Cupcakes: From the Cake Mix Doctor

by Anne Byrn

The cupcake is America’s darling. It’s celebrated in upscale bakeries, on Sex in the City , on the cover of Gourmet , and in thou-sands of classrooms—where every day, it seems, a parent has sent in a batch for the kids to share. The very word conjures up whimsy, coziness, pleasure, nostalgia. Not to mention the fact that their diminutive size means you can eat a lot of them.

Once upon a time, a family had only two recipes for cupcakes—chocolate and vanilla. Not anymore. Now Anne Byrn brings them to the next level. And who better? Recognized as the master of cake-mix baking, Anne is the author of The Cake Mix Doctor and Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor , which have a total of over 1.8 million copies in print. In Cupcakes she offers 135 tempting recipes for children and grown-ups, for special days and everyday, lunch bags, holiday festivities, and an unexpected dinner party dessert.

You’ll never believe these artful little cakes started with a mix. Coconut Snowballs, Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes, Kiss Me Cakes, Warm Chocolate Cupcakes with Molten Centers, Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting. There are surprising additions (tuck a chocolate kiss orpiece of cookie dough into the batter). Creative toppings and easy from-scratch frostings (whipped cream spiked with Kahlua; miniature M&Ms; a creamy malted frosting with crushed malted milk balls).Terrific decorating ideas, from glittering golden dragees or elegant chocolate curls to yellow peeps for an Easter cupcake or—for Groundhog’s Day—a groundhog’s face made out of chocolate frosting and jimmies. Includes a 16-page full-color opening essay.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Ebooks

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2005

Reviews

[Nancy]

I purchased this book because I had so enjoyed my copies of "The Cake Mix Doctor" and "Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor." However, it did not live up to my expectations. I think my main issue is that I'm just not a cupcake baking kind of person. (I do enjoy eating them, however). It was really not my cup of tea.

[MD · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of fun ideas in here. I love that many of them begin with a cake mix which makes things so much simpler - and based on my previous “from scratch” experiences probably improves results. I was really disappointed how few photos there were. I guess before frosting one cupcake looks pretty much like another, but still. I would especially have liked to see more photos in the frostings section. Does a pan frosting look like a buttercream frosting? The book seems to assume I know, but I don’t.

[Monica Albright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great recipes!
Good photos...
I want to love this cookbook...but I just can't. The layout is inconsistent...I'd love to see a new edition of this cookbook with the photos in color on the same pages as the recipes. It is disjointed and doesn't flow to be read from cover to cover...which is what I enjoy doing with a good cookbook. On the other hand, there are several great recipes really worth trying as I hunt and peck throughout the book.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This woman is my hero. If you don't make an awesome cupcake after you read this book there is something terribly wrong with you, I'm just sayin'. Look out Florence, I have the cake mixes and the cake doctor on my team. We call ourselves Team Cupcake! This book would super awesome if it had color photographs. That is my only complaint. This is a cookbook that I could see on my kitchen counter and really get a workout. So that is an A+ right there.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book hoping it would help me pump up my cake mixes. It's been helpful. I didn't know if I should buy this one or another one and was torn so I bought both. I use this one more than the other one but I love the pictures in the other book. They should have added better pictures into this book. Even with the lack of pictures this book is still great.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous cookbook for one of the most fun, if not the most fun, desserts ever: the cupcake. Rarely has a recipe failed me, and in the end it has turned me into a pretty dang good cupcake maker (it makes you rather popular, too). I highly recommend this to anyone with a love for cupcakes and a kitchen.

[Esti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a shortcut doctor notes, I'm a big fan of baking from scratch but in-case of emergency I do use cake mix (not on cupcakes .. yet) .. Anne Byrn has lots of ideas to make cake cake mix become something looks like made from scratch ;o)

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love making cupcakes! They are cute, chic, and oh, so yummy. It is happiness in a little wrapper. The frosting recipes in this book are divine. I have only made one of the cupcake recipes (the warm chocolate cupcakes), but I have drooled just thinking about the next recipe I will try.

[Sandra Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the Red Velvet cupcakes recipe. I get rave reviews every time I make them! Instead of the peppermint cream cheese frosting I use just her standard cream cheese frosting and still they ask for more! Just wished there were more pictures, it hardly has any.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guess I shouldn't give away my baking secrets, but ann's the best. I discovered her on the today show. Her recipies are so simple and they ROCK! No one would know they aren't totally home made!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has the cupcake bouquet

[Beckstarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fabulous book if you have kids and love to bake!

[Mell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good muffin recipes, too.

[Kiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, solid cupcake book. Lots of recipes, both basic and more exotic. Wish there had been photos of every type of cupcake.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book give lots of alternate ways to make cupcakes fun, plus it has some yummy muffins. I just love the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. So yummy and easy.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've use it and I want it SO bad!

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yummy!

[Malinee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great frosting recipes. Easy to follow, always leads to favorable results.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

red velevet chocolate chip with peppermint white cholocate frosting. yum

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you not love a book all about cupcakes by Anne Byrn, master of sensible baking? Definitely an add-on to my cooking library at some point.

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good decorating ideas. Not too many photos.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this a 5 star rating, except it lacks color photos. Other than that, great recipes and tips.

[Holli · Rating 5 out of 5]

U won't believe u r working with mixes. Everything u need to know about making cupcakes.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

First section is cup cakes from mixes, then frosting. Not much at all of decorating.