Book Review: Hello, Cupcake

By now, everybody knows my thing about cupcakes. It isn't just that they are tasty (or should be); it is the idea of them. They are so perky, so exuberant, unabashedly cute and unapologetically sweet. They appeal to kids and to grown-ups. They can be goofy, refined, at home at a six year old's party or a wedding reception.

But of all the wonderful things that cupcakes are, above all, it is the deocrating of them that takes the (cup)cake. What's on top is almost more important than below. For those who feel the same, check out an amazing book by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. Hello, Cupcake is chock full of amazing decorating plans. From circus animals, pups on leashes, werewolves, even Van Gogh's Starry Starry Night (you gotta check that out - wow). Best of all, you don't need to host a FoodNetwork show to be able to create these things. The techniques are well illustrated and the clever use of edible props (twinkies, jelly beans, etc.) make these creations possible.

Of all the fantastic and fantastical creations, I'd have to say the circus menagerie really impressed me. Personally, I loathe clowns, but for those who aren't freaked out by them, this would be an impressive birthday bash. NR has decided upon the bowling pins and bowling ball pattern for his birthday. I wondered at the choice, with all the great animal patterns available (sharks, horses, cats, to name a few) but this pint sized non-bowler really liked those pins, so that's what he's getting.

Weird as it may sound, this book is going to be a coffee table book (along with Confetti Cakes - you won't believe the Manolo Blahnik shoe cake in that book). The whimsy and whipped sugar of Hello, Cupcake just makes me smile and shouldn't be hidden in a kitchen cabinet. Check it out on Amazon.