A guide to cake decoration. Having dealt with the basic skills used in covering cakes, this book presents different ideas for celebration cakes using techniques which include floating collars, tulle work, extension work and sugarpaste collars.

2002-09-27 The best cake recipe ever!

I am only a novice Cake Decorator, but I have been happily using this book for several years.
The main focus of the book is, as the title suggests, putting the finishing decorative touches to a cake. However, the first chapter contains some great recipes, including one where you soak the fruit in sherry or wine overnight. This makes an incredibly juicy succulent fruit cake, which I have used both for anniversary cakes and my own wedding cake. It seems everyone loves this recipe, even those who previously said they didn't like fruit cake! For this reason I use this recipe time and again.
The rest of the book is very helpul too, showing guides on how to marzipan and ice a cake. There are then guides in finishing touches, ranging from simple marzipan figures to intricate piped designs. All of these are clearly demonstrated with both diagrams, photographs and templates. I am in no way a talented cake decorator, but I was able to follow the instructions and pipe a gazebo from royal icing, which I used as the centre-piece for a garden-themed cake.
Probably the best thing about the book is that it shows the skills to make different things which can be used on any cake, not just 'how to make THIS cake'. At the same time it is written in a way that is simple enough for even someone with only a basic knowledge to make a sucessful, beautiful cake.