Deceptive Desserts: A Lady's Guide to Baking Bad!

by Christine McConnell

Internet star Christine McConnell bakes, decorates, sews, and styles it all . . . with a twist—now she shows you how to do it on a shoestring budget.Photographer and stylist Christine McConnell transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary—from everyday dinners, to desserts for all occasions, to the walls of your kitchen, and even some over-the-top creations just for fun. Taking inspiration from the likes of Tim Burton, Alfred Hitchcock, and Vincent Price and mixing in a dash of Stepford Wife, McConnell’s baking and home DIY projects are a league above and beyond anything you've seen before.  In Deceptive Desserts, each dessert is a work of art—some a little twisted, others magical—but every recipe inspires readers to create their own rules without spending a fortune. Why can’t crab cakes be a delicious pink-frosted dessert? And if you’re stuck hosting a bridal shower, why not create an actual Bridezilla cake to match the bride’s ego? Nothing is sacrosanct in the wonderfully weird world of Christine McConnell and nothing is what it appears to be—even a classic dinner can be transformed into something decadent, with doughnuts that look like chicken drumsticks, green beans made of candy, and ice cream mashed potatoes. A master of illusions in baking, McConnell shows readers how to create their own secret hidden gems in the kitchen. In her follow-up book, McConnell will go outside the kitchen to show readers how to incorporate magic and fantasy into their home decor and personal style without breaking the bank. Using the renovations of her own house as a guide, McConnell walks readers through easy DIY projects such as hand-painted wallpaper, refinishing wood and tile floors, and adding storage space, along with inexpensive decorating tips. A dazzling collection of photographs, stories revealing her one-of-a-kind character, and helpful tricks for doing it all yourself, McConnell’s book will inspire readers to be more playful, and just a little bit wicked, with the food they create and the space they inhabit.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Humor, Horror, Halloween

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2016

Reviews

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a cookbook written by a lady whose life is made up of equal parts glamor and horror:

she cavorts saucily in her yard with fuzzy animals:



but is assailed by tentacles in the supposed safety of her own kitchen:



this is a cookbook i bought for myself that i will probably never use, but i LOVE looking through it and imagining i am the kind of person who would make these things.

because how awesome would i be if i showed up at a potluck with a pile of kitten cannolis?



answer: i would be the most awesome. of all time.

and how luxurious would it be to have the kind of free time to make funnel cake shaped like a tornado?



answer: very luxurious.

the recipes themselves don't look complicated, but they do require finesse in their construction, and a certain artfulness that's gotta be time-consuming. one does not just casually make serpentine cinnamon rolls, after all.



i mean, unless you're this lady:



who apparently majored in awesome in school.

the recipes aren't all animal or horror or horrific-animal themed, but those are the ones that interest me most:

crab cakes



chocolate squid gelatin with a brownie base



tarantula cookies



a freaking facehugger cookie



perfect for terrorizing cats



speaking of cats. there are lots of cat-shaped treats here.

angel food coconut cat cake



caramel popcorn cat



there's a freaking popcorn ball under all that! with chocolate pretzel spider legs! the mind reels!

and then there are scream berries.



you guys - SCREAM BERRIES!!!



way to make a girl feel inadequate, ms. christine mcconnell...

there's even something for greg:



i love this book, i admire this lady, and i'm free to attend any dinner parties she might want to throw in queens. because we sure could use some elegant peppermint bark bonsai up in here...



come to my blog!

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than sweet, it's SCARY!!!
This book is a comprehensive guide to cooking just like Christine McConnell using her recipes to recreate her most beautiful and wicked conceptions.
Each section goes through with the seasons of the year, helping you to find the perfect crazy creation for all your holiday and event needs.
Within the sections you will find a picture of the finished product, a recipe and instructions for making said product, as well as step by step instructions on assembly and presentation. The photos are all in beautiful bright color and each page is refreshed with a glossy finish.
This cookbook is gorgeous! Not only is it gorgeous to look at but it also has practical instructions for any layman (like myself) to be able to follow. Although some pieces are definitely more challenging than the others, for the most part I think that most cooks in the kitchen with limited amount of experience would be able to put together MOST of these recipes in this book. Most of the pieces in this book just take time and a lot of patience to complete.
And the recipes are not just limited to cakes and cookies. She also puts together lovely fruit salads, perfect pies, and poison punches. But BEWARE... things are not always what they seem in this book! 💀👀👻
Deception is the name of the game in this, Christine McConnell's Deceptive Desserts!
Five stars across the board, highly recommend!!!
👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👍

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Christmas gift for my cake-decorating future daughter-in-law. She had better kneel and kiss my ring for the fact that I got her such a FANTASTIC, AMAZING, WONDERFUL book. Even if, like me, your role in life is to EAT cake, rather then embellish it, this book is an amazing read thing to look at and DROOL over.

