Great Cakes
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (07 April, 1998)
list price: $35.00
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Reviews (16)

Learn How to Bake a Cake
There are an awful lot baking cook books available these days, but few are worth anything.This book is one of the few truly helpful books that actually shows you how to properly bake a cake. Many baking books feature a famous chef on the cover, along with casual recipe instructions and the admonition that this really is easy to do; usually, this is a lie.This book fills in all the details, and is really the only cake cook book you will need.

Please note that this is not a "throw it together and bake" kind of cookbook; for these, I suggest books like The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, or Pillsbury's Best of the Bake-Off.The chapters are arranged like a textbook. The author expects you to systematically bake your way through each chapter in order, gaining skill and experience with each chapter.You are not suppose to skip around at random, picking out a few appealing recipes.The first chapter has pound cakes, the easiest; last chapter has European tortes and gateaux, the most difficult.

It has chapters on ingredients, equipment, techniques, pound cakes, butter cakes, coffee / streusel cakes, cakes with fruit, sponge cakes, roulades, chiffon, angel food, american, cheesecakes, tortes and gateaux, filling, frosting, glazes, sauces and toppings, and decorations.

The quality of the cakes are very high. When I need a high caliber Sacher Torte in a professional setting, the recipe comes from this book.It has a rare and complete recipe for Genoise.It is also one of the few books that insists on clarified butter for the Genoise (the only other one I can think of is Beranbaum's Cake Bible).The only real complaint I have is the suggestion to bang Genoise batter in the cake pan on the counter just before baking (never do this; better a couple of small holes in the finished cake than a deflated cake).Her recipe for chiffon cakes produces more loft than conventional procedures.I also wish the author would use the classic European names for the recipe titles; it would make looking up certain patissiere classics easier. The last section tells you how to match frostings and fillings to the cake, some valuable and hard to find recipes for glazes, and a definitive recipe for creme anglaise.There is also information on substituting different baking pans, and a sufficient amount of information about cake decorating for the home baker.

The most vexing feature of this book is the format of the first part, which has critical information on tools, pantry, and techniques.This is a most important collection of information that is essential for baking, but is usually left out of most baking books.The bad part is that these three chapters do not have a listing of the subjects; if you need to find something, say how to fold an egg foam batter, you will have to leaf through the entire chapter to find it.All other chapters have a complete listing of recipes in the Table of Contents.

One can disagree with the author on a few points: unbleached flour does not have a higher protein content than all-purpose (this is brand dependent), the silly notion of melting chocolate in a 225 degree oven, and not supplying the flour measurements in weight as well as volume (she describes sift, spoon, and sweep, which is about 3 1/2 oz when I tried it).I also dislike her idea to dump out excess flour when flouring a cake into the sink; since flour tends to clog drains, I do it over a garbage can.The section on suggested equipment is comprehensive: 30 different cake pans are listed, about a dozen categorized as essential, and 50 different tools, about half categorized as essential.The pantry chapter has a good dissertation on the important ingredients and what to do with them.The chapter on techniques gives complete instructions for all of the important baking tasks, such as how to handle butter and fats, beating eggs, folding batters, lining baking pans, bain-marie, telling when cakes are done baking (it differs greatly depending on cake type), de-panning cakes, storage, and a fascinating section on freezing.The metric conversion table for liquids in the Appendix is wrong.

An Outstanding Book
If you only buy one book on cakes, make it this one. Read the author's invaluable instructions on technique, ingredients, equipment etc. before you begin baking. No matter what level of baker you are you will learn something new. One caveat: while this is not a "fussy" book, it certainly is not for "cake doctors"--be methodical and follow the recipes to a "T"--you will be thrilled with the results!

LOVE THE COCONUT CAKE RECIPE!
This is a great cookbook for anyone who likes to make cakes from scratch.The coconut cake recipe is absolutely delicious!This is the only cookbook I use when I want to make a cake.Her directions are easy to follow and even a novice like me gets great results! ... Read more

Isbn: 0609603078
Sales Rank: 275695
Subjects:  1. Cake    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Cakes    5. Cooking / Cakes   

Chicago Metallic Gourmetware Non-Stick Checkerboard Cake Pan Set
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $9.95 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

If you enjoy wowing your friends and family with amazing cakes, you should seriously consider adding this Chicago Metallic checkerboard pan set to your cookware collection. Crafted from high-quality, noncorrosive metal and featuring a two-ply nonstick coating, the set contains three 9-inch round cake pans and a plastic batter divider. Just place the divider in a pan, pour two alternating batters (one dark and one light) into the three circles the divider creates, then remove the divider and bake. Stack the finished layers so the colors alternate. When your cake is cut, a luscious, three-layered checkerboard masterpiece will be revealed. The nonstick finish makes cleanup easy, and the pans are dishwasher-safe as well. If you choose to wash them by hand, though, use a nylon pad--rather than steel wool or abrasive cleaners--to protect the nonstick surface. This set comes with instructions and a recipe for chocolate-and-vanilla cake. --Marianne Painter ... Read more

Features

• Makes one- to three-layer cakes or a multibatter tiered cake
• Made of heavyweight, rustproof metal with nonstick SilverStone finish
• Set includes a plastic batter divider
• Each pan measures 9 inches in diameter
• 30-year limited warranty

Reviews (7)

unique cakes
I got this pan set a few years ago.I love making checkerboard cakes--they are so simple with this set.You can use boxed mixes, but I find the thicker consistency of the sample recipe makes a more distinct checkerboard design.

