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Amanda Rettke
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Surprise-Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion—with a Little Something Extra Inside Kindle Edition

by Amanda Rettke (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 395 ratings
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From Amanda Rettke, founder of the popular blog I Am Baker, comes Surprise-Inside Cakes with recipes and techniques to make dozens of stunning, imaginative cakes for every occasion, each with something special inside.

Whether it’s a striking, all-white cake with a secret red velvet heart baked inside; a birthday cake, complete with a surprise balloon cake in the middle; or the gorgeous hydrangea cake that took the blogosphere by storm; Amanda’s cakes are downright revolutionary—and really fun to prepare.

This beautifully designed cookbook contains eye-popping color photos and step-by-step instructions to create incredible surprise-inside cakes in your own kitchen.

For Amanda Rettke, every cake is a gift to be shared with family and friends, a special treat that should be lovingly prepared and meticulously designed—from the inside out.

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  1. Print length
    658 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow Cookbooks
  4. Publication date
    April 8, 2014
  5. File size
    69701 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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  9. See all details
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Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

It's what's inside that counts! Surprise your friends and family with these stunningly inventive cakes, including easy-to-follow instructions that even a beginner can master.

For Amanda Rettke, founder of iambaker.net, every cake is a gift to be shared, a special treat that should be lovingly prepared and intriguingly designed—from the inside out. Whether it's a striking all-white cake with a secret rainbow heart baked inside, a birthday cake complete with a surprise balloon in the middle, or the gorgeous rose cake that took the blogging world by storm, Amanda's creations are downright revolutionary—and tons of fun! In Surprise-Inside Cakes, she gives us fresh new ways to enjoy life's greatest occasions, with themes and cakes including:

  • Celebrating Family—Stripe Birthday Cake, Paw Print Cake, Rainbow Cake
  • Celebrating You—Leopard Cake, Herringbone Cake, Cowboy Boot Cake
  • Celebrating Love—Kiss Cake, Ring Cake, Sunset Cake
  • Celebrating Holidays—Jack-o'-lantern Cake, Rudolph Cake, Holiday Candle Cake
  • Celebrating Life—Football Cake, Cherry Cake, Smiley Face Cake

Featuring a few classic favorite cakes from her blog and more than forty brand-new cakes—along with her easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step photo tutorials—Surprise-Inside Cakes shows you how to replicate these incredible designs in your own kitchen.

To make these dazzling cakes, you can start with one of Amanda's delicious, foolproof recipes for cakes and frostings, or use a boxed cake mix or favorite family recipe. With tips on how to bake a level cake, tricks using household items such as rulers, biscuit cutters, and cookie cutters to carve and shape cakes, and Amanda's simple yet stunning frosting and decorating ideas, you'll not only be re-creating these amazing cakes for occasions large and small, you'll soon be using her techniques to create your own surprises!

And your friends and family will be thrilled and delighted when a beautiful cake opens to reveal a special gift inside.

About the Author

Amanda Rettke began her food blogging career in October 2010 with the introduction of her first surprise-inside cake, and since then she's been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Woman's World, Midwest Living, Brides, and Romantic Homes. A regular contributor to Food Network and HuffPost Food online, she has also been featured on the Martha Stewart Show and marthastewart.com. She lives with her husband and five children near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B008HS0E4E
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Cookbooks; Illustrated edition (April 8, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 8, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 69701 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 658 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 395 ratings

About the author

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Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke

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Amanda Rettke began her food blogging career in October 2010 with the introduction of her first surprise-inside cake, and soon discovered a passion for baking, photography, and all things food. Since the inception of I Am Baker, her websites have gained over 200,000 subscribers, and average 6,000,000 pageviews a month.

Amanda’s cakes, cookies, hot dishes, and treats have appeared throughout the media. When not in the kitchen, Amanda is a stay-at-home mom of five children. She lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
395 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the instructions in the book very clear and complete. They also say the book is full of fun and unique ideas for cakes. Readers appreciate the delicious recipes and tips on baking a surprise cake. They describe the photos as beautiful and cool.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
Clarity of instructionsFun ideasRecipesPhotographyPacing
67 customers mention "Clarity of instructions"57 positive10 negative

Customers find the instructions in the book very clear and complete. They appreciate the great pictures and well-explained recipes. Readers also mention the author has an easy way of sharing her knowledge and the information is good for learning how to make your own surprise cake.

"...on how to create fun cakes, paired with Amanda's witty and easy to follow dialog. I was not disappointed!..." Read more

"...The detailed step by step instructions and pictures are amazing and inspiring, so much, that I was able to make and decorate a beautiful cake, and..." Read more

"...2 - Beautiful and helpful photos. Cake decorating is a struggle for me. The how-to photos are detailed, and incredibly helpful...." Read more

"...The author has a easy way of sharing her knowledge. Having said this, to make a cake within a cake is not an easy task...." Read more

42 customers mention "Fun ideas"42 positive0 negative

Customers find the ideas in the book fun, creative, and innovative. They say the surprises inside are very interesting and educational. Readers also mention the book is unique and one-of-a-kind.

