Rating: 
Summary: Here's how to see Ann Warren at work!
Review: I agree the book is great, but the lack of "how-to" visuals is somewhat disappointing. As an accompaniment, try Martha Stewart's "Cake-Decorating Video". Ann is a featured guest, and demonstrates how to make the buttercream and do several different styles of decoration. There's a lot of other good info on the video, as well. I highly recommend it for the serious at-home cake baker!!
Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Mundane & Ordinary!
Review: I do not understand the reviewer's comment that the Buttercream recipe was missing "cream" and "vanilla"! The recipe for the Butttercream is called "VANILLA Buttercream"! There is vanilla in the recipe(1 teaspoon!). And there is no cream in buttercream! Beyond that silliness, I have been using Anne Warren's recipes for buttercream and cakes for years after seeing her on Martha Stewart. My family and friends love them! The Buttercream is so much better than store made lard and sugar icings. The section on colors is especially precise and correct. The science behind the section "Hazards to Buttercream" is very informative & helpful. If you want to make and decorate cakes beyond the ordinary and mundane, this is the book. If you can follow directions carefully and have a bent towards creativity you will create beautiful and sophisticated tasting cakes.
Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Mundane & Ordinary!
Review: I do not understand the reviewer's comment that the Buttercream recipe was missing "cream" and "vanilla"! The recipe for the Butttercream is called "VANILLA Buttercream"! There is vanilla in the recipe(1 teaspoon!). And there is no cream in buttercream! Beyond that silliness, I have been using Anne Warren's recipes for buttercream and cakes for years after seeing her on Martha Stewart. My family and friends love them! The Buttercream is so much better than store made lard and sugar icings. The section on colors is especially precise and correct. The science behind the section "Hazards to Buttercream" is very informative & helpful. If you want to make and decorate cakes beyond the ordinary and mundane, this is the book. If you can follow directions carefully and have a bent towards creativity you will create beautiful and sophisticated tasting cakes.
Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Mundane & Ordinary!
Review: I do not understand the reviewer's comment that the Buttercream recipe was missing "cream" and "vanilla"! The recipe for the Butttercream is called "VANILLA Buttercream"! There is vanilla in the recipe(1 teaspoon!). And there is no cream in buttercream! Beyond that silliness, I have been using Anne Warren's recipes for buttercream and cakes for years after seeing her on Martha Stewart. My family and friends love them! The Buttercream is so much better than store made lard and sugar icings. The section on colors is especially precise and correct. The science behind the section "Hazards to Buttercream" is very informative & helpful. If you want to make and decorate cakes beyond the ordinary and mundane, this is the book. If you can follow directions carefully and have a bent towards creativity you will create beautiful and sophisticated tasting cakes.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed in Cupcake Cafe Cookbook
Review: I had high hopes for this book, and was disappointed when I tested several of the recipes. Because many people prefer a buttercream that is less sweet than the standard 10X sugar and butter blend, I thought this might be the answer. Not only was the taste odd--totally butter, no "cream" or vanilla or even sweet taste--but the icing was unmanageable from a designer's point of view. Very unstable. I suspect something has been omitted or misprinted. The Chocolate Cake recipe that is supposed to yield 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes in fact yielded 4 dozen decent sized cupcakes. An abundance of riches, perhaps, but frankly they were quite blah. . . I also find the writing to be somewhat affected. Photos are gorgeous and inspiring, but there aren't enough of them.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed in Cupcake Cafe Cookbook
Review: I had high hopes for this book, and was disappointed when I tested several of the recipes. Because many people prefer a buttercream that is less sweet than the standard 10X sugar and butter blend, I thought this might be the answer. Not only was the taste odd--totally butter, no "cream" or vanilla or even sweet taste--but the icing was unmanageable from a designer's point of view. Very unstable. I suspect something has been omitted or misprinted. The Chocolate Cake recipe that is supposed to yield 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes in fact yielded 4 dozen decent sized cupcakes. An abundance of riches, perhaps, but frankly they were quite blah. . . I also find the writing to be somewhat affected. Photos are gorgeous and inspiring, but there aren't enough of them.
Rating:
Summary: If sweets are your delight, this is the book for you
Review: I have actually used the recipe for buttercream and it was perfect as well as delicious! All the recipes' instructions are very easy to understand and any problems you may encounter are covered so they are practically foolproof. The recipes are unique and I appreciate that Ann Warren has used actual recipes from her shop and not fudged up something just for a book. My only disappointment is the small amount of colored photographs of decorated cakes. I really wanted more, even some illustrations would have been useful in the "how to" section on making buttercream florals. All in all, a very good book to add to your dessert book collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Original Style, Great Taste, Beautiful Techniques
Review: I have decorated cakes for more than 20 years, and have devoured cake decorating books from the early days of Wilton in the 70's to the more recent publications of artists such as Colette Peters. I first learned of Ann Warren's beautiful cakes, unique style, techniques and recipes on a fairly detailed segment of Martha Stewart Living on Lifetime, and saw a couple of short segments on the Food Network -- I tried them and I'm hooked. If I had the privilege and pleasure of spending a day with anyone in the field of cake decorating, it would be Ann Warren. The book does a great job of explaining all the important details of her unique style and gives detailed recipes and instructions. I highly recommend it. Though there are several pages of color photos of Ann's beautiful cakes, I would like to have seen more of them and more close-up shots of some of the flowers for studying techniques. Perhaps a sequel???
Rating:
Summary: Original Style, Great Taste, Beautiful Techniques
Review: I have decorated cakes for more than 20 years, and have devoured cake decorating books from the early days of Wilton in the 70's to the more recent publications of artists such as Colette Peters. I first learned of Ann Warren's beautiful cakes, unique style, techniques and recipes on a fairly detailed segment of Martha Stewart Living on Lifetime, and saw a couple of short segments on the Food Network -- I tried them and I'm hooked. If I had the privilege and pleasure of spending a day with anyone in the field of cake decorating, it would be Ann Warren. The book does a great job of explaining all the important details of her unique style and gives detailed recipes and instructions. I highly recommend it. Though there are several pages of color photos of Ann's beautiful cakes, I would like to have seen more of them and more close-up shots of some of the flowers for studying techniques. Perhaps a sequel???
Rating:
Summary: DON'T BOTHER - I finally threw this book away!
Review: I have made several muffin recipes from this cookbook. I have been very disappointed in the fact that the authors never really employed a recipe editor to find typos and most of all inconsistencies! There are numerous inconsistencies!!!... For example: when it comes to the amount of butter - they switch back and forth from ounces to tablespoons, etc. Also, they never explain what they mean by way of the size of muffin tins. I was confused many a time in deciding what muffin tin size they really meant. One of the recipes (that I know of) omitted a sentence from the directions, and one had the order switched! Good Grief...those people who have not attempted to make anything from this book have no right saying it is a good cookbook! I am an accomplished cook - and I had problems with it...don't bother with this book. PS...the muffin recipes are nothing special. I have other cookbooks that are much better for muffin recipes!
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