Crazy About Cupcakes

by Krystina Castella

Go cupcake crazy! With nearly 300 awesome, mouthwatering ideas to choose from, home bakers will find the right recipe for any occasion and every palate. And whether they’re chocolaty, spicy, crunchy, fruity, or creamy, these exquisitely decorated treats look as astounding as they taste—perfect little temptations designed to make adults nostalgic and children happy. All the basics are lovingly explained so anyone can whip up a beautiful batch, and there are varieties for every day (from healthy cupcakes to ice cream indulgences); parties big and small; holidays ranging from Christmas to the Fourth of July; just for kids; and fund-raisers and bake sales. Plus, to make things easy, an entire chart- and template-filled chapter focuses on flavor combinations and design elements.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kayleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have books of cupcake recipes (just how many ways can you make a chocolate cake?) and books of cupcake designs, but this is a book of both. 30 pages of baking and decorating hints and techniques, 33 pages of cupcake recipes, 20 pages of icing and topping recipes, and 120 pages of how to put them all together, with ideas for all occassions. And there are cutesie little kid designs and sophisticated designs I would be proud to take to the office.
Having a photo by each recipe would make this a 5-star book. (I'm spoiled that way.) But there are a LOT of pictures. There may be a picture of each recipe, you just have to go a few pages forward or back to find it.
Very well done and useful!

[Monica Albright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am crazy about cupcakes...but not so crazy for this cookbook. The pictures are good...not great. But, the cupcakes in the photos look very realistic as far as looking like the final product in my kitchen, not a professional chef's...The recipes look good...I've taken down a few that I would like to try. Chocolate Beer Cupcakes! Root Beer Cupcakes? This is definitely a recipe over photo book.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is one of the worst cook books that i have ever seen, along with this quinoa cookbook that looked like a 10 year old made it.

i have a really big problem with cook books that do not have alot of pictures in them. pictures are a must. also with the organization of the book i really didn't quite get it. it made no sense.

i just really hated this book and i am glad that i got this from the library instead of wasting my money on this item!!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. It is my "go-to" book whenever I need a recipe or idea. The cream cheese frosting recipe is one I use every time I make cream cheese frosting. The Bailey's Irish Cream cupcake recipe is also very yummy. I highly recommend this book, whether you are a seasoned baker or a newbie to the craft.

[Linnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas on cupcakes, I just can't bake. Nice pictures, but there is one other cupcake book out there that is just a little bit better. This one focuses a lot on the decoration side of cupcakes - a little to intricate for me.

[Evonne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Greasy cupcakes. I've definitely had way better recipes.

[Aria · Rating 2 out of 5]

When a cake book calls for store-bought packaged cake mix in a large portion of the recipes, I have to wonder what is the point of the damn book?! Makes it more a collection of ideas for add-ins or alterations than a cookbook for cakes, or in this case, cupcakes. On that same theme, the latter portion of this is, again, mere variations for the recipes provided in the front portion of the book. Those so-called recipes consist of little or maybe even nothing more than the names of other recipes in the front of the book. I can mix & match frostings & cake recipes on my own...children can do that. Doing so doesn't necessitate an entire back section of a "cookbook" to give me me the "recipes" to do so. Freaking ridiculous.

Maybe 30 pages of this 253 page book are actual cupcake recipes (I did not include those that are just cake mix with add-ins). Another near 20 pages are frostings, fillings, & icings. There are also a few pages devoted to decorating & icing ideas (which they refer to as "techniques, but that's really an over-statement for what's provided here). That leaves about 200 pages of useless filler. It's not an inspiring cookbook. I don't even think it's very useful, although I'm sure there's bound to be a decent actual recipe in here somewhere. All I know is I'm not making room for this on my shelf. It doesn't offer anything useful enough to warrant that.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not my favourite cookbook. Very few photos or illustrations. Just not my thing

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice mix of recipes and design ideas. Starts with written instructions for lots of decorating ideas, including layered cupcakes, frosting techniques, and marzipan (some photos would have been useful here). Next, has recipes for cupcakes, then frostings. (Pretty good variety on both, but is missing a basic buttercream frosting, and many of these cake/frosting combos don't sound as good to me as the ones in "125 Cupcakes.") Then combines these basic parts into creative ideas for themes, special decorations, kid cupcakes, cocktail parties, etc. Some of these ideas do get a tad more complicated than I could ever imagine doing (2-3 batches each of different cupcake and frosting flavors, plus elaborate toppings, makes for one time-consuming dessert). Finishes with a list of cupcake/frosting combinations, marbled cupcake flavor combinations, and mix-in/topping ideas. Overall, a good all-purpose cupcake book.