I mean, look . . .


So much cuteness!


And crabbiness!


And creepiness!


And TENTACLES!

There's even an internet troll cake.



And a ssssuper sssspecial Christmassss cake.



I'd say this book is definitely NOT for beginners (or those without a sense of humor) - photo directions are sparse. I'm assuming experienced cake stylists won't have much trouble copying, or at least being inspired by the designs. The book is not JUST decorating; there are plenty of recipes, and they sound YUMMY.

And now to (reluctantly) wrap this up for the girl. Then I'll sit back and wait for my sugary treats to be delivered. Wonder which one she'll make me first . . .

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's unlikely I'll make anything from this, especially given the current social-isolation, but it was cute to look at and I liked the authorial voice.

I could see making something like this for a Halloween or kids' party, although I'm not really the type of person who puts lots of extra effort into special effects.

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous!!

I first heard about Christine McConnell when a friend sent me a picture of her Danzig cake, which is an epic and bad-ass piece of pastry. She is my kind of lady: uber classy, with a love for creepy things and a twisted sense of humor I understand a little too well. There was no way I could resist getting my hands on a copy of her book very long, and the fact that she opens it with one of my favorite Morticia Addams quote, well... Let's just say I now want her to be my best friend (sorry, V!).

The pictures and styling (both of food and of the lovely lady's outfits) are amazing! This woman is an artist: her Red Velvet Reptilian Cake, Kitten Cannolis, Chocolate Squid Gelatin, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, Terror-Misu, Devil's Food Cake, Serpentine Cinnamon Rolls and White Voodoo Cake are too spectacular to break apart and eat. The instructions are very clear and straightforward: with a well air-conditioned kitchen and plenty of patience, these recipes can actually be pulled off!

Now here is the thing: I love cooking and baking. It's actually a problem sometimes because I'll go to restaurants or pastry shops and go "meh, I can make it at home and it will taste better". But I do not have the finesse and artistry required for what Miss McConnell does. I can absolutely bake and ice a cake, and it will be delicious, but it will be round or square and have a few flourishes here and there. Making the mind-boggling confectionery projects in this book would mean spending the better part of an entire weekend in the kitchen working away. And to be honest, I just don't really want to do that...

One day, I might team up with my pastry-chef buddy and tackle one of those amazing cake recipes, but for now, I am content to drool all over the pages of this beautiful cookbook and use her excellent basic recipes to make delicious but slightly boring looking desserts...

If you are wondering why I dropped a star in my rating, its really just because the aforementioned Danzig cake recipe was not in the book. For shame!

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so, I bought this book mainly for the photos, as I didn't really expect to be able to follow the recipe since I'm not particularly artistic nor a fabulous cook. Surprise! I think I'll be able to actually use it as a cook book! Some of the recipe were really complicated, the decoration part are impossible for me but since she breaks down all the basic (various type of cakes, cookies, ganache and drizzly stuff of any kind) it ends up being very useful for people who miss lots of the simple things! All in all, I'll have to try some of the recipe to be 100% sure, but I'm really happy with it!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I totally dig this lady's Instagram feed so I was excited to see the cookbook. I have no plans at all of trying to make anything but it was fun to look through.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this, and while I will probably never make any these unique spoopy recipes, I still thoroughly love looking at them and dreaming. Like most Christine McConnell projects (I just watched her oil painting tutorial video, which begins with her making her own canvas with power tools) it’s next-level complicated DIY even by upper-echelon-Pinterest standards. It’s like going to Tiffany’s when you are broke: I’m not cooking anyway, so if I’m going to window-shop, it might as well be one of the best.

[jb Byrkit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully cookbook full of creepy desserts and twisted treats. The photographs in the book are exquisite and beautiful. McConnell provides some fantastic recipes that are easy to follow on the basics. She writes up the details in putting it all together. My one complaint would be I wish there were more pictures.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical, Weird, and Wonderful!