"...The detailed step by step instructions and pictures are amazing and inspiring, so much, that I was able to make and decorate a beautiful cake, and..." Read more

"1 - Solid cake recipes. Yes, the book is full of fun and unique ideas for when you cut into the cake...." Read more

"...anything very elaborate with cakes before, so this book is very educational for me. It's got great ideas, very fun and inventive...." Read more

"...Yes, they have a fun surprise inside, but they are also beautiful on the outside...." Read more

37 customers mention "Recipes"37 positive0 negative

Customers find the recipes in the book delicious and easy to read. They say it includes specially formulated recipes to create delicious, perfectly sculptable cakes. Readers also mention the author describes each cake amazing.

"...love that the author spent the time providing tried and true, delicious cake recipes too.2 - Beautiful and helpful photos...." Read more

"...Even if I never make any of these colorful and beautiful culinary creations, I enjoyed reading this book and looking at all the delicious-looking..." Read more

"...It is simply beautiful and the cake recipes are delicious! A must have for any kitchen. I love this book...." Read more

"This had some very good ideas for spectacular cakes!..." Read more

34 customers mention "Photography"31 positive3 negative

Customers find the photography in the book beautiful. They say it's a great cake decorating book with full-color photos and commentary.

"...The photos in the book are beautiful and step by step, so I feel well prepared to start trying them out...." Read more

"...The detailed step by step instructions and pictures are amazing and inspiring, so much, that I was able to make and decorate a beautiful cake, and..." Read more

"...2 - Beautiful and helpful photos. Cake decorating is a struggle for me. The how-to photos are detailed, and incredibly helpful...." Read more

"...occasions, recipes, and step by step instructions with full-color photos and commentary...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive5 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book repetitive and boring. They also say it's not a great book.

"...It got repetitive after a while, which is just my perspective, since I can imagine others might appreciate that...." Read more

"...Really not a great book. Can't recommend It Instructions are a little vague. Cakes don't look very professional" Read more

"Love the idea for forming shapes in the cakes but it became repetitive after a while...." Read more

"I expected more, as a baker I find it very boring." Read more

Fantastic book
5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic book
Fantastic book! It makes it very easy to do this spectacular surprise inside cakes. It give a few ways of doing a surprise inside. Easy to follow instructions. I totally recommend buying this book. I sat down and read it cover to cover and then jumped in and made a cake of my own with a surprise inside.
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Top reviews from the United States

Zlo3d2
5.0 out of 5 stars Loving this book--Great photos, inside and outside cake decorating, and even recipes!
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2014
Verified Purchase
I have been following this author's blog for the last year or so and have been very inspired to "up my game" when it comes to cake decorating. When I saw her Surprise-Inside Cakes featured on her blog, I was amazed at this new level of decorating. When this book came out, I purchased it hoping for further instructions on how to create fun cakes, paired with Amanda's witty and easy to follow dialog. I was not disappointed! I absolutely love the cakes in this book and am already searching for occasions to make some on my own. The photos in the book are beautiful and step by step, so I feel well prepared to start trying them out. Not only is it inside cake decorating, she creatively decorates the outside of these cakes with what seem like simple to create themed designs. It's not a fast way to decorate--so you must have time set aside to attempt these methods--but it is so worth it for the chance to surprise my friends/family with the quirky insides to the cakes! She even includes her tried and true recipes for her favorite cakes and icings. So glad I purchased this book for myself and I can't wait to make my first one!
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Steve Merrin
5.0 out of 5 stars So much more than a cookbook
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2014
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This is so much more than a cookbook! It is a cookbook, photography book, and coffee table book all wrapped into one! The detailed step by step instructions and pictures are amazing and inspiring, so much, that I was able to make and decorate a beautiful cake, and applied the technique to cupcakes as well.
I felt like I “got to know” the author, through her personal stories and antidotes; I read the book cover to cover, and can’t say that very many cookbooks. I now follow her blog, I am baker. Surprise Inside Cakes, makes a great casual book for the coffee table; I leave my copy on the kitchen bar, which has sparked many conversations. I have also given the book as gifts, and have purchased for some upcoming gifts. They have all loved the book! One of the gift recipients, is as a 2nd grade teacher, she shared the book with her class as a fun way to learn to read measurements and directions. My own kids, love looking through the book and it has started a baking frenzy at our house!
3 people found this helpful
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Amber Bracegirdle
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Reasons to Love Surprise Inside Cakes
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2014
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1 - Solid cake recipes. Yes, the book is full of fun and unique ideas for when you cut into the cake. But I love that the author spent the time providing tried and true, delicious cake recipes too.
2 - Beautiful and helpful photos. Cake decorating is a struggle for me. The how-to photos are detailed, and incredibly helpful.
3 - Down-to-Earth writing. Reading the book is like having a chat with the author. I love that!
4 - Difficulty Levels. The book has a page that divides the book's recipes into difficulty level. Tackle your level, then move on to the next!
5 - Celebrating every occasion. Whether it's birthdays, engagements, or Christmas, there are cakes for every family celebration you can imagine. A perfect place to start your inspiration and create a party around your cake!
7 people found this helpful
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Doris
3.0 out of 5 stars A good book but not for the amateur baker
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2014
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A book for the 21st century with new designs and ideas written in a easy to read manner. As you know, some cake books are pretty hard to read but not this one. The author has a easy way of sharing her knowledge. Having said this, to make a cake within a cake is not an easy task. An experienced baker may be able to attempt her techniques.
10 people found this helpful
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embecker
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Ideas, Not Lots of Recipes
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2015
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I read this as a library book and decided to buy it because I wanted to bake some of the cakes in it without risking damage to a library book. While I love to bake, I've never done anything very elaborate with cakes before, so this book is very educational for me. It's got great ideas, very fun and inventive. I was a little disappointed that there are only a few cake flavors included, but clearly a person can make their own flavor choices and combinations when following some of the ideas.

