Cookbook Review and GIVEAWAY!

That’s right! My first review and my first giveaway!! I am very excited about this!

Confetti Cakes for Kids is written by Elisa Strauss, founder of Confetti Cakes in New York City. She has created confections as elaborate as a platter of sushi, a wine bottle in a crate and a designer handbag. Now she focuses her talents on her younger fans with this enchanting collection of cakes, cookies and cupcakes for kids.

Since my cookbook arrived the other day, I thought I’d include a review of the book. First of all, this is a very beautiful book. It has a nice hardback and book cover that is colorful and fun. It is broken into a few key sections:
-Introduction
-Cake Basics
-Techniques
-Basic Recipes
-Cookies
-Cupcakes
-Mini cakes
-Cakes
I love how the hard cover book is actually different than the bookcover. Both are very cute.

After flipping through the book, I realized that it is geared towards decorating techniques, ideas, inspiration, and how-tos. There are some step-by-step photographs to accompany many of these techniques. There are also templates in the back that you can copy and use for your designs.

I personally love new recipes in cookbooks. Funky new flavor combos to inspire my creativity. I didn’t get a whole lot of that from this book (although I can’t wait to try the apple-cinnamon cake with brown sugar buttercream). The recipes are in fact all the basics. There are recipes for a few varieties of cookies, a brownie recipe and a few standard flavors of cake. There are also a few basic frosting recipes including a recipe for lemon curd and rolled fondant.

I decided that in order to complete this review properly, I should make something from the cookbook. I was initially leaning towards yellow cake with chocolate buttercream because I’ve never made a yellow cake. But then I realized I should make something that I know and love. Basically have a mini-throw-down right here in my own kitchen. As loyal readers know, I have a go-to chocolate-cupcake recipe that I got from Laurie (founder of Cupcake Hero, Tuesdays with Dorie, and Layers of Cake). I make this chocolate cupcake a LOT. Everyone loves it and it’s so easy.

So I decided to make the chocolate cake recipe from Confetti Cakes for Kids. Watch for the thrown-down results in a couple days… I’m not going to post the recipe here. Maybe you’ll win a copy of the book to try this and other recipes and techniques yourself.

So here are the rules. Post a comment here and you’ll be entered into the drawing. I will be giving away 5 copies of the book. Entries will be taken until Midnight (EST) on Wednesday, October 15. Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win. Feel free to use the DOT COM format to prevent spam.

Good luck!!

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23 Responses to “Graeter’s Ice Cream Party and a Giveaway”

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    1
    Carol — April 20, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Love the black raspberry flavor!

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    Carol — April 20, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Twitter follower!

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    3
    Carol — April 20, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    Tweeted the message!

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    Elizabeth — April 20, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    Oh my God! Oh.My.God. I have been looking for a strawberry chocolate chip ice cream forever!! Actually thought about making it myself.

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    JLYNCH6341 — April 20, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    Never tried Graeter’s but I love a good ol’ vanilla ice cream

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    JLYNCH6341 — April 20, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    Facebook follower of Graeter’s!

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    Jecka — April 20, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    I love that you moved from Cincy to Boston… becuase I moved from Boston to Cincy! Haha. I do plan on returning to Boston at some point, but for now I can be happy walking 10 minutes to the Graeter’s shop near me. 🙂

    Anyway, my favorite flavor is… well… a tie between black raspberry chip (duh) and toffee chip. Yum!

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    Kara — April 20, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    They all look so good, but I think I would try mint chocolate chip!

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    Audrey Ellen @ My Scene and Herd — April 20, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    I love dessert hybrids, so blueberry pie would be what I would order at Graeters!

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    Kathy — April 20, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    OOOOh Ice Cream. I love ice cream. I would want to try the caramel flavor (I’m in the middle of an obsession)!

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    Kathy — April 20, 2011 at 8:46 pm

    FB liked!

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    Kathy — April 20, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    Aaaaaaaaaaaand Tweeted.

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    LHerrema — April 20, 2011 at 10:19 pm

    I would love to taste the buckeye blitz! Sounds amazing.

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    LHerrema — April 20, 2011 at 10:21 pm

    I like Graeters on FB.

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    JoAnn — April 22, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    Black razzzzzzz!! Yum!

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    Jeremy — April 25, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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    bikeohio — April 25, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    I like you on FB as Jay Cee. I want to try Mint Chocolate Chip!

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    bikeohio — April 25, 2011 at 2:33 pm

    I like Graeter’s on FB as Jay Cee.

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    20
    Tina — April 25, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    Love Caramel!

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    Tina — April 25, 2011 at 6:20 pm

    I Like Graeters on FB!

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    22
    Tracy — April 25, 2011 at 8:00 pm

    I think I would love the Black Raspberry Chip, sounds delish!

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    23
    Tracy — April 25, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    I like Graeter’s on Facebook!

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