[Michelle Morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Christine McConnell so much, and this book is full of her wit and imagination and work ethic. Very much wish the pics were in color, but I doubt that is her fault. Super inspired to bake now!

[Tess]

Don't get it twisted: I didn't actually bake anything from this book. (I would need to start with a way more beginner cookbook!) I did however enjoy the hell out of all the beautiful pictures.

[Justus Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Review first published in Shelf Awareness).

In 2012, baking and Internet sensation Christine McConnell had never made a cake. Like many people, she enjoyed looking at beautiful confections posted online, and she decided to master the skills required to make them by watching YouTube tutorials and trying her hand at baking. In Deceptive Desserts: A Lady's Guide to Baking Bad, she shares her creative designs, which are often labor-intensive and offer a playful touch of the macabre. The skills needed vary from recipe to recipe, with Chocolate Squid Gelatin being one of the easier recipes, and Mackinac Island Fudge, which she shapes into an architectural wonder in the likeness of the Grand Hotel, among the most challenging and time-consuming.

The cookbook reviews the various accouterments required and provides basic foundation recipes used in later sections, like white cake and chocolate buttercream frosting. McConnell offers a Decorating 101 so readers can learn skills such as how to create buttercream roses and build cake stands. The elaborate desserts--arranged by the four seasons--are extraordinary, but the photography here really stands out. For many recipes, McConnell poses in settings and costumes that enhance each concept and theme, often giving them a humorous horror feel. Even her Hummingbird Cake--a beautiful blue-and-white confection with cream-cheese frosting and small hummingbirds that appear to be drinking from the cake's flowers--is given a darker side as McConnell is depicted wielding a knife, ready to stab. Aspiring and professional bakers alike will find McConnell's approach to baking a wild delight.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THIS INCREDIBLE WOMAN IS THEN YOU NEED TO. This book is amazing and Christine is truly fabulous.

Deceptive Desserts is split into 5 sections: Basics, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter themed recipes. However, these aren't your typical recipes. Christine puts a spooky twist on many of her creations. I once heard her baking style described as "if the Addams Family had a cooking show." Her fashion style, however, is vintage/pinup and a cool contrast against her baked goodies. The recipes appear difficult as a main focus is on the presentation, detail, and how "realistic" you can make your sweet treats. It's definitely a work of art and labor of love. Some recipes seemed easier (we'll see) and as a novice baker I can see myself starting out with some recipes like: crab cakes (small hand-sized cakes that look like crabs), chocolate squid gelatin (might make this even easier by using puddings and making the squid creature to go on top!), poison apple punch, and vampire milkshake. Overall, very excited about this book.

If you're unfamiliar with Christine McConnell, I hope that changes soon. She has a YouTube channel: From the Mind of Christine McConnell and a Netflix show: The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (probably rated around PG-13).

[Gem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really love Christine McConnell. I first discovered her through her short lived Netflix show. And still watch her stuff on YouTube. (Maybe one day I’ll have the expendable income to support her on Patreon.) I was really looking forward to her book and there are so many cool recipes here. The recipes themselves are very straightforward and I’m sure taste good. The weakness of the book is in the design details. I’m surprised the publisher didn’t think it needed step by step pictures or even links to individual recipe videos. With many of the recipes you’re left struggling to imagine how it comes together based on short text alone. All that said, her craft is amazing and I would totally buy a copy off eBay in the future, even just to fantasize about making these. My personal fav looking one is the Serpentine Cinnamon Rolls. And I think the peppermint tree actually looks like something that would come together easily and be a really cool addition to either a Halloween or Christmas table scape.

[Gina Zappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am such a huge fan of Christine McConnell, so let's get that out of the way right off the bat. Obsessed with her. Love everything about her. She is my spooky sister spirit animal. That being said, do I even need to put into words how much I loved this book? It is the cutest, creepiest thing ever and that combo is forever and always gonna be my jam! I may need to to try my hand at the Serpentine Spice Cake and the Santa Claws Cookies for my annual Christmas party! So. Fun. Even if you would never take the (considerable amount of) time to make any of these recipes yourself, I would still suggest giving this book a read. The pictures are fantastic, and maybe you can beg, trick or persuade a friend or family member into making one of the recipes for you! As with everything Christine Mcconnell does, this deserves all the stars!!!

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

“One thing you learn as an adult is that there comes a day when you are the only one in charge of creating magic in your own life.”

