Cakewalk: Adventures with Sugar

Rating:
Summary: Just As I would expect from Margaret
Review: After reading some previous reviews it struck me that some readers intended to duplicate Margarets work. That's like expecting to duplicate a Picasso after reading a book he would pen describing his art! Margaret gives us a look into the process but she is a true artist whose cakes are masterpieces. Congratulations on a beautiful book that will adorn my coffee table.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely nothing to do with eating, mind you
Review: As with books by any number of other decorators who bring very unique interpretation to this often-banal art form, Margaret Braun's book is thoroughly worth owning and the trite 'no serious bookshelf should be without it' again applies here.

However, much as I can't help but admire her technical skill, I dislike almost to the point of repulsion how far her work strays from the UNESCAPABLE FACT that cakes are meant ultimately to be eaten! And I don't even want to think what one of her cakes looks like served on a plate (if the poor caterer can figure out where to start cutting to get reasonably even slices for the guests ... )(oh I know, how plebian of me to even think of it).

She's like many designers of haute couture: all about ego and establishing her name and very little about actually pleasing the ultimate consumer. Yes, I recognize that it's the bride, not the bride's guests who is HER customer, but surely in regard to future business, what lands on a plate in front of a guest matters, does it not?)

Enough trashing. She's worth taking inspiration from, but, no cake inspired by her will ever get 5 stars from me unless it's tempered by something that serves well and tastes sublime!

Rating:
Summary: Cakewalk's good, but...
Review: Cakewalk is a beautiful book with great decorating advice given in easy steps. I have made the Chocolate Blackout and Butter cakes. There are two problems with the book. There are only a few cake recipies. Also, the lovely photos show cakes from 6" to 14" inch tiers. Mz. Braun's recipies are for only 10" tiers. Her advice for pan preparation (butter and flour them) didn't work with the Blackout Cake. When I tried to remove the cakes, they tore badly at the tops and could not be decorated. Still tasted great, though. I suggest if you get "Cakewalk", you also get "The Wedding Cake Book" by Dede Wilson. Her book has loads of recipies and better still, she gives specific quantities for cake tiers from 6" to 14." No guesswork. Also her pan preparation really helped (grease pan, then line with parchment paper worked. I've found that what one book dosen't cover or has a hard method, the other one is more helpful or has an easier way.

Rating:
Summary: Cakewalk's good, but...
Review: Cakewalk is a beautiful book with great decorating advice given in easy steps. I have made the Chocolate Blackout and Butter cakes. There are two problems with the book. There are only a few cake recipies. Also, the lovely photos show cakes from 6" to 14" inch tiers. Mz. Braun's recipies are for only 10" tiers. Her advice for pan preparation (butter and flour them) didn't work with the Blackout Cake. When I tried to remove the cakes, they tore badly at the tops and could not be decorated. Still tasted great, though. I suggest if you get "Cakewalk", you also get "The Wedding Cake Book" by Dede Wilson. Her book has loads of recipies and better still, she gives specific quantities for cake tiers from 6" to 14." No guesswork. Also her pan preparation really helped (grease pan, then line with parchment paper worked. I've found that what one book dosen't cover or has a hard method, the other one is more helpful or has an easier way.

Rating:
Summary: Margaret Braun is to cake decorating what Yoda is to a Jedi
Review: Finally a Cake Decorating Book that debunks the idea of cake decorations as cutesy and chintzy. Instead Margaret Braun brings the well trained eye of a designer to her cakes. Each cake is, stunningly more elegant than the one before. More importantly in addition to the book's gorgeous design and great photography Margaret lets you into her design process. With this truly unique book Margaret Braun teaches the reader/ baker to start to see a cake as your blank canvas and allow yourself to create your own masterpiece. She gives you the tools to open your eyes to design elements all around you. If you are like me you will find that CakeWalk does not find its place among the bookshelf with the rest of the cookbooks but on the coffee table as a constant source of culinary inspiration.

Rating:
Summary: Margaret Braun is to cake decorating what Yoda is to a Jedi
Review: Finally a Cake Decorating Book that debunks the idea of cake decorations as cutesy and chintzy. Instead Margaret Braun brings the well trained eye of a designer to her cakes. Each cake is, stunningly more elegant than the one before. More importantly in addition to the book's gorgeous design and great photography Margaret lets you into her design process. With this truly unique book Margaret Braun teaches the reader/ baker to start to see a cake as your blank canvas and allow yourself to create your own masterpiece. She gives you the tools to open your eyes to design elements all around you. If you are like me you will find that CakeWalk does not find its place among the bookshelf with the rest of the cookbooks but on the coffee table as a constant source of culinary inspiration.

Rating:
Summary: wow!
Review: I bought this book just to look at because it's so beautiful - the photographs, the pictures that frame the recipes, everything. But after looking through it, I've been pulled in by Ms. Braun's genius creativity and I plan to spend this weekend making the Polka Dot cake.

Rating:
Summary: YES, You Can!!!
Review: I did it, and so can you. Right down to going to the fabulous New York Cake and Bakery Dist. store in NYC, I followed all her easy instructions. The pearlized, powder for painting the icing made my cake shimmer like nothing I'd created before. People gave me compliments on a party cake I made for 3 days straight! I felt almost guilty for plagarizing, but Margaret Braun shares her secrets with such generosity! Reading more like a diary than a cookbook, "Cakewalk..." is a love letter from her to the cake decorating enthusiast. If you are ready to take your art one step further, then this inspiring book is absolutely for you.

Rating:
Summary: YES, You Can!!!
Review: I did it, and so can you. Right down to going to the fabulous New York Cake and Bakery Dist. store in NYC, I followed all her easy instructions. The pearlized, powder for painting the icing made my cake shimmer like nothing I'd created before. People gave me compliments on a party cake I made for 3 days straight! I felt almost guilty for plagarizing, but Margaret Braun shares her secrets with such generosity! Reading more like a diary than a cookbook, "Cakewalk..." is a love letter from her to the cake decorating enthusiast. If you are ready to take your art one step further, then this inspiring book is absolutely for you.

Rating:
Summary: Cakewalk Adventures in Sugar with Margaret Braun
Review: I find the book Cakewalk an inspiration for those wanting to explore baking, creating and the
"How Did They Do that?" behind great confections and recipes. The inspirational notes on Margaret Braun's own experiences in discovering her talents are helpful and encouraging to those interested in the culinary arts or art in general. The belief that artists just create because they can is shattered here with Margaret's references to structures, art and life that surrounds us and inspires her creations. A notion that can be taken by even the least artistically inclined. We are inspired by the life and the things around us and our take on them. This book is a testament to that belief and should be embraced by foodies and non-foodies alike. The instructions are plain and simple. Leaving the creativity to the user, not telling us how to create but to be creative. Buy it. The photography is wonderful, as well.