My favourite variation is to make blue and pink for baby showers instead of brown and white. (I make the white cake and just usefood colouring).

Great Buy
Very easy to use with both homemade receipe or from any box cake mixes.Great hit at parties, special treat for home, and great for pot luck or church dinners.Recommened it highly and has unlimited use for exceptional variations on cake design.Great for the beginner or expert cook. Wonderful letting kids help prepare something special.Even my six year old loves to help.

cooking tip for a nice looking checkerboard
I used to have a checkerboard cake pan that I loved.I finally returned it to my sister after "borrowing" it for about five years, so I am ordering this one to replace it.The old one was metal, so I'm pleased with the new plastic separators that come with this one.I experimented a lot with different cake mixes, and discovered that the thicker the batter the less the two flavors bleed into each other--for a more even checkerboard look.The best mix I have found was Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden for the light part and Butter Recipe Chocolate for the dark.They taste great too.I'm sure other butter recipe cake mixes would work well too. ... Read more

Asin: B00004R90W
Subjects:  1. Baking    2. Bakeware    3. (Bake Ware)    4. Novelty Cake Pans   

Cakes (Maida Heatter's Classic Library)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1997)
list price: $24.95 -- our price: $15.72
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Editorial Review

A man in Texas wrote to Maida Heatter looking for her Bullseye Cheesecake recipe; he and his wife had divorced, she had taken the recipe with her, and he was desperate for it! No wonder--it's a stunning work of art with its impossible-looking concentric circles of rich chocolate and vanilla-almond-flavored cheesecake. That recipe can be found here, along with other treats such as Chocolate Soufflé Cake, Boston Cream Pie, Florida Rum Cake, Kugelhopf, Swedish Leaf Cakes, Portuguese Sweet Walnut Bread, and West Indies Ginger Cake. Heatter, deemed "the legendary baking maven" by Food & Wine magazine, is a member of two cooking halls of fame: James Beard's and Chocolatier's. She has been cooking for decades and clearly indicates how to make classics perfect; she shares her tricks and tips freely like a good friend. (She swears by Philadelphia Brand cream cheese, for example.) She also steers clear of unusual or hard-to-find ingredients, even for the more exotic-sounding cakes. The book includes plain, chocolate, layer, and fancy cakes; cheese and nut cakes; yeast cakes and sweet breads; muffins, cupcakes, and gingerbreads; and ice cream and sauces. Simply divine. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

dissapointment
I have owned Heatter's 'chocolate deserts' book for years, and it is a great book for the most part, so I have been VERY dissapointed in her 'cakes' book. Cakes of all kinds are my speciality, and this is just a poor, poor cookbook. Nearly all of the recipies contain odd errors-especially in baking times-if you try to use this book, be very careful, cuz her overly specific baking times are usually too long. Neither of my kitchens have been able to make her times work as printed.
The recipies themselves are very odd as well-frankly, most of the times that I have gotten them to be succesful, people dont really like them that much. It seems like her goal was to collect as many recipies as she could that involved at least thirty dollars worth of nuts and dried fruit. "Fruitackes" would have been a more accurate title for this book. For God's sake even the chocolate cakes are packed full of fruit etc. Yuck.
The cheesecake section of the book speaks for itself in the overwrought fussiness department...almost all of the recipies just sound gross-reading the ingredients is enough to ruin your appetite...way, way overdone.
I would definetly recomend her chocolate desert book, but this one goes in the trash. I gave it the benefit of the doubt for a while, but that only goes so far!

great recipes
I just had my first succes from this book, and it is called the old fashioned coconut cake. A delicious cake, sophisticated in it's simplicity. The book is written in a very friendly and encouraging matter, the description of the techniques and what to expect during the proces of creating your master pieces give you all the confidence you need to bake an excellent treat for any occasion. The recipes vary from pound cakes to layer cakes with frostings and from cheesecakes to sweet breads and yeasted sweet treats. Had there been some pictures, I would have given it 5 stars (I like the visual aspect as an extra inspiration). But the recipes definately deserve 5 stars in itsself.

A Dessert Book By Which Others Should Be Measured
Stated simply, there are no better dessert cookbook writers than Maida Heatter. I have five of her bookbooks and from pleasant experience know that she has no bad recipes in any of her books. This one is no exception. If you can read English and own an oven, I'm not sure how you could possibly screw up one of these cakes. Ms. Heatter spends two to three pages on the simplest of cakes. She tells you where to place the rack in the oven, how many minutes to beat the sugar and butter together and what the batter will look like. For example, in the recipe for Cranberry Upside-Down Cake on page 201, she says: "The mixture might appear slightly curdled--it is okay." I'm happy to say I cooked this cake for the first time a few days ago. My friends thought it was wonderful. The best lemon cake I have ever baked and/or eaten has to be East 62nd Street Lemon Cake(page 22.)Over 20 years ago, when I had never melted chocolate in my life, I cooked a perfect Queen Mother's Cake (pp. 54-56.)The Robert Redford Cake(59-61)is a wonder to behold. Then there is the Oreo Cookie Cake, and on and on they go.

