Rating: 
Summary: Where are the pictures?
Review: I love cookbooks in general and baking books in particular. I read about this book in my local newspaper and was intrigued, so I purchased it. This was a big disappointment. The recipes are abundant and appear to be good, though not groundbreaking and new. There is a lot of "...and fry, as for..." directing you to another recipe, which I think is very irritating when you are trying to bake and have to go back and forth between recipes. My main complaint, though is that there are very few pictures. The instructions for making the beautiful cakes (of which there are only 4 pages of color pictures!) are illustrated with small, bluish, fuzzy pictures which make it very difficult to actually see what is being discussed. If you don't already know how to decorate with icing, don't try to learn from this book. There is an incredible recipe for blueberry pie. The directions for a lattice top are the most complicated I have ever seen..."To begin, take the longest strip and lay it over the pie near the center north to south." You then go east to west and so on until you dig out the old Girl Scout compass so you don't get lost. A simple color picture would suffice. The price of $25 retail is a waste of money for a cookbook, and is even a bit high for the charming story of the cafe (which does sound charming, though the author makes it a bit too cute with Ann, the morning toast eater,and Michael, the oatmeal consumer champ, saving the doughnut in New York). All in all, I would recommend it only to those who enjoy reading cookbooks, but not cooking or baking from them.
Rating: 
Summary: worth a look, but don't buy
Review: I was able to borrow this book through the library as I was not willing to purchase due to some of the reviews here.
The recipes for donuts are intriguing-really the only thing truly notable about the book. All the rest of the recipes are standard and uninspired.
Although a couple of cake photos are really pretty, I wasn't as impressed with them as some of the other reviewers. I thought there were too many flowers in most of the designs. The whole cake section in general was totally flawed.
Rating:
Summary: Great cafe not giving away all its secrets
Review: I was very excited when I heard the Cupcake Cafe was publishing a book. I have been to the cafe many times, and they make delicious, beautifully decorated cakes and cupcakes. Many of my friends rely on them for all their birthday cakes, etc. As an amateur baker, I've been eager to get their recipes -- especially for the excellent buttercream -- and their secrets for making such beautiful flower decorations. As of yet, I have not tried the recipes, but I am definitely disappointed in the lack of photographs and diagrams. Half of the book is devoted to creating buttercream flowers, but uses only text to describe the process. There are a few pages of color inserts of completed cakes. These are definitely inspiring, but also frustrating, because I still have no idea how to make them!!
Rating: 
Summary: Poor recipe editing/testing
Review: I've tasted actual products from the Cupcake Cafe and loved them which is why I was very excited about ordering this book. When I got the book last week I decided to try the Pumpkin Pie Recipe and the Pie Crust Recipe for Christmas. Luckily I am a seasoned cook and was able to adjust the recipes, however, I caution other nonseasoned cooks about the two errors I happened upon. In the Pumpkin Pie recipe they tell you to bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Anyone who has experience baking pumpkin pies knows full well that at this temp it takes AT LEAST 45 minutes to be even close to done. At 35 minutes the custard was still liquidy. Also the pie crust recipe called for 1/2 cup of water at the top of the recipe, then told you in the instructions to BEGIN with 3/4 cup water. I used between 1/4 and 1/3 cup to finish the recipe. Bottom line, I'm concerned about trying any other recipes, such as the butter cream---which is why I bought the book. I'd like to know if anyone else has tried the butter cream recipe with success.
Rating:
Summary: Too much for one!
Review: I've tasted products from the Cupcake Cafe and loved them which is why I was very excited about ordering this book. When I got the book last week I decided to try the Pumpkin Pie Recipe and the Pie Crust Recipe for Christmas. Luckily I am a seasoned cook and was able to adjust the recipes, however, I caution other nonseasoned cooks about the two errors I happened upon. In the Pumpkin Pie recipe they tell you to bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Anyone who has experience baking pumpkin pies knows full well that at this temp it takes AT LEAST 45 minutes to be even close to done. At 35 minutes the custard was still liquidy. Also the pie crust recipe called for 1/2 cup of water at the top of the recipe, then told you in the instructions to BEGIN with 3/4 cup water. I used between 1/4 and 1/3 cup to finish the recipe.
Bottom line, I'm concerned about trying any other recipes, such as the butter cream---which is why I bought the book.
I'd like to know if anyone else has tried the butter cream recipe with success.
Rating:
Summary: Too much for one!
Review: Living alone, and never over-indulgant, I am long-time fan of cupcakes - they're the perfect treat for a single person. I bought the Warrens' book blind, presuming to find photographs and recipes for the 20th century's top bite-size confectionary. The so-called 'Cupcake' cafe, however, seems to spend more time with muffins, scones, and other baked fares considerably larger than a mouthful; all but ignoring its core business: cupcakes! Sorry, Ann - but we can't all afford (financially or on our waistlines) to eat big huge cakes.
Rating: 
Summary: The Cupcake Cafe makes GREAT FOOD!
Review: OK -- I have an admission to make: I haven't yet read the book. But I'm qualified to comment because: I am the founder and former owner of The Well-Bred Loaf,Inc., where Mike and Ann Warren met. In addition, I'm Mike's cousin!! Now that you know how objective I am, I can tell you that Mike and Ann really learned their trade, then turned it into art! And they are masters of buttercream -- none of that sweet, sugary icing found on so many cakes elsewhere. Both Mike and Ann have a way with words, and I'm looking forward to reading the book, myself. Steve Caccavo / founder former owner/CEO, The Well-Bred Loaf, Inc. (P.S. I sold the company and am no longer in the bakery business).
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: Sorry, I didn't like this book at all. Very few pictures and the recipes are nothing special. Many typos/ mixed instructions. I threw it away.
Rating:
Summary: heavy heavy heavy
Review: The Cupcake Cafe is much better known for the artistry of its buttercream cake and cupcake decorations than it is for the tastiness of its baked goods... and this cookbook plays to the Cafe's strengths. Not that the recipies aren't good -- they are, and the muffins, cakes and doughnuts they describe are all consistent and not at all 'difficult' or temperamental -- but they're all rather dauntingly SOLID, VERY heavy on the butter, and not especially inventive as far as texture and flavor are concerned. But anyone who's ever been to the Cafe can tell you -- that's authentic, and the book faithfully describes how to produce the Cafe's best-known products. There's an ample section on decorating 'the Cupcake Cafe way', but surprisingly (and disappointingly) few step-by-step illustrations or photographs. Many of the flowers Ann Warren describes are very complex and more diagrams would have been very helpful. I was also surprised to notice that the photographs aren't really quite in focus, and don't give you any more than a general sense of what kinds of buttercream floral renditions the Cafe is known for -- which is to say, they don't do Ann Warren's artistry justice, since her work is beautiful. Her recipe for buttercream frosting is, I think, a little unnecessarily delicate, given the heavy hand with which she expects you to apply the stuff (one 10" cake's worth of frosting calls for two pounds of butter!) -- I've had better results modifying her recipe with a little confectioner's sugar than I've had being obedient to the original. All that said, this is a handy cookbook with reliable recipes for cakes, doughnuts and muffins, and it provides ample food for inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: worth a look, but don't buy
Review: There is absolutely nothing here that you will not find in countless other baking books. There are surprisingly few recipes- and nothing out of the ordinary. You will find basic recipes for chocolate chip cookies, waffles, apple pie. You can find those in any Betty Crocker anthology. There are few illustration in the disapointing little book. The few that htere are show elaborately decorated cakes- which a re beutiful, but it lacks clear instructions of hpw to craft such creations. I think there are such books on the market which will be a better bet than this one.
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