Posted in 5 paws, baking, Cookbook, cooking on May 12, 2019

 

Flour Shop’s rainbow explosion cakes have become an international sensation! And now, with The Power of Sprinkles, Flour Shop Founder Amirah Kassem reveals the secrets to making her magical cakes at home.

Amirah Kassem preaches the power of sprinkles in her wildly creative first book. A modern-day Willy Wonka, Kassem reminds readers that joy can be found in creating something delightful and delicious, that baking a cake for someone is the best thing in the world, and that, when it comes to cake decorating, any mistake can be covered in sprinkles (and everyone will love it anyway!).

With twenty-nine different cakes—from unicorn cakes and donut cakes to cakes that look like reindeer, popcorn, spaghetti, and avocado toast—and packed with photographs, illustrations, and infinite ideas, The Power of Sprinkles is a book for bakers and cake decorators at every age and level.

My Thoughts

When I received the box of books from #AbramsDinnerParty, this is the first book that I gravitated towards and spent quite some time drooling over the photos and wondering if this is something that I could make in my own home.  The photos are colorful and just plain gorgeous, I mean look at the cover photo above – ALL of the cake photos are like this and the photos will leave you wanting to rush out and buy cake pans and tips to create these masterpieces.

I will say that I have not made anything out of this book yet.  It arrived just as tax season was fully upon me and so all I really had time to do was enjoy the photos and read the beginning of the book where Amirah discusses how this book came to be, shares her basic cake and icing recipes, and provides tips on baking the various cakes and using the various cake tips for icing.  She shares what they do in their shop to make the cakes and what they have found that works the best.

“We have so many sprinkles that we have a sprinkle closet!”

These cakes are ones that have sprinkles in the middle so when you cut into the cakes it is like a sprinkle explosion.  She offers sprinkle tips, identifies her favorite types of sprinkles, and even provides sprinkle math so you know how much to buy.  Now you could make all of these cakes without the sprinkles but then where is the fun in having a cake with no sprinkles?

This book also provides cake suggestions for all of the holidays – from Valentine’s Day to St Paddy’s Day to Christmas.  There are mini cakes, unicorn cakes, and even a sushi cake.

If you are a baker looking for new ideas on making a cake then this is a book you will want to check out.  Yes, it is one cake and icing recipe, but it is the assembly of the cake and the joy it will bring to those around you.

We give this 5 paws up!

 

 

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Posted in baking, Cozy, Monday, mystery on October 1, 2012

Red Velvet Revenge is the 4th in the Cucpake Bakery Mystery series by author Jenn McKinlay.  This is such a fun series and I love all the cupcake flavors that they create.  I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet but they sure sound yummy!

 

Synopsis:

It may be summertime, but sales at Fairy Tale Cupcakes are below zero – and owners Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are willing to try anything to heat things up.  So when local legend Slim Hazard offers them the chance to sell cupcakes at the annual Juniper Pass Rodeo, they’re determined to rope in a pretty payday!

But not everyone at Juniper Pass is as sweet for Fairy Tale Cupcakes as Slim – including star bull-rider Ty Stokes.  Mel and Angie try to steer clear of the cowboy’s short fuse, but when his dead body is found facedown in the hay, it’s a whole different rodeo.

With a vengeful murderer on the loose, the ladies are quickly realizing that while they came to save their business, they may have to save themselves – and that’s no bull.

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Posted in baking, Cozy, Monday, mystery on September 17, 2012

It has been a mystical cozy type of month!  This week’s mystery highlight is Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates (aka Cricket McRae)

Synopsis:

Katie Lightfoot’s tired of loafing around as the assistant manager of an Ohio bakery. So when her aunt Lucy and uncle Ben open a bakery in Savannah’s quaint downtown district and ask Katie to join them, she enthusiastically agrees.

While working at the Honeybee Bakery—named after Lucy’s cat—Katie notices that her aunt is adding mysterious herbs to her recipes. Turns out these herbal enhancements aren’t just tasty—Aunt Lucy is a witch and her recipes are actually spells!

When a curmudgeonly customer is murdered outside the Honeybee Bakery, Uncle Ben becomes the prime suspect. With the help of handsome journalist Steve Dawes, charming firefighter Declan McCarthy, and a few spells, Katie and Aunt Lucy stir up some toil and trouble to clear Ben’s name and find the real killer

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Posted in baking, chick lit, Christian, cooking on August 18, 2010

Sandra D. Bricker worked on her writing skills while working as a personal assistant and publicist to daytime television stars.  What I like about her is that she is an animal rights activist and is very involved in fundraising for Lost Angels Animal Rescue

Sandra says she is a Christian Woman and that clearly comes through in this novel without it being over the top.

Always the Baker Never the Bride is the story of Emma Rae (a good Southern name) who is a baker in Atlanta who has won the prestigious Passionate Palate Award for her crème brulee wedding cake (and it does sound yummy when she describes making it for a client).  The twist is that she is diabetic and cannot sample her creations without making sure she has eaten and then she can only sample a bite or two.   Emma is working at a bakery when she is lured away to work for the new Tanglewood Inn that is to become The Place to have a party or wedding.  She had met Jackson, the CEO, when he stopped in her shop but didn’t realize who he was when she accepted an interview at the inn and she certainly doesn’t expect to fall in love with him either after their first encounter in the shop.

There are also some other fun and quirky characters including Emma’s parents, Jackson’s sisters and most of all, Emma’s assistant Fiona.  All of these characters round out this story to make it fun and witty but still give the reader a message.

I really enjoyed this novel especially since it revolved around food and even more importantly, sweets!  Emma’s no nonsense attitude makes Jackson think twice in several situations and to make him realize that he can’t tip toe around his feelings.  I also like how Fiona appears to be the total opposite of Emma, at least in dress, but deep down they are really very similar.  There is a Christian theme running through the novel to put your trust and faith in God and what is meant to be will be.  This is laid out in several scenes in the book and fit in nicely considering the events that had just occurred.

Pick up this book when it comes out in September from Abingdon Press, you won’t be sorry!

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