Cake Confidence [Paperback] Mandy Merriman

I've made cakes in the past and it has always felt like a hassle. Partly because I didn't have the proper tools that would make it easier, but also because it was so time consuming making cakes from scratch and if I made them from a box you could just tell it was from a box and maybe I just wasn't as excited about it as I am now and I was just winging the decorating part. In early January though I started trying to plan for my son's birthday party that would be in early February and I was browsing cake books on Amazon because I was considering making his cake this year (I looked around at several bakeries and people that could make cakes but had a hard time getting responses, and I just felt like I could do it).Well, I came across this book and when looking through the preview I just loved Mandy's style of cakes! I looked at other reviewers photos and they also looked amazing and it got me excited that I might also be able to make cakes that look amazing. I looked up her site and then started following her on Instagram and I just loved all the info she shared there and it got me thinking, maybe I want to start making cakes more often for family things and just because since she makes it look so easy and fun. So, I bought the book! When it arrived I just browsed through it several times and I thought, I want to make my first cake as practice (before my son's B-Day cake) for my anniversary that was coming up on January 26th. So, I chose the White Chocolate Raspberry Cake (picture added) from the book since my husband loves raspberry stuff and it turned out looking pretty great and it also tasted great too! One thing to note, and which I personally appreciate, is that all the cake recipes start with a cake mix but there are several other ingredients added that make it taste way better than a plain cake mix. I love this fact because I know my cakes will be consistent every time and it's less of a hassle. They also bake flat too if you follow her tips which eliminates the step of having to level cakes (pictured inside the Raspberry cake)! