This lavishly illustrated book contains 100 ideas for delicious cupcake batters, toppings and exquisite decorations. The first chapter details all the basic ingredients and equipment required, and presents basic cupcake batters that can be used as the basis for any cake. A fabulous array of ideas for piped luxury cream toppings follows, including vanilla, raspberry, chestnut and cocoa, lemon creme fraiche, Seville orange, pistachio and rosewater, cream cheese frosting, and espresso coffee and mascarpone. Glace icings are tinted and flavored with crushed berries, extracts and liqueurs. Simple decorations can be made of frosted fresh fruits, crystallized flowers, colored and molded marzipan, as well as rolled and stamped-out fondant icing shapes, and ideas for piped melted chocolate offer more lavish sweet-toothed toppings. A chapter of mouthwatering recipes for everyday eating follows. Choose from chocolate chip cupcakes, citrus syrup cupcakes, blueberry buns, Madeleine shells, and the unusual quince-scented apple and Calvados cakes. Included too are more luxurious recipes with simple toppings: ginger cupcakes with lemon glace icing, mini Christening cupcakes, simple Valentine cakes with heart-shaped decorations, and chocolate truffle cakes with fresh chocolate truffles to name but a few. The finale is a chapter of sophisticated and elegant toppings for special occasions such as Mother's day, weddings, and Easter, as well as fun and colorful ideas for children's birthdays.