Rating: 
Summary: baking made easy
Review: This is the cookbook that everyone can use. Although I am an experienced baker, I found her recipes interesting and also good. A great start for people timid about baking. I sell desserts to a local tea room and they have loved the praline chocolate cake. The history is a pleasant addition and I loved knowing about ganache and being able to make it. A must for wives who love to entertain or any one who loves to bake.
Rating: 
Summary: When it's good it's very, very good . . .
Review: This is a great concept for a book, but I've found the recipes in this book to be hit and miss. I made the banana loaves and the lime cheesecake bars with great success. They were very easy and turned out well. However, I agree with the other reviewer who said the chocolate sheet cake was dry and flavorless. It definitely would have been better made according to the package directions! I also made the white chocolate pound cake last weekend and found it disappointing. The white chocolate flavor was VERY subtle (wouldn't even know it was white chocolate had I not baked it myself), and the consistency was light, dry and crumbly - not like pound cake at all. I haven't given up on this book. Like I said, there are good recipes here, and I intend to try others. However, considering the lack of predictability in these recipes, my advice is to first make any recipe from this book at a time when you don't have to test it out on others.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing results
Review: So far I have made three cakes from this book the last one being the Chocolate Sheet Cake. I used the Chocolate pan frosting instead of the peanut butter. The frosting separates from the cake and the cake would have been much better if I had just followed the directions on the box. The cake was dry and tasteless while we usually like the cake as Betty Crocker suggests.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Great Recipes
Review: I ordered this book for my wife and have thoroughly enjoyed the benefits. We are having a great time trying the recipes and both are making a big hit taking them into the office to share with our co-workers. So far we have found several very creative yet easy to make items that are awesome to eat! My hat's off to this author!!
Rating:
Summary: Baking Snob? I dare you to try this one!
Review: I know there are 43 or so reviews for this book already, but I just had to add to the bunch! Yes, I admit, I'm a baking snob. It's homemade or nothing for me. BUT, when I saw this book at the library I just had to take a look at it. "Surely' I thought, 'a cake mix can't rival a homemade one.' So, I checked it out and proceded to make "Mom's Layer Cake with Fluffy Chocolate Frosting". Positively yummy! I couldn't believe it! And it was easy too. So, on to "Darn Good Chocolate Cake"--another success! (We almost ate the whole cake in one evening). I'm sold and am ordering my book now! Thank you Ann! I may never go back to homemade cakes again. You've made my life much simpler. I can't wait to try more of these delicious cakes. By the way, for cookbook afficianado's, this book is a great read, very entertaining and I learned some fun facts about baking along the way!
Rating:
Summary: It's a Pity
Review: I understand why a book of this type would appeal to some people, but I find it sad.It is so easy to make a cake the REAL way (you know... flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, cocoa, etc....) that I find it sad that anyone who wants to use her/his creativity in the kitchen would bother to start with a MIX! Even the best mixes taste like chemicals, if you taste thoughtfully. Why not try a recipe instead of a BOX??
Rating:
Summary: IF YOU ARE A BAKER WHO HAS NO TIME:BUY THIS BOOK
Review: I am a graduate student, college hall director and avid baker. I have not baked in a while because I like to do it from scratch. This book makes the impossible possible. I just baked the Chocolate Chip Cake and the Caramel Cake in 1 and half hours. My hungry college students were amazed. These do not taste like mix. If you are a busy mom, dad, aunt or scout leader this is a must. People will think you walk on water.
Rating:
Summary: I Agree: This book is great.
Review: Though I have a major cookbook collection which includes a substantial selection of books on baking, I was intrigued enough by Byrn's concept to purchase yet another cookbook. I chose to bake the chocolate pistachio cake the very day I picked up the book. A friend, with whom I shared it, loved it and requested I make one for an upscale pot luck dinner to be held the following week. Well, I did a repeat performance, but also made the lemon-lime cake with pineapple curd and the banana cake with caramel frosting for the buffet table as well. The feedback has been just fantastic. I fear that someday I will have to come clean and admit I used cake mixes. I love the color photographs, one for each of the recipes presented. I am on line now to order one as a Christmas gift for my grand niece who is a working mom who loves to bake, but only has time for cake mixes. I know she will love this book, too.
Rating:
Summary: not worth the effort
Review: I made the much touted cannoli cake. Despite all of the added ingredients to the mix it still tasted like a cake mix. The ricotta filling did not set up properly. I followed the directions for the buttercream frsoting to a tee and it was wretched-I could have added some vanilla to Crisco shortening and it would hacve tasted the same.
Rating:
Summary: This Book is GREAT Fun!!
Review: I bought this book on a lark, & have used it more than any other cook book this year. I'm a very busy mom,& don't have much time to cook. I have baked cake after cake from this book, & they've all been good. My friends have raved about the cakes, & I can put them in the oven in 5 minutes (really!). I have the "classic" cake bibles on the shelf, but this is the book I use & use. If you're not too much of a snob about cake mixes you'll love this book.
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