Cover Image: Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes

Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes

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Member Reviews

Great recipes and tips (excellent tips) for aspiring bakers. A really good book for teen bakers upwards. I have read and reviewed a copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Great baking book for anyone who wants to produce celebration cakes - so easy to follow and great ideas for all the many celebrations we come across in life x

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As the person responsible for baking cakes for all events, including birthdays, I love reading informative books about baking. Such books help to up my game and make the books look more professional. This cookbook did just that - the recipes were stellar, but the tips were the showstopper. For many bakers, tips and tricks are the it factor that takes your baking from okay to outstanding.

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I was truly blown away by Turner's splendid recipes. This book is a serious game-changer for anybody looking to up their baking skills and impress their family. Move over Mary Berry!

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Every baker dreams of creating the most beautiful cake that will be remembered by the friends who get to eat it. Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes by Mich Turner is the perfect primer to help bakers turn out beautiful and delicious cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. This excellent cookbook covers basic cakes and cupcakes, along with ideas for expanding those basics into showstopping desserts. There are also ideas for cakes and cupcakes that appeal to children and families, such as Raising the Baa (a cake that looks like a sheep), Go the Whole Hog (a pig cake), and Vanilla Fairy Cakes. There are even more cakes that will appeal to adults and be suitable for the most formal functions: The Althorp Chocolate and Salted Caramel Layer Cake (which was given to royalty by the author at a function she was invited to), a gorgeous Black Forest Roulade, and a Lemon and Elderflower Layer Cake. Turner has also included cakes for holidays such as Halloween Mini Rolls, Chocolate Fudge Heart Cake, and Chocolate Marbled Easter Cakes.

The photographs in this cookbook are absolutely stunning. It will be difficult to decide what to bake, since almost every single recipe will be appealing. You can’t go wrong with this beautiful cookbook. Bakers everywhere will be tempted to bake daily to turn out these excellent bakery choices.

The recipes are written in a standard, easy-to-follow format, and most recipes call for ingredients that are easily obtained. None of the recipes are difficult, although there may be a learning curve when decorating and making the cakes look as good as Turner.

All told, this is an excellent cookbook and a “must have” for serious bakers.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

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This book is for sure not for a beginner baker-- and it makes no claim to be.

The techniques are advanced, but the instructions are easy to understand. The photos and designs of the bakes are absolutely beautiful and it gets me itching to try some of them for future cakes!

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Mr Turner has outdone himself. I found the text simple to follow and easy to adapt to my small kitchen. I especially like the fact that the writing was adult and not over the top complicated.. It is well worth the price just to load up on the inside tips and insight that this beautiful volume lets you the reader acquire. I found the everyday bakes , the beat for my kitchen. Easy bread and biscuits Can never have too many tips in this area of expertise.

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A perfect title for a perfect showstopper cake book! I loved this book and found recipe, after recipe doable!! While you might need a scale to help with metric measurements, it is the most accurate way to bake and I didn't mind at all that it has metric measurements! This is the perfect book for those that love cake! Easy 5 stars!!

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Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes is a terrific cookbook. It gives even the novice baker and opportunity to practice and do well. Then the newcomer to baking can advance with some of the more complicated recipes. I like the variety of flavors, especially some of the exotic ones that I have not used at all or seldom. These recipes give me a chance to expand my horizons. Experienced bakers can also benefit from this cookbook because of the variety of recipes.

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A delightful looking bakes and cakes book from Mich Turner, who is the Little Venice Cake Company cake designer - I've bought her products before as a birthday cake for one of my daughters, and it was delicious, so it lovely to see how to try and make some myself.

This book is split into four main sections (no of cakes):
Cupcakes (19)
Loaf cakes, traybakes & Meringues (14)
Layer Cakes (15)
Celebration Cakes (21)

Whilst there are plenty of bakes to choose from a number of them use the base recipe from the previous recipe and change the topping. Some of the recipes use a cake of your choice, but I guess its possible not all types would be suitable - I'd rather have some suggestions as to the type that is best used with fondant sugar paste and royal icing.

The measurements come in both metric and imperial, each recipe has a colour photograph and plenty of steps to follow. The book also contain a templates for the gingerbread house.