There are sections on all kinds of cakes here: plain cakes, chocolate cakes, layer cakes, fancy cakes, cheesecakes, fruitcakes, cakes with fruits and vegetables, yeast cakes, sweet breads and more. And all kinds of tips-- even how to wash a pastry brush.

There are no photographs in this book but who needs them? Your own cakes will be pretty enough to photograph. If you own other Heatter cookbooks, be forewarned; these recipes have been previously published in two of the author's earlier dessert books but here the cake recipes are all together.

I must admit that I find the cheesecake recipes-- at least most of them, a little over the top. I suppose that's because cheesecake recipes have been anthologized to death and Ms. Heatter sought out the most exotic ones. And I, being a lazy cook, an unwilling to fool with baking a cheesecake in a pan of water. Having said that, if I could have only one dessert cookbook, it would have to be this one. ... Read more

Isbn: 0836250745
Subjects:  1. Baking    2. Cake    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Courses & Dishes - Cakes    6. Cooking / General   

The Cake Bible
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (20 September, 1988)
list price: $35.00 -- our price: $23.10
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Editorial Review

Rose Levy Beranbaum is a kitchen chemist extraordinaire--this, afterall, is the woman who wrote her master's thesis on the effects of sifting on thequality of yellow cake. In The Cake Bible, she explains the sciencebehind types of leavening, the merits (or not) of sifting, melting chocolate,preheating ovens, and more. There are precise and detailed instructions forintricate wedding cakes as well as cakes that can be mixed and in the oven infive minutes. In addition, nutrition information is included with every recipe.Cake scientist Beranbaum doesn't forget the art, either; pencil drawings teachnovice bakers how to create a garden full of flowers from royal icing andmushrooms from piped meringue. It's no wonder that the International Associationof Culinary Professionals picked The Cake Bible as their cookbook of theyear for 1988--this book has something to teach bakers at every level. ... Read more

Reviews (113)

The Best has always strong good and bad critics.
I've own an original 1988 copy since 1988.This is the only cake recipe book I use.I am not a professional cook, but I am experienced.My Mom also baked.Everyone is correct on their reviews.Recipes are not for the inexperienced or the cook that wants to learn how to bake.Not all, but many recipes require precise ingredient selection and measurement; you can't substitute.Rose explains in detail why she choses an ingredient instead of another; she tells you what one does that the other does not; she tells you why use Dutch Processed Cocoa instead of Chocolate and viceversa; she tells you why use sour cream instead of butter and viceversa; she tells you why use unsalted butter instead of regular butter; she tells you about baking powder types and quantities depending on your pan size.After near 15 years reading this book, I am able to substitute.I succesfully used semisweet chocolate chips in place of Dutch Processed Cocoa for her marvelous chocalte butter cake recipe.My 200 guests were happy.

I've learned many good and impresive things the average cook admires when they come to my dining table.The best is the caramel cage; I make caramel cages for many uses; to hold fresh fruits, as a stand for a ball of cheese or freshly whipped flavored butter, as a garnish for a main entre, etc.I've made star shaped caramel cages, squares, buckets, cilinders, you name it.All it needs is sugar and water and aluminum foil, and those are present in any kitchen.

The triple chocolate cake is the best chocolate cake you can desire.Rose is correct when she says, this is a triple orgasm, or a triple pressence of chocolate in its best representation; You bite into a moist-airy-grainy-spongy chocolate genoise cake that is layered with silky creamy chocolate ganache and then all covered with hard chocolate praline sheets.She chosed with exactitude the addition of Frangelico liquor and hazelnut praline.Let me tell you, making chocolate genoise cake is delicate and requires a large mixing bowls, this is a chocolate cake without baking powder so the resulting flavor is pure chocolate without the chemical disflavors that baking powder adds when it reacts against chocolate.You can't show off how you make your chocolate genoise, you can't have your dog or distracting family members in the kitchen when you are folding the yolk mixture into the egg white mixture.Yes, indeed out of 10 times making it, 3 times the genoise cake became flat, my fault.

The mouseline butter cream is a master thesis on its own.I am glad somebody mentioned it in the reviews.It is an act of acrobatics and chemistry, plus a touch of magic.It is hard to believe and explain that a mix of egg whites, water, and sugar can blend with soft butter.It is hard to believe Rose when she says to not be alarmed that the mix will initially look like a puddle of unmixable butter floating like oil on water, and that your end result is the best bodied butter cream you can have (if you follow all her rules, yes RULES and not RECOMENDATIONS).You end up with a silky buttercream, that is light, not so sweet, not so greasy, and not so heavy, that will stand at room temperature for days or that will not loose its shape or body even after abusing it with food coloring or making extravagant cake pipings.And absolutelly, the addition of 3 oz of sweet liquor of your choice is a MUST.3 oz is 3 shots of liquor, quite a lot.Before adding the sweet liquor, the mouseline butter cream tastes not so good (buttery and not so sweet) and in fact, the body is even better and silkier after adding the 3 oz of liquor.I am sure, if you choose not to add liquor, try find out how much sugar are in 3 oz of sweet liquor and how much water (less the alcohol evaporation), and you might be able to substitute by increasing the amount of sugar and water in the egg white mix.I do have one recomendation:if you are using the recipe Rose wrote with the liquor, make your butter cream 3 to 5 days before you use the buttercream, or frost your cake 12 to 24 hours.This will allow time for the alcohol to dissapear.Hey, and what is wrong to not use egg yolks in buttercream?It is healthier and you end up with the purest white possible butter cream.