I tried the white cake recipe and for some reason both layers fell in the middle. Not sure what I did wrong. I didn't think the white cake tasted that great - it was just "okay" to me - obviously, though, I may have made a mistake somewhere along the line. The texture, though was wonderful.

I am planning to try more of the recipes, plus look for my own. I really bought the book for the ideas, and the few recipes in there are just a starting point. I baked the Vintage Cake, using box mixes (the way the author's grandma did it when she created this cake originally) and it turned out great, including the cream cheese frosting from the recipe in the book. The cake was for a birthday party and it got rave reviews from the family.

The instructions in the book are very clear and complete. I love that quality in this book. I feel like there's no guess work on how to construct these cakes. Many are not easy, but the directions are detailed and well-written.

A side bonus - I made the chocolate frosting recipe, too, just to try on the first practice white cake (the one that didn't really turn out for me), and some chocolate splatters landed on the open pages of the book. I wiped them off with a damp paper towel and the pages cleaned up perfectly, no stains and no warping. How's that for a little plus in a cookbook.
24 people found this helpful
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Susan Heidicker Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
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I purchased this book out of curiosity because I'd never heard of surprise-inside cakes. The book has loads of different cakes for all occasions, recipes, and step by step instructions with full-color photos and commentary. The author has even labelled each cake for its ease of preparation. Even if I never make any of these colorful and beautiful culinary creations, I enjoyed reading this book and looking at all the delicious-looking cakes. The author has a wonderful sense of humor, which was an added bonus. I'm glad I bought this book. It was more than worth it!
2 people found this helpful
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Bea L
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise-Inside Cakes..WOW
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2014
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This is an easy to follow cookbook of recipes and easy to follow directions to make incredible cakes at home that you can show off to your family and friends! They will think you ordered the cake from a bakery. It is simply beautiful and the cake recipes are delicious! A must have for any kitchen. I love this book. It guides you through and lets you know what cake to start with until you have mastered the more difficult ones. A wonderful conversation book for the coffee table also.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Arianna
3.0 out of 5 stars Delusione
Reviewed in Italy on November 17, 2015
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Libro carino ma a questo prezzo mi aspettavo di più. Alcune ricette non si avrà mai occasione di farle. Spedizione tutto bene
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wendy busch
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book!!
Reviewed in Canada on April 27, 2014
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I received this book within three days of ordering. This is a fantastic book! It has many recipes with great pictures and very easy, concise directions to make the cakes. I recommend this book to amateur cake decorators or for someone who has decorated for years!
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Zulekha Shabnam
4.0 out of 5 stars was disappointed to see all it had on Pinterest
Reviewed in India on September 18, 2014
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Ok,was disappointed to see all it had on Pinterest
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bobblsandra
5.0 out of 5 stars wunderbar :)
Reviewed in Germany on July 14, 2014
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Ein echt richtig gutes Buch für geburtstagskuchen oder allgemein Kuchen für besondere Anlässe. Und ich als deutsche habe die Rezepte auch größtenteils gut verstanden. Empfehlenswert!
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Betty1963
5.0 out of 5 stars Original and clever
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2014
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The book gives very clear to follow ideas for making the cakes with different themes and different surprises in them. I would recommend the book to anyone who wants to develop there cake making skills in a new direction.
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