These cakes a certainly decadent and some look quite easy to do, some are more intermediate and others are for the more experienced baker. I certainly would make the Chocolate Marbled Easter Eggs this year - they look scrummy.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

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What can I say? I'm a sucker for the Great British Bake Off and I was drawn into a book that promised me Showstopper Cakes.

What I really like about this book is that the recipes are divided into the two title categories: either an everyday bake or a showstopper cake. It's good for those who are more beginner who might want to start simple. Or conversely, for more experienced bakers who are looking to challenge themselves a little bit more.

This book is divided by types of bakes including: Cupcakes, Loafcakes Traybakes and Meringues, Layer Cakes, and Celebration Cakes.

There's conversions here which are helpful, given the British-ness off the book. Because of that, take note that some ingredients will need to be swapped as this book includes things harder to find in America, like Maltesers.

Each recipe has helpful hints and tips, and the instructions are written really well. I wish that some of the more complicated bakes would have included step-by-step photos. I know this book is beginner to more advanced, but I assume the audience is still home bakers. The extra help for some of them would have gone a long way!

I really like that some of the recipes are just sort of kicked up a notch, so to speak. That is, there will be a cupcake version and a cake version, or a cake version and a wedding cake version. It's nice to see the varieties of the same thing in different challenge modes.

There are a lot of photos, which I really appreciate, especially in a book like this about flashy bakes. Plus, the photos that are included are fantastic. They look like stellar cakes and so the title is accurate for sure.

There's templates included in the back for some of the design work, which is helpful. There's also a few random cookie recipes in the back which are a bit weird and out of place but, hey, I like cookies as much as the next baker.

Some of the recipes that sounded the most delicious to me include: Venetian Easter Eggs, Lemon and Elderberry Layer Cake, and The Althorp Chocolate and Salted Caramel Layer Cake.

This would be welcome on any home baker's shelf, and would make a great gift for that baker in your life who you beg to bring treats to your parties.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

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Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes
Author: Mich Turner
Photographer: Lisa Linder

What a gorgeous book this is! The photographs drew me in and then seeing that simple recipes were taken from being decorated simply to quite elaborate with complicated steps made this a book I would love to sit and read then get up and bake from.

The recipes provide both imperial and metric measurements making this book easy to follow. There are tips to make success more likely along with step by step instructions on how to make the cake, icing(s) and decorations. Whether you are a beginner or more skilled there are ideas for everyone interested in tackling cake baking.

Cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, baby showers and more are included. Frostings are not limited to buttercream or fondant and the ways to take a recipe and use it for cupcakes or more complicated layer or shaped cakes are also included. Use of candies, flowers, fruit and so many more items to decorate with made this a joy to read and get new ideas from.

A chocolate chip cupcake can become quite elegant with peanut butter frosting, peanut brittle and a few other additions. A cake with a heart inside? Haven’t tried that before. A simple layer cake then frosted with caramel inside? Hmmm… Flavors of fruit, vanilla, chocolate, gingerbread and more are included along with meringue-based deserts like pavlova.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I buy it to bake from? I would

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

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Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, every recipe in this book looks so good. My mouth watered just flipping through it. I tried the vanilla fairy cakes with simple glaze icing recipe and the cupcakes tasted so good! I also tried making the strawberry shortcake floral stacks and it took me a very long time but they tasted very good though.

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The author of this title is truly a master baker.  A biographical note that I saw indicated that she has made cakes for Queen Elizabeth and a number of celebrities. 

The book contains recipes for cupcakes including Raising the Baa, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, Gin and Tonic Cupcakes, Chocolate Chip Cupcakes and more.  There are also recipes for loaf cakes, tray-bakes and meringues; included are Raspberry and White Chocolate Meringue Towers, Classic Chocolate Eclairs a Warming Ginger Loaf Cake and a Salted Caramel and Popcorn Layer Cake, among others.  The book also include Layer Cakes; Lemon and Elder-flower Layer Cake or Strawberry Shortcake Floral Stacks anyone?  Ow about Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.  The Book ends with a number of Celebration Cakes including Hand-decorated Ester Biscuits, Halloween Mini Rolls, a Chocolate Biscuit Wreath cake and many more. 

