Perfect Cakes: 200+ Flawless Recipes and Expert Techniques for Celebrations―From Cheesecakes to International Showstoppers

by Nick Malgieri

When it's time to celebrate, it's time to bake a cake! When it's time to be creative, it's time to bake a cake! When it's time to find comfort in the kitchen, it's time to bake a cake. From weddings to birthdays to something nice for yourself and your family and guests, nothing marks a special occasion better than a freshly baked cake. Now renowned baking teacher Nick Malgieri, author of Cookies Unlimited , Chocolate , and How to Bake , shares his flawless recipes and professional techniques for creating a perfect cake every time. From simple to extravagant, the recipes are presented with the same clear, uncomplicated instructions that have made Nick a favorite among firsttime bakers and experts alike. You'll find more than two hundred recipes for all types of cakes, from homey favorites such as Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Classic Angel Food Cake to luscious classics such as Dark and White Chocolate Cheesecake to international showstoppers such as Zuppa Inglese and Chocolate Raspberry Bûche de Noël. Nick shows how to get the best results every time you bake, ensuring that your cheesecake will never crack, your pound cake batter will never separate, and your génoise will always be tender and light. When the time comes to decorate or fill your cake, there's a wealth of creative ideas, from working with marzipan to piping icing to flavoring ganache and buttercream. Also included are tips on selecting the most flavorful chocolates, fruits, liqueurs, and other ingredients. Tempting color photographs throughout the book will inspire anyone to head into the kitchen. Novice bakers will be reassured and experts challenged with Perfect Cakes , a comprehensive collection of perfect recipes and expert guidance.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference

352 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2002

Reviews

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of good bakers out there and i am amazed at their proficiencies. Nick Malgieri has a lot to offer and presents a well written and well organized cake book. i am definitely going to look up his other books. I especially valued his introductions to the sections, presenting "the rules" and what to do with mistakes. Yumm.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book on cakes. Clear directions and recipes that actually work. The only thing is that Malgieri's yields do not always add up. Sure you can bake that amount of batter in a nine-inch pan, but your going to end up with a cake layer that might be more thin than you were expecting. So I've had to play around with some of the yields to get a cake thick enough for what I want to do with it.

[Diane Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I made the basic white layer cake and added extra vanilla. The cake layers were delicious. I added a simple syrup to help it stay moist. All the techniques are explained very well and I anticipate further cake triumphs.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

the cheesecake and carrot cakes are amazing. this is not baking light.

[Alexis]

Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri (2002)

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has some really excellent looking cakes and Abe and I have plans to cook more out of this since he likes his Chocolate cookbook so much--beautiful photos

[Jovy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a baker but I got this just for fun and for my collection. This book have amazing photos of cakes...looks like it will melt in your mouth... Yum...yum...

[tlev 4242 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read on baking, and there are two recipes in here that I have used so much. One of them is a pound cake recipe that I've used with so many different flavour combinations.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why do cake recipes always sound so good? Pictures are enticing too. Recipes are reasonable to try, not over the top. Drooling over some without even making them.