The same goes with all her recipes that call for adding syrup with liquor.She makes it a rule if you are baking before than 1 day in advance, then add liquor.

In conclusion this is NOT a book for beginners or cooks that want to start baking.This is a book for the baker or for the cook the loves to read cookbooks.I indeed have ALL of Rose's books, and all share my same reviews:The Pastry Bible, The Bread Bible, Rose's Celebrations, etc.

Rose is unique and her writing style is product of her own research.

Good luck.

great book
I'm a cake lover so this book is a blessing for me ...
I tried many of those recipe and there were excellent, I will recommend this book to everyone.
I also have Simple and Simply Delicious by sylvie rocher, it's a grat book with so many different recipes

Ignore the negative reviews at your peril
Pros?A handsome, detailed book full of carefully-documented tips and some lovely, mouthwateringly-inspirational photos.

Cons?A serious reliability issue.If this book were a car ... you might rethink the bus.

I -- and other reviewers -- contend that there are some decidedly fragile, odd recipes contained within.You might, infact, probably will, be tempted to discount the negative reviews as coming from people who simply can't bake ... or follow instructions for that matter ... or who couldn't recognize a good cake if they tripped over one, snif.But I'd advise against it.

Prior to baking from these recipes, I produced cakes -- LOTS of them -- which were unfailingly successful, each and every time made, EVEN when I might have been semi-distractedly chatting with someone whilst creaming the butter and sugar!With Ms. Beranbaum's recipes, however, not so.One cake I made over againfrom the beginning immediately upon seeing that the first version had flopped spectacularly -- with fresh baking powder, yet -- convinced, of course, that I must have left some key ingredient out inadvertently, mis-measured, whatever.

No such luck.The second one came out identical to the first.I still have the photos of one of the layers with an American penny standing upright next to it:the top of that layer just reached the top of Lincoln's head -- not so good!And its consistency was like that of congealed Cream of Wheat cereal.Even our dog, once it landed in her bowl, sniffed it and looked away, embarrassed for me.

And, by the way -- I have the spiffiest Kitchen Aid mixer, the best pans on the market, a 90-cm. Smeg oven which I calibrate with a digital thermometer from my engineer husband (not that my mother needed any of this nonsense, and she baked beautifully) not to mention the finest butter from Holland, eggs only a day from the chicken, Valrhona chocolate, blah, blah, blah.In short? You name it, I've got it.And none of it makes a whit of difference.

Not one cake I've made from my mom's old Betty Crocker nor my "Joy" have EVER failed.Who needs loud recipes which have such a high-maintenance, highly-strung temperament aspect to them?Not me, for sure!

So, think about it, please.(Her ego in naming this book is to be noted as well and says much -- we just might have a great deal of chutzpah / a bit of The Emperor's New Clothes going on here.) ... Read more

Isbn: 0688044026
Subjects:  1. Cake    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Cakes    5. Methods - Baking    6. Reference    7. Cooking / Cakes   

Nordic Ware Cast Aluminum Festival Party Bundt Pan
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $32.00 -- our price: $26.50
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Editorial Review

This pan rings a decorative change on the classic tube cake, bundt-shaped with vertical flutings. From this pan can come cakes, breads, and other delights in a fancy design with six rounded corners and horizontal flutings that step down to vertical flutings at the base. A simple butter pound cake (recipe included) demonstrates how all this detail remains intact. The pan holds 9 cups of batter, enough to make a festive cake for eight. Rust and warp resistant, the pan has a long life expectancy, and the nonstick coating ensures that cakes, breads, frozen desserts, and gelatin desserts and salads pop out with pretty flutings intact. --Fred Brack ... Read more

Features

• 20-year warranty against defects
• Bakes bundt cakes or breads in a festive shape
• Use also to mold gelatins and frozen desserts
• 9-3/4 inches in diameter by 4 inches high
• Hand wash with mild detergent

Reviews (4)

Festival Bundt Pan
Definitely heavy duty. This pan is not the thin type others stores pass off at the same or higher price.This pan has some impressive mass to it. This is one of thoese items that will be passed down from generation to generation. These will last a life time and then some.

Elegant design...
Cakes baked in this pan turn out looking great...all you need is a dusting of powdered sugar for a wonderful looking cake - I have had people not want to cut into the cake because it looked so pretty.

You do need a good spray, though, to grease it - do not try to do it with shortening - the detail in the design is a pain to grease well...

