Sweet Celebrations: The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cakes

Bon Appétit called master baker and decorator Weinstock "the Leonardo da Vinci of wedding cakes," and her stunningly original creations have graced the celebrations of Oprah Winfrey, Ted Turner, and Whitney Houston. Her repertoire includes not just grand, romantic, floral wedding cakes but cakes appropriate for all of life's festive moments. Now she shares her expertise with bakers who want the perfect cake to commemorate that very special occasion.

Sweet Celebrations includes cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, bon voyage send-offs, victory parties, and more. Graded according to difficulty, there are cakes for the beginning as well as the experienced decorator. Present your favorite graduate with a richly bound pile of books, welcome a newborn with a delectable stack of pastel-colored blocks, or serve the charming cottage cake at a housewarming. Each of the featured twenty-four cakes is shown in full color, with complete step-by-step instructions for baking, assembling, and decorating. In addition there are many inspiring photographs of the fabulous cakes Weinstock has created for clients around the world.

The book provides recipes for cakes, frostings, and fillings, as well as detailed illustrated instructions on decorating techniques. Sweet Celebrations is a must-have volume for home and professional bakers who want to make and serve cakes that taste as good as they look.

Preface

Introduction

Basic Guidance

Equipment

Resource Guide

About Cakes

Crumb Coating

Basic Cake Recipes

Classic Yellow Cake

Lady Baltimore White Cake

Spice Cake

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Carrot Cake

Almond Cake

Hazelnut Cake

Icings, Fillings, and Washes

Basic Buttercream Icing

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Basic Buttercream Filling

Flavored Buttercream Fillings

Cream Cheese Buttercream Filling

Chocolate Buttercream Filling

Mocha Buttercream Filling

Orange Buttercream Filling

Lemon Buttercream Filling

Raspberry Buttercream Filling

Royal Icing

Washes: Simple Syrup

Working with Sugar Dough

Coloring

Handling Sugar Dough

Storing flowers

Equipment

Basic Flower Instructions

Spray Flowers

Pansy

Iris

Violet

Calla Lily

Roses

To make the buds

To make the petals

To make a calyx

Ribbons

Bows

Loop Bows

Piping Techniques

Basketweave

Nantucket Weave

Cornelli

Dotted Swiss, Pearls, Writing

Leaves

Dragging Pearl Border

Looping m or u

Lily of the Valley

Swags

Specialty Cakes

Antique White Tiered Wedding Cake

Baby Block Cake

Balloon Cake

Box Wedding Cake

Cornelli Heart Cake

Calla Lily Cake

Fairy Tree Cake

Gift Box Cake

Hatbox Cake

Lily of the Valley Cake

Marzipan Fruit Cake

Peach Rose Wedding Cake

Potted Iris Cake

Ribbon Cake

Shaggy Dog Cake

Handbag Cake

Shopping Bag Cake

Stack of Books Cake

Straw Hat Cake

Sunflower Cake

Teacup Cake

Thatched Roof Cottage Cake

Round Cakes

Clown Cake

Basketball Cake

Globe Cake

Index

Metric Equivalencies