The photographs made me so hungry.  They are gorgeous.  The book has basic recipes and then ways to enhance them to make a showstopper.  Either way, if you like to bake, take a look at this one.

One note:  unfortunately for U.S. bakers the oven temps and measurements are British style and will need to be converted.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

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Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes is a progressive guide and recipe book for bakers for creating simple to elaborate cakes and baked desserts. Due out 10th March 2020 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint it's 224 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The book has a nice and logical layout. The introductory recipes are easy enough for beginner bakers and the following chapters build on the earlier concepts and finishes. The book is arranged roughly thematically with cupcakes followed by loaves, tray-bakes, and meringues, on to cakes and then celebratory and really fancy cakes.

Recipe ingredients are listed in a bullet sidebar with both metric and American standard *weights* given. These recipes use weights for most of the flours to give a more consistent result. Info and tips about the ingredients or the recipes themselves are given in sidebars below the preparation information. Yields are stated in the header info. Nutritional information and special diet concerns/allergens (nuts, celery, wheat, etc) are not given.

These are yummy and (mostly) made from easily sourced ingredients.

Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar, step by step instructions. All of the recipes are accompanied by photographs. The photos provided are high quality, clear, and easy to follow. There are a number of really beautifully presented desserts here including some appealing and impressive holiday bakes.

The recipe ingredients themselves are easily sourced and will be available at most well stocked grocery stores. There are a very few ingredients which might be a little more difficult to source, but definitely nothing that is 'way out there'.

Four and a half stars.

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This book is beautiful! It has gorgeous photos and excellent recipes that will appeal to many tastes. The title encompasses what this cookbook offers: tray bakes and cookies to more fancy cakes. Be aware that quite a few of the recipes are slight variations of a recipe already in the cookbook.

This is a lovely and well made book that's filled with desserts you will want to try!

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As someone who reads a lot of cookbooks, and watches a LOT of Food Network baking challenges I was very excited to get this book and it did not disappoint! There were so many spectacular recipes and cake designs, many of which seem very doable and I just loved all the beautiful photography.

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Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes leaves a bit to be desired. I do not mind that the recipes are in weight measurements rather than the cups we are used to here in the US. I simply did not care for the texture of the finished cakes. Better cake recipes can be found. That leads me to the showstopper part of the book. Unfortunately it left me feeling unimpressed. I can generally find better showstopping ideas on Instagram. The book is just okay.

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Recipes are paired (or sometimes multiples): first a basic recipe ("Everyday Bake") followed by instructions for turning the basic into a "Showstopper." Most of the basic recipes are not unique in any way, so a beginning baker could just as easily find similar recipes online or in a basic cookbook. So one would really only buy this book if they wanted to make fancy cakes. I was intrigued by the Gin and Tonic Cupcakes {"Everyday"), which begin with a lime cupcake. Also, the Lemon Meringue Layer Cake looks amazing covered in meringue rosettes topped with blackberries, grapes, and lavender sprigs. Beautiful!
Occasionally the fancy version leaves a bit to be desired. For example, carrot cupcakes with citrus drizzle are transformed into carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and walnut praline. Different, but not necessarily much more fancy. But truly, this book would be for someone who really wants to get into making fancy cakes.

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I think my baking journey is really just wishful thinking that I'll develop the patience, creativity, and artistry that would land me on the Great British Baking Show, but I've accepted my reality that I'm more of a Nailed It contestant. It might just be stubbornness that keeps me trying. Or borderline insanity? Either way, Everyday Bakes to Showstopper Cakes caught my attention and interest for sure. I think the recipes/flavors are more in line with my 'wishes' -- ginger cakes with lime buttercream and pineapple sunflowers, rhubarb and custard mini pavlovas, go the whole hog -- has easy to follow (numbered!) instructions, beautiful photos, and top tips. Best of all, it's a book that isn't as intimidating as some I've read and used. My 7 year old niece has the baking bug (but more decorating than baking) and I'm so excited to try some of these recipes with her (esp pigs and sheep cupcakes, raising the baa). The only sad news is that aside from my niece, everyone I know is on a diet. So maybe they'll be enticed my mini pigs and sheep? Everyday Bakes is a great resource that has re-inspired me.

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