One of the best cake pans!
I enjoy baking cakes with this pan.The cast aluminum construction ensures even browning, and the nonstick interior releases the cake perfectly. I have made several pound cakes in this pan, and as long as I spray a cooking spray and flour the pan the cake has a perfect result, and the design is elegant.I also use the cast aluminum star bundt cake pan with 5 star results and recommend them both highly! ... Read more

Asin: B00004RFQ1
Subjects:  1. Cake Pans    2. Baking    3. Bakeware    4. (Bake Ware)    5. Novelty Cake Pans   

James McNair's Cakes
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 1999)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $16.95
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Reviews (3)

Basic, informative & helpful...
I am an avid baker, cakes especially, and this book is the perfect guide for anyone who is either a pro or a beginner looking to become serious with a cake pan. For beginners, the beginning of this book is a true kitchen campanion, explaining the obvious and not so obvious points of baking a cake in abundant but very helpful detail. Both the practical and scientific aspects of baking are touched upon in very easy to understand terms. For pros, the recipies are quite satisfying. Every step from pre-heating the oven through measuring ingredients through embellishing and serving is explained for beginners, while many taste and flavor variations are offered for those who are looking for more of a challenge. I highly suggest this book for anyone looking to start or to expand a knowledge of cake baking. My only minor complaint is that it doesn't offer any advice for perfecting cupcakes, especially using some of the great batters on these pages. But regardless, you'll really refer to this book time and time again.

Best Cakes Around
Beautifully photographed and so far I have only made 2 of the cakes and my guests raved about them. One was the white cake and the other was the fantastic coffee cake which was a major hit. I am anxious to try the carrotcake next. I found his introduction very helpful and he has some greathints on how to make the very best cake.

Best Cake-Only Collection I've Seen
This book contains everything from the basics of cake-making to fanciful decoration and frosting techniques.In between are about 2 dozen recipes for cakes of all types.

Be warned that none are simple to make, though instructions are well laid out for those with baking experienced.I'veespecially liked the carrot and lemon cakes, so far. ... Read more

Isbn: 0811817687
Sales Rank: 289794
Subjects:  1. Cake    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Cakes   

Molds in this pan ring a change on the classic tube-cake, bundt-pan shape with its vertical flutings. Here, molds create flat-topped, smooth-sided, tapered round cakes. All the smoothness remains intact thanks to the pan's heavy, cast-aluminum sturdiness, which promotes even baking. Try spice cakes or shortcakes (recipes included), and the pan's capacity to create golden crusts is enticingly demonstrated. Six 4-by-2-inch molds, each holding 1 cup of batter, make festive baking for family or dinner guests accessible to the shakiest amateur. This rust- and warp-resistant pan has a long life expectancy. The nonstick coating ensures cakes, breads, frozen desserts, and gelatin desserts and salads pop out with their pretty flutings intact. --Fred Brack ... Read more

Features

• Material: Cast Aluminum
• Size/Capacity: 6-cup
• Origin: U.S.A.
• Cleaning & Care: Handwashing Recommended
• Warranty: 20 year

Asin: B00004RFQ0

Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Holds-Barred Baking Book
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (10 January, 1991)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $11.16
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Reviews (32)

Great, Reliable, and Delicious Recipes!
I bought the hardcover edition of the book more than ten years ago. This is a marvelous collection of dessert recipes - reliable, foolproof, and delicious.My only complaint is that some of the recipes (Award-Winning Brownies, Tart Lemon Squares and Dagwoods) are too small - baked in an 8" square pan.I like to bake larger batches for family gatherings - so would have preferred recipes for 13"x9" pans.Some recipes can be doubled, but this isn't always the case - and no mention is made of being able to double these smaller recipes.Also, I find the Fudge Frosting, made in a blender, is better made in a food processor.The hands-down best Lemon Square recipe in the world (very tart!) is from the Stars Desserts cookbook by famed pastry chef Emily Luchetti.It is a large recipe which is made in a 13"x9" pan.Although I have not tried the recipes from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook (mixed reviews), as an accomplished baker, some of the recipe proportions seem a bit off.Perhaps the trouble has to do with very large recipes scaled down for home use.Not a problem with Rosie's book.

Sweet Mother of Pearl!That's Delicious!
This has some of the most fantastic recipes I've ever tasted.The pumpkin cheesecake is always a huge hit during the holidays.And for those who hate fruitcake, the chocolate fruitcake has converted even the most skeptical.Cakes and buttercreams and bars and mousse. . . I'm drooling just thinking about them!Wait! The Carmel-Pecan Cheesecake!I forgot about that!OMG!

This could be the best $10.46 you've ever spent.

the best baking book I own
I have many baking books, but this is my favorite.(You can probably tell just by looking at it: the pages are worn, stained, and falling out of the book!)There are no pictures, but her descriptions of flavor and consistency are so good that I now prefer them to pictures, and wish more cookbook authors would describe their food better.

Almost every time I've brought something made from this book to a gathering, I've been asked for the recipe.This happened so often that I finally bought more copies to give as gifts to the friends and family who kept asking for recipes.

I'm most often asked to make the cream cheese pound cake.I recommend using her recipe for lemon icing (from her lemon cake cookie recipe), and drizzling a little (you only need ~1/3 the icing recipe) on top after the pound cake cools.

