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!!
Love the black raspberry flavor!
Twitter follower!
Tweeted the message!
Oh my God! Oh.My.God. I have been looking for a strawberry chocolate chip ice cream forever!! Actually thought about making it myself.
Never tried Graeter’s but I love a good ol’ vanilla ice cream
Facebook follower of Graeter’s!
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!
They all look so good, but I think I would try mint chocolate chip!
I love dessert hybrids, so blueberry pie would be what I would order at Graeters!
OOOOh Ice Cream. I love ice cream. I would want to try the caramel flavor (I’m in the middle of an obsession)!
FB liked!
Aaaaaaaaaaaand Tweeted.
I would love to taste the buckeye blitz! Sounds amazing.
I like Graeters on FB.
Black razzzzzzz!! Yum!
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I like you on FB as Jay Cee. I want to try Mint Chocolate Chip!
I like Graeter’s on FB as Jay Cee.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/bikeohio/status/62524681466560514
Love Caramel!
I Like Graeters on FB!
I think I would love the Black Raspberry Chip, sounds delish!
I like Graeter’s on Facebook!