Any book that talks about being inspired by Tim Burton, Alfred Hitchcock, and Vincent Price, is focused on holidays and baking, and opens with a Morticia Addams quote is right up my alley. McConnell is a great artist who creates creepy images with a vintage atmosphere. The book is visually stunning and the desserts are serious artwork. However, there is nothing in here I would try baking because they are just way too complex and also I bake vegan desserts only. It’s truly impressive that she says she just started baking 4 years ago and learned through online tutorials.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a wedding gift.
This is for those non-boring housewives and bakers who like to make a statement.

Wonderful recipe book and conversation piece! Perfect for lovers of sweets, horror, and kitsch. There are good directions on how to make everything including fondant and frosting. It adds a cup of fun into the kitchen.
I was enjoying just looking at every page. Each dessert has the potential to be a fun project between family or friends. Or, bring it to a party as the statement piece!
My daughter (a monster lover, and a small kitchen "monster" herself) is anxious to try all the recipes with me.

[Allison Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I had spent most of my life quietly waiting for something magical to happen to me. That was a mistake."

Also, the cat lady wedding photo that accompanies the introduction is possibly my favorite photograph, ever.

Really, the whole book is hysterical.

Also, also: "...there is beauty and there is horror...and if you can embrace the former and poke fun at the latter, you will live a wonderful life!"

I suspect Christine McConnell has more magic in her little finger than many of us do in our whole bodies, but this is a lovely (and inspiring) slice of vicarious living! And, yes—we must be the magic we wish to happen to us!

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 3 out of 5]

from the cover, I thought I would hate it

but it's actually well done, and interesting enough in places, even if you don't feel you share a soul with Wednesday Addams!

she did one thing I think few others do with books like this....
the recipes actually have to taste good

totally hate the Frankenstein cake
but I like the tentacles in the fridge

and well
who doesn't like saying the phrase
"Snake Cake"

though honestly, I prefer Snake n' Bacon
two objects that many actually confuse one for the other!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is 100% fun. McConnell's sense of humor is great, and while she keeps things classy this is a really dark, creepy book. Her recipes are good, though pretty time consuming. I liked her wedding cake idea, and there are a lot of very creative decorating tips in here. While I don't think most people can bake like this every day, this is great to check out for inspiration and the photos are hysterical.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I expected to just look at the pictures. But, Deceptive Desserts turns out to have more substance than that. The introductory chapter has some solid, helpful general baking information, including a few basic recipes.
The "bad" desserts are introduced with entertaining prose. Then, step-by-step instructions make you believe you could actually replicate them. Maybe.
And the pictures are great.

[Stella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ha, ha, ha! and Wow! were my first reactions. Open this book up and find the baking work of an artist with a funky, dark sense of humor. Given my allergies, there are only a few of these recipes I could eat, if I ever attempted such complex treats. But honestly, if you just made the recipes into plain cakes, cookies, pies, etc. and looked at the amazing pictures for the sheer enjoyment, it would be enough.

[Natalia Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting baking book, if you like some gothic baking ideas or something for Halloween, this is your book, I think Christine is a genius creating all this master pieces, at the same time I think i am not at this level to bake something so beautiful, I wanted to read the recipes from a library book before compromise myself to spend a lot of money in this book. I think I will stay away from the book for now and continue doing my simple banana bread.

[Alicia Impink · Rating 5 out of 5]

100% sure I will never attempt to make anything from this book (i famously failed at baking a cake resulting in it somehow liquefying, we still don't know how that happened) BUT I steadfastly love Christine McConnell, and reading her blurbs and looking at the pictures is worth it. Which is what I did. I want her to make a just a coffee-table picture book, i'd be perfectly delighted by that

[Heather Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not convinced that the instructions for making the elaborately decorated sweets in this book are clear enough to actually cook from... but is anyone really going to make these sculptured cakes anyway? I read this book to look at the pictures, and they are fabulous.

[Veronica Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw her show on Netflix and was pleasantly surprised to find this cookbook. This is a great read, even if you don't feel confident enough to try your hand at the recipes. I hope to see more from her.

[Ak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book, super inspiring! I love the way this gal thinks and I'm actually going to try a couple of these things, even though my baking is rudimentary at best.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made several recipes... It was fun watching them come together! and absolutely delicious!

[chelsea faith dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

Made to be amazing love the artwork and food. It's amazing cute beautiful everything about it is perfect. I
Say it's the best.