Create wedding, shower, holiday, and festive kids' cakes Easy at-home instruction for making and decorating fabulous cakes Want to make beautiful cakes? This fun, instructive guide gives you simple techniques for creating cakes for all celebrations. You get expert advice in all the basics -- from baking to icing to decorating with style. You'll also find delicious foolproof recipes, great ideas for themed cakes, and savvy tips for starting a cake decorating business! Discover how to: Find ingredients and supplies Make a cake from scratch Use frostings and fillings Cut and serve a cake Troubleshoot cake catastrophes Master creative techniques

Table of Contents

Introduction. Part I: Getting Ready to Decorate with Ease and Expertise. Chapter 1: Acquiring the Skills and Creativity. Chapter 2: Assembling Your Cake Decorating Kit. Chapter 3: Planning Your Workspace. Chapter 4: Stocking Your Pantry. Part II: Preparing the Canvas of Cake. Chapter 5: Prepping for the Cake Decorating Process. Chapter 6: Baking the Perfect Cakes. Chapter 7: Smoothing the Way for Decorating. Part III: Topping, Filling, and Embellishing Your Creations. Chapter 8: Whipping Up Frostings. Chapter 9: Dusting and Glazing: It's Icing on the Cake. Chapter 10: Amping Up the Flavor: Spreading Fillings. Chapter 11: Tip Talk. Chapter 12: Enhancing with Embellishments. Part IV: Sweetening Life's Special Occasions. Chapter 13: Festive Cakes for Kids. Chapter 14: Cakes for Grown-Ups. Chapter 15: Showering Brides and Moms-to-Be. Chapter 16: Lifting a Fork to Weddings and Anniversaries. Chapter 17: Savoring Holidays and Special Occasions. Part V: Thinking Outside the Cake Box. Chapter 18: Prepping for Showtime. Chapter 19: Quick Cakes and Last-Minute Decorating Techniques. Chapter 20: Starting a Cake Decorating Business. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 21: Ten Great Sources for Cake Supplies and Ideas. Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Cut a Cake. Chapter 23: Ten Easy Baking and Frosting Alternatives. Chapter 24: Ten (or So) Troubleshooting Techniques. Index.

Author Biography

Joe LoCicero is founder of Practical Whimsy, which specializes in fantastically crafted cakes, recipes, products, and entertaining tips. His lifestyle advice and expertise has been featured nationally in newspapers and magazines.