The only thing that is a little bothersome is the precise measurements found in many of the recipes: it's not uncommon to find an ingredient measured in cups plus tablespoons and/or teaspoons.However, the results are so good that I've found they're worth a little extra bother. ... Read more

Isbn: 0761106332
Sales Rank: 79710
Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Pastry    4. Methods - Baking    5. Cooking / Baking   

The Cake Mix Doctor
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (November, 1999)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
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Editorial Review

Cake mixes are undoubtedly convenient, but do they produce good cakes? They can, says Anne Byrn, author of The Cake Mix Doctor, if you know how to tweak them. Doing this involves the addition of ingredients to enrich the mixes and flavorings to enhance and, in some cases, conceal questionable tastes. To prove her point, Byrn offers more than 175 recipes for mix-based cakes and other desserts, including formulas for frostings that, Byrn maintains, must be made from scratch. The results are convincing; readers interested insatisfying, dependable desserts prepared quickly and with little fuss should welcome the book.

Beginning with a useful discussion of cake mixes, their history andcomposition, and an outline of the mix-transformation battle plan, the book then presents the recipes in chapters such as "Chocolate Cakes," "Cake-Mix Classics," "Special Occasion Cakes," and "Incredible Bars and Comforting Cookies." Among the most successful offerings are Deeply Chocolate Almond Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, Banana Cake with Quick Caramel Frosting, and Lemon Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake. A chapter devoted to crumbles, crisps, cobblers, trifles, and even a dessert pizza shows how to use the mixes in innovative ways, and "Lighter Cakes" presents "healthier" offerings, such as Pear and Toasted Pecan Buttermilk Cake. With sidebars such as The Legendary Pillsbury Bake-Off and tips for success throughout ("Cinnamon is one of the great tools to use when doctoring up cake mixes," begins one), the book explores every aspect of cake-mix fixing while revealing the unexpected richness that the process can yield. --Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Reviews (153)

Easy recipes
The cakes in this book are relatively easy to make, but they taste good.Great recipes for guys (like me) who wants to make your wife birthday cake.

SUPER EASY cake fixer-upers
This book is SUPER easy to use and the recipes are fantastic!I've gotten overwhelming compliments on every cake I've made from this book.I HIGHLY recommend this cookbook for anyone wanting homemade tasting cakes without putting all the homemade time into them.

Easy, delicious recipes (with photos!)
I love baking cakes so this book was perfect for me.I used to bake everything from scratch, but realized many people really didn't care if I spent four hours or one hour making a chocolate cake.They just like cake!

Now I can bake more often for others without feeling like I am a complete cheat.The addition of butter, oil, eggs, etc. to mixes really does make a difference.

The book has a lot of neat recipes, color photos and helpful hints. ... Read more

Isbn: 0761117199
Subjects:  1. Cake    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Cakes    5. Cooking / Cakes   

Kaiser Bakeware Noblesse 9-Inch Nonstick Springform Pan
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Springform pans usually have a very specific role in the baking world: cheesecakes. They do have other uses--Walnut Streusel Coffeecake and Chocolate Truffle Cake come to mind--but cheesecakes are king when it comes to springforms. This 9-incher is the standard size. When the cake is done, just open the buckle and gently lift straight up. The nonstick surface ensures that a graham cracker crust sticks to the cream cheese filling, not to the side of the pan. To transfer the cake to a serving plate, just slide it right off its base. As a bonus, the pan comes with a booklet filled with tasty recipes. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Features

• Three-year warranty
• Nonstick surface
• Leakproof base
• Lightweight and easy to buckle
• Dishwasher safe

Reviews (10)

The perfect cheesecake pan!
This pan is the best cheesecake pan I've used. My cheesecakes bake evenly and NEVER leak (I bought it to replace one that cost the same amount but leaked all over my oven). Highly recommend. I've never had anything burn on the bottom, so if you have that problem, have your oven calibrated, or make sure you put the pan in the center of the oven - not too close to the heating element. My cheesecakes come out perfectly every time. I will never buy another brand!

To keep the nonstick coating from coming off, don't cut the cheesecake while it's on the base (or let the cheesecake warm up enough that you can use a non-sharp knife), and don't use a scouring sponge on it. If you spray Pam on the base before making the crust, it will easily come off so you can put it on a serving plate. I used a flat, flexible frosting spatula and slide it under the cheesecake to release it, then gently push it onto a plate. Wash the pan right away before anything gets stuck to it, and you won't need more than a regular sponge. Don't let the springform part soak - the metal bracket can rust.

With proper care this pan should last for a long time.

Nice Pan, Easy Clean!
I decided it was time to update my springform pans after the last "generic" one dripped batter all over the bottom of my oven.I chose this pan because of the "no drip" feature and have been pleased.It is a nice lightweight springform.The size is appropriate for either cheesecake, any other round cake, focaccia or deep dish pizza.I bought two so I can easily make a four layer chocolate torte.The BEST feature about this pan beyond the nonstick coating and "no drip" feature is the reversible nature of the pan.Either end of the pan fits to the bottom (for left or righthanded person) which means the rim is folded to the OUTSIDE on the top and bottom of the pan rather than inside.No more trying to clean out that silly rim at the bottom of the pan that cake gets stuck into.A soft sponge wipes out the bottom and the sides.It is literally a "piece of cake" to clean.I haven't experienced any problems with flaking, though I have only had my pan for 3 months.As with any other non-stick product, I avoid using metal utensils, always handwash and store with a papertowel inside if I'm going to stack something in it.Hope this helps!