Update: Changed to 3 stars after trying the Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting and the Cookies and Cream Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting. The kids loved them both, both I thought the recipes were too fussy. And neither of the frostings I tried were frosting-like (pretty sure the proportions were off on the lemon frosting), resulting in sticky or less-than-appealing cupcakes. Would have been nice if the recipes specified somewhere how much they make -- based on the ones I tried, it appears to be enough for 2 dozen, but I didn't see that specified anywhere.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is beautiful and nicely organized, with hints for baking cupcakes at the beginning, lists of cupcake recipes, frosting recipes, and a whole section of suggested decorations. At the end is a little chart that matches cupcake recipes with frosting counterparts. Yum. It also has very clear directions for baking novices.

However, my attempt at making the "chocolate macaroon cupcakes" with "dark chocolate frosting" failed. First: the frosting was a disaster. I had to dump the whole batch into the toilet. I don't know if I bought non-melting chocolate or whatever, but it was a gross combination. Second: the chocolate macaroon cupcakes were just macaroons in a cupcake tin. That was a little deceptive and they were difficult to get out of the tin. (yummy, though) I really wanted to stick a candle in a cupcake, so it was disappointing to have cookies instead, even if they were delicious.

If I had another event for which to bake cupcakes, I'd try again. Just be aware that the recipes may not be cupcakes after all: I'm wondering if the "healthy" or "blueberry" cupcakes might turn out to be muffins.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love to browse through these kind of cookbooks and get ideas for parties and I pretty much judge them on the pictures since I am a diabetic and my opportunities for baking are limited :) This one is cute but most of the cupcake decorations are a little overdone and over the top for my taste but what is cool is there is a flavor combinations and design elements section in the back like for instance for the blueberry cupcake recipe you can try either cream cheese frosting, coconut pecan frosting, ginger cream cheese frosting, lemon icing or vanilla frosting. Or for the caramel apple cupcake recipe you can do browned butter icing, caramel topping, ginger cream cheese frosting, maple cream cheese frosting or rum syrup, YUM right?

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the time I finished reading this cookbook, there were numerous sticky notes marking recipes that I had to try. If you are interested in baking cupcakes, but don't know where/how to start, this would be the cookbook for you. There are many delicious recipes for cupcakes in a rainbow of flavours. Other sections contain icing recipes, decorating tips, and baking basics. About half the book contains pictures and instructions to achieve the cupcake: which cupcake recipe to use, which icing recipe to make and detailed instructions on how to decorate. Using this guideline, even the most inexperienced baker should get beautiful results.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cupcakes in this book are so fun to make -- and come out fabulous. Lots of ideas and decorating tips. Plus the back section tells you what frostings are best paired which each cake and what recipes can be combined for layered cupcakes.

[Kierstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource to use when you have questions like, "How do I make liccorice frosting?", or "What kind of cupcake should be served at a funeral?" Works well as a jumping off point for creative cake bakers.

[Janni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book rocks! It has every single recipe needed to make a set of perfect cupcakes, infact, somedays I wonder what I'd be baking if it werent for this book. ALl the recipes in this book are so yummy and so amazingly perrrrfect! O:)

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this one. I don't do any of the funky flavors or themes in the back of the book, but that core collection of recipes in the beginning is great.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with tons of cute ideas!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cookbook! All the recipes look yummy

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has good cupcake holiday baking I've used the Christmas & Easter ones & Thanksgiving but the decorating time always takes longer then they say it will on the prep time.

[Caitlindawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great recipe book - the recipes are straight-forward and incredibly easy. Some of my favorite recipes have come from this book - including strawberry-lime cupcakes!

[Truly · Rating 4 out of 5]

good recipes and fun decorations

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad and good for beginner to advanced.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. Creative