Sandra Salamony - 1,000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes

Theres nothing like a dessert table, a Willy Wonka dream where everything is sweet, enticing, and edible. Even better? Seven dessert tables (some are pictured here), is what our family created when the whole town was invited to a scrumptious gala in celebration of our grandmas ninetieth birthday. We were fortunate to grow up in a family of bakers, decorators, and overall party planners, where the preparation for the event was as much fun as the party itself. But we admit that there was some resistance from us, at first. Remember grade-school bake sales? Our mother would send us to school with trays of colorful, beautifully decorated minicupcakes, which were always the first item to sell out.

Once, we were foolish enough to say to Mom, Cupcakes again? Why cant we make Rice Krispies Treats like the other families? But, our wise mother would smile and say, You eat with your eyes! Back then, despite our moms creativity, it seemed that overall there was much less experimentation in cake decorating. The big choice for a wedding cake was the color (or lack thereof) of the flowers. Now, in addition to more color and finish choices, items like edible markers and computer imaging have elevated this art form. The finished product can be anything from the most perfectly smooth fondant, to intricately modeled sugarplums. The following chapters present a visual feast for your inspiration: a range of confectionary treats that add magic to both special and everyday occasions. Your muse, for example, might be the seasons: the crystalline beauty of winter; the emerging flowers of spring; the sparkling celebrations of summer; or the changing displays of fall.

Or, you may be attracted to the use of color, pattern, and composition. Think about how you can reinterpret a theme to create your own magic. And dont be afraid to think outside the (cake) box! An elegant entertaining cake can be a wedding cake, as can a holiday cake, as can a You get the idea. Our uncle used to say, Everything tastes better when it looks good. So, to help ensure that your creations do, in fact, look as good as possible, we have included a range of frosting recipes on page 298 to get you started, culled from Kates Cake Decorating, by Kate Sullivan. Mangia!Gina M.

Brown and Sandra Salamony 0001 Marieke de Korte, Alle Taarten, The Netherlands 0002 Klaire Garnica, The Little Cupcakery, Australia 0003 Hana Bacova, www.flickr.com/photos/haniela , USA 0004 Hana Bacova, www.flickr.com/photos/haniela , USA 0005 Hana Bacova, www.flickr.com/photos/haniela , USA 0006 Yen Le, www.le-cupcake.com , Canada 0007 Yen Le, www.le-cupcake.com , Canada 0008 Yen Le, www.le-cupcake.com , Canada 0009 Yen Le, www.le-cupcake.com , Canada 0010 Toni Brancatisano, Italy 0011 Asa Hellgren, Hello Sugar!, Sweden 0012 Asa Hellgren, Hello Sugar!, Sweden PHOTO BY: LIMOR WEISBERG 0013 Debbie Schwartz, Debbies Cakes, Israel 0014 Asa Hellgren, Hello Sugar!, Sweden 0015 Asa Hellgren, Hello Sugar!, Sweden 0016 Lisa Hansen, The Whole Cake and Caboodle, New Zealand 0017 Cupcakes Nouveau, Cristina Valdes & Shayrin Badillo, USA 0018 Hana Bacova, www.flickr.com/photos/haniela , USA