; sponges, charlottes, ladyfingers, scones. From the simplest to the many-tiered, Purdy ( As Easy As Pie ) enlists over 200 of her "personal favorites," combining lucid advice on basic equipment, ingredients and techniques ("What Happens When a Cake Is Baked") with detailed directions and playful asides on cake history. We learn that the modern custom (or folly) of "girls jumping out of cakes" at stag parties originated in medieval banquets made merry with "live rabbits, frogs, other small animals, and occasionally dwarves . . . encased in pastry crusts," while American frontier corn dodgers were so called "because they were so hard you had to dodge or risk injury if one was thrown at you." Glamorous French (hazelnut white-chocolate marquise) and Viennese (Sachertorte) pastries serve as divas, yet the most appealing may well be the old-fashioned jam cake, buttermilk spice cake, devil's food cake, caramel cake with penuche icing and their cousins. Illustrations not seen by PW. BOMC Cooking and Crafts Club main selection.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The inevitable comparison will be between Purdy's new book and Rose Levy Beranbaum's acclaimed Cake Bible ( LJ 8/88), but this should have no trouble holding its own. Purdy's detailed text provides invaluable information on equipment, ingredients, and technique, and her recipes are delicious. She includes more cake recipes than Beranbaum, who focuses more on adornments and showcase cakes; Purdy does include fancy cakes, too, but she has more cheesecakes, coffeecakes, upside-down cakes, and the like. In short, a worthy companion to The Cake Bible ; for all pastry collections.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Unlike many cook books that are simply collections of recipes and a few photos of what the finished product should look like, Purdy's "The Perfect Cake" goes further. It is a "why" book, explaining how the different ingredients interact as you mix them then bake them. It also discusses the different qualities those ingredients have and offers advice on what you should choose and why. And perhaps more importantly, why not.
The book also gave me the confidence to experiment with some of the basic recipes. And I didn't mind eating the results, thank you very much.
I borrowed a copy of the book from my local library, learned a lot, and enjoyed it so much that as soon as I submit this review I will buy my own copy.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Perfect Cake: 150 Cakes For Every Taste & Occasion by baking expert Susan G. Purdy is quite simply a definitive, single volume compendium designed to enable the family cook to have a wealth of delicious, imaginative, desert choices for any occasion from daily family dining to special celebratory events. Enhanced with a wealth of "tips, tricks and techniques" for everything from measuring ingredients to preparing pans for baking, the profusion of cake recipes are grouped into Butter and Shortening Cakes; Cheesecakes; Sponge and Foam Cakes; Elegant and Special Cakes; as well as Filings, Frostings, Icings and Glazes, Sauces and Syrups. Of special interest is the section on Decorating Cakes covering special effects, flavorings, and decorative techniques. Before you bake your next cake, browse through Susan Purdy's The Perfect Cake!
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I borrowed this from the library and have renewed it twice. I'm ready to buy! My son and husband fought over the last slice of the 1-2-3-4 Cake and want me to make it again. I prefer to bake cakes from scratch; they prefer that "light, airy" texture of boxed cakes. This cookbook convinced me to sift the flour - and it made the difference. I like the detail given; it's not just do this, do that. I got an understanding of why the steps were included. A really terrific cake-recipe book!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By la Gitana
Format:Paperback
I spotted this book at the local library and it inspired me to bake a birthday cake for a coworker. The carrot cake was a hit and I heard, over and over, that it was "the best carrot cake I've ever eaten in my entire life!" Requests followed for the next birthday and once again, I heard, "This is best cake I've ever had in my entire life." Past attempts have received compliments, but never to this extreme. I certainly couldn't take the credit for Purdy's recipes, tips and variations. As previous reviewers have written, Purdy goes beyond the recipe to explain (simply) the chemistry behind things. I learned that the processing of the cocoa makes all the diverence in achieving the red velvet color of the cake of that same name. The only negative comment that I could possibly have is to say that I was disappointed to not find a recipe for a German Chocolate cake. I've checked this book out repeatedly from the library and now plan to buy my very own copy!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Susan Purdy describes the ingredients added to her cakes so the baker can understand how each addition will change the final product. The early chapters thoroughly explain overall techniques, equipment and ingredients. Each recipe chapter describes the concerns and pitfalls to keep in mind while putting ingredients together; when technique really matters, and why. She even describes the finished product, allowing us to compare different end-products, and learn why our cake looks a certain way, or sometimes does not look a certain way. Most importantly - the cakes are delicious
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The recipes in this book are just plain yummy! Simply delicious cakes that are not too hard to make. Try the chocolate buttermilk cake--it is DIVINE! Mmmmm...so good:)
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Have used this one for years. Concise and no nonsense approach combined with fanatasic recipes is a sure winner. The first few chapters are a great source of info for even the experienced bakers. If I could only have one book on cakes this is it.
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By David Rankin
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The aeration process advocated for shortening type cakes really turns out a light fine textured cake. In addition to great extra cake recipes this book also marches pretty much in lock step with the Betty Crocker Red Book basic tutorials such as for egg, cakes and the ingredient sub list, which is something that I really like.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
~ THE PERFECT CAKE BOOK ~
If you like to Bake Cakes, "The Perfect Cake" by Susan G. Purdy, is Filled with all kinds of Layer Cakes and so many others, the Book has 150 Cake Recipes and some Good Ones, I... Read more
Published 29 days ago by Wolfee1
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great information about how cakes are done
I loved all the explanation about the different ingredients you put in a cake. I've been baking for a long time but had never read this type of explanation that certainly help with... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Marilia Candeloro
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing!
This book is simply amazing. I am very new to baking. Very new. Not so new to cookig. As I go along, I find books, my library of anything you can eat books continue to grow and I... Read more
Published on October 15, 2009 by Nik
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Book!!
This book gave me very good information on cake baking. The only reason why i didn't give it a 5 star is because of the lack of pictures in the book. Read more
Published on June 27, 2009 by Doris Yeow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy as A Piece of Cake
Susan Purdy explains cake making for the home baker. I truely appreciate her providing the recipes with weights. Makes baking much easier. Read more
Published on April 11, 2007 by john
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