A Piece of Cake

I spotted this book at the local library and it inspired me to bake a birthday cake for a coworker. The carrot cake was a hit and I heard, over and over, that it was "the best carrot cake I've ever eaten in my entire life!" Requests followed for the next birthday and once again, I heard, "This is best cake I've ever had in my entire life." Past attempts have received compliments, but never to this extreme. I certainly couldn't take the credit for Purdy's recipes, tips and variations. As previous reviewers have written, Purdy goes beyond the recipe to explain (simply) the chemistry behind things. I learned that the processing of the cocoa makes all the diverence in achieving the red velvet color of the cake of that same name. The only negative comment that I could possibly have is to say that I was disappointed to not find a recipe for a German Chocolate cake. I've checked this book out repeatedly from the library and now plan to buy my very own copy!

I borrowed this from the library and have renewed it twice. I'm ready to buy! My son and husband fought over the last slice of the 1-2-3-4 Cake and want me to make it again. I prefer to bake cakes from scratch; they prefer that "light, airy" texture of boxed cakes. This cookbook convinced me to sift the flour - and it made the difference. I like the detail given; it's not just do this, do that. I got an understanding of why the steps were included. A really terrific cake-recipe book!

Unlike many cook books that are simply collections of recipes and a few photos of what the finished product should look like, Purdy's "The Perfect Cake" goes further. It is a "why" book, explaining how the different ingredients interact as you mix them then bake them. It also discusses the different qualities those ingredients have and offers advice on what you should choose and why. And perhaps more importantly, why not.The book also gave me the confidence to experiment with some of the basic recipes. And I didn't mind eating the results, thank you very much.I borrowed a copy of the book from my local library, learned a lot, and enjoyed it so much that as soon as I submit this review I will buy my own copy.

The Perfect Cake: 150 Cakes For Every Taste & Occasion by baking expert Susan G. Purdy is quite simply a definitive, single volume compendium designed to enable the family cook to have a wealth of delicious, imaginative, desert choices for any occasion from daily family dining to special celebratory events. Enhanced with a wealth of "tips, tricks and techniques" for everything from measuring ingredients to preparing pans for baking, the profusion of cake recipes are grouped into Butter and Shortening Cakes; Cheesecakes; Sponge and Foam Cakes; Elegant and Special Cakes; as well as Filings, Frostings, Icings and Glazes, Sauces and Syrups. Of special interest is the section on Decorating Cakes covering special effects, flavorings, and decorative techniques. Before you bake your next cake, browse through Susan Purdy's The Perfect Cake!

Susan Purdy describes the ingredients added to her cakes so the baker can understand how each addition will change the final product. The early chapters thoroughly explain overall techniques, equipment and ingredients. Each recipe chapter describes the concerns and pitfalls to keep in mind while putting ingredients together; when technique really matters, and why. She even describes the finished product, allowing us to compare different end-products, and learn why our cake looks a certain way, or sometimes does not look a certain way. Most importantly - the cakes are delicious