Flaky
It's been about a year now, and the non-stick coating is flaking off bigtime.I still like the pan for other reasons, but consider buying the non-stick variety to begin with. ... Read more

Asin: B00004RC47
Subjects:  1. Cake Pans    2. Springform Pans    3. (Spring form)    4. Baking    5. Bakeware    6. (Bake Ware)   

How to Bake : Complete Guide to Perfect Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Tarts, Breads, Pizzas, Muffins,
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (11 October, 1995)
list price: $37.50 -- our price: $23.62
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (23)

Authoritative
Having studied with Chef Malgieri, I know first hand the detailed work that went into his master work, How to Bake. I've used many of these basic recipes in both home and professional kitchens; I've made many my own. The book is methodical. It is geared toward intelligent cooks. I believe it is critically important when dealing with recipes on this level to acquire as much background information and perspective as possible, to learn the ins and outs of ingredients, to understand the moods of your oven, take altitude into careful consideration, and, in all ways, treat recipes as beginnings rather than ends. You can find recipes anywhere. The deep perspective and commitment to teaching of How To Bake is something much rarer.

Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com

Very good survey of baking. Not as authoritative as expected
Nick Malgieri's book `How to Bake' is not perfect, but it is a very, very good survey of baking methods and baking recipes by one of the most widely respected and referenced baking experts in the country. That some reviewers have observed that he is a less than nice man to students and admirers in book signing lines is irrelevant. I have baked several recipes from this book and all have produced very successful products. In each case, I have also baked the same product from an alternate recipe and Malgieri's recipe has produced a superior result. To those who have not had any luck with his recipes, I would suggest they try some of the simpler recipes first.

While Malgieri is a widely recognized teacher of baking at some important culinary schools and this book's title may lead you to believe it is a textbook covering all aspects of baking, I believe it does not succeed as a textbook on several counts. The most important is that Malgieri makes several statements, which are scientifically incorrect. One was that glass conducts heat much faster than metal. This is patently false. The odd thing is, he uses this statement to give a false reason for using glass pie plates, which may still be the best choice for other reasons. Another false statement is that yeast is mixed with warm water until it dissolves. Strictly speaking, the proper word should be `incorporated' or `combined'. Microorganisms cannot dissolve in water. Again, while the statement is false, it has no effect on the efficacy of the recipe. I only point these out because Malgieri is an educator and should know better.

There is another sense in which I believe this cannot be a textbook for baking. This is the fact that I believe the coverage of bread baking is rather light. For breads, I would refer you to either Rose Levy Beranbaum's `The Bread Bible' or Peter Reinhart's `The Bread Baker's Apprentice. This doesn't mean you will not find a lot of good stuff here. In fact, I go to this book before any other when I want to bake something (other than bread) to see if Malgieri has a recipe for the product I'm interested in. This book is very similar to the book `Baking With Julia' in that both are surveys of a lot of different baking techniques giving some very commonly baked goods as models for those techniques. This makes these two books my first and second choices when I want to bake.

Therefore, the subtitle on the front of the book, which calls itself a `Complete Guide', is a bit of a stretch. You should still buy this book if you enjoy baking. In fact, the most accurate reflection of the book's value is in Nick's introduction where he quotes a colleague who says `Bake something, You will feel better.' This is an especially good book to help you bake something and feel better.

Great bread recipes, terrible cookies...
I must agree with the previous reviewer that the bread recipes in this book make it a worthwhile purchase (especially if you are brand new to baking home-made bread, like I was). But that damn chocolate chip cookie recipe is TERRIBLE!!! I can't believe it was included in the book. Dry, textureless and even tasteless. What a mistake! So all the recipes (except for the superb breads) are quite hit and miss. Perhaps a seperate book of just bread recipes and another with cookie recipes would be the best choice. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060168196
Sales Rank: 73318
Subjects:  1. Baking    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Bread    5. Courses & Dishes - Cakes    6. Methods - Baking    7. Reference    8. Cooking / Reference   

Wilton 36-Piece Deluxe Decorating Set
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $18.99
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Editorial Review

Create exquisite special occasion cakes for friends and family with the tools included in this kit. Or share the fun--cake decorating is a fabulously messy and delicious activity to enjoy with kids. Included are disposable heavy-duty plastic bags, couplings, and a variety of tips for different decorations, plus a nickel-plated flower nail for creatingicing roses. The illustrated booklet outlines the basic techniques for baking, icing, and decorating, as well as how-tos for 15 party cakes. The set comes packaged in a white plastic storage tray to keep tips and tools organized in a drawer. --Victoria Jenkins ... Read more

Features

• 36-page beginner's cake decorating booklet
• Everything you need for basic and specialty cake decorating
• 10 interchangeable tips
• 18 12-inch heavy-duty bags plus two couplings
• Four 1/2-ounce jars of icing color

Reviews (2)

I had so much fun!
I was looking for a hobby and wanted to try cake decorating.This set got me started with everything I needed.I was able to make my first cake within days and am very happy I bought this.Great for a beginner like me.

Wilton 36 Piece Deluxe Cake Decorating Set
This is a great cake decorating kit.The materials include all the things an amuture cake decorator would need to create world class masterpiece cakes.The booklet included in the kit gave such good tips for making theperfect cake for frosting, things like how to creat the uniform shape ofthe cake just like the pros do. The booklet even goes as far as to pointout the specific consistances needed for the frosting decorations,something which would be very hard as a beginner to figure out on one'sown.The kit also teaches the teckniques required for an assortment ofdifferent styles. Another good thing about the kit is that included inthe box are frosting dye colors for the professional look to all cakes. The how to guide gives very explicet instructions on the use of such dyes,so there is very little room for error using them.I like how the pastrybags that are included are disposable, so it is less hassle duringclean-up.The kit also comes with an abundant amount of these bags, so youdon't have to constantly turn around and buy more.I tried this kit withhigh hope and expectations, and i was not dissapointed.I am not thegreatest cook in the world, but the cake turned out beautifully! Beginner's luck, perhaps, but I doubt it.I felt like a true artist whenmaking the cake for our Fourth of July party, and I got rave reviewsmyself! ... Read more

Asin: B00004S7YE
Subjects:  1. Cake Decorating    2. Cookie Decorating    3. Icing    4. Food Coloring    5. Baking Tools    6. Decorating Tools    7. (Decoration)   

KitchenAid KSM90 300-Watt Ultra Power 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $269.99
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Editorial Review

KitchenAid's stand mixer is a substantial piece of equipment: 300 watts of mixing power make child's play of creaming butter, kneading dough, and whipping cream. The kid in you will appreciate how quick and easy it is to mix up a batch of cookie dough; the 4-1/2-quart bowl can hold up to 8 cups of flour, which translates into as many as 192 sweet treats.

This model comes with three attachments: a flat beater for making batter, meat loaf, and all textures in-between; a wire whip for egg whites, mayonnaise, and more air-infused creations; and a hook for mixing and kneading yeast doughs. All three are solid in construction and easily secured to the beater shaft with a simple twist; untwisting them is a bit trickier because the attachment stems are short and can be hard to grasp, especially if they get the least bit greasy. This model also includes a pouring shield for guiding ingredients to their proper destination, and the bowl itself locks tight to the base.

Standing 14 inches high, jutting out a foot, and weighing more than a grown woman's bowling ball, this stand mixer isn't the sort of appliance you'll wipe down and put away. Better to find a square foot of free counter space for easy access; besides, this machine is as pretty as it is rugged--you'll want to show it off.

To complete the package, KitchenAid includes a spiral-bound guide with instructions, mixing tips, and 67 recipes, from crispy waffles to a caramel walnut banana torte. --Betsy Danheim ... Read more

Features

• Measures 13-8/9 by 8-2/3 by 14 inches; 1-year warranty
• 300-watt, 10-speed mixer with tilt-up head for easy access to mixture
• 4-1/2-quart bowl holds dough for 2 loaves of bread
• Includes flat beater, wire whip and dough hook,
• Bowl and attachments, except wire whip, are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning

Reviews (38)

25 years and still going strong!
This is the only appliance we received as a wedding gift -- from my Mom, of course! :) -- that is still alive and kicking. We'll have our 25th anniversary next month, so I couldn't resist writing this review of something that has been with us since "the beginning."

While I don't haul it out as often as I used to, it's great knowing it's there when I feel like making a ton of cookie dough or mixing up a fabulous cheesecake. My Christmas cookies are a family recipe for "kolachkis" (Polish ?) that use 2 pounds of flour, 2 pounds of butter, and 2 pounds of cream cheese for the dough. There would be no way I'd ever make them without this wonderful ol' beast! It can also grind the walnuts for the filling, and be ready to move on to the pumkin pie filling.

You'll never regret your purchase if you invest in a KitchenAid stand mixer!

The standard by which all mixers are judged.
My wife and I got this as a gift for Christmas, and since Christmas I have used this more than my wife!

The ease of use and power this mixer brings to the table makes it the obvious choice for not only the casual cook, but the experienced chef.

The strong moter can handle even the most difficult batters.My wife uses it for cookie dough and cream sauces. The enclosed flat beater works well for those various uses.

I use it and the dough hook to make various breads and pizza doughs.Many of these doughs are very tough and thick, and this mixer handles all of them with ease.

The dough hook quickly beats your dough to a nice even consistency and helps form great gluten for your best bread yet.

Clean-up is easy, and the mixer's classic design looks great sitting on your countertop.This is a must have for anyone looking for a mixer.Look no further!!

Absolute Dream Machine!!
I have wanted a KitchenAid Stand Mixer for a VERY long time. I finally broke down and did some price shopping....my machine is in perfect shape!I am extremely pleased with the service. I just can't wait to put the mixer to the test next week when I have to make a wedding cake. I bought this mixer to shorten my time in the kitchen when I am cake baking. It is definately going to do that and then some.... ... Read more

Asin: B00004SGG6
Subjects:  1. (Kitchen Aid)    2. Small Appliances    3. Electrics    4. Stand Mixers    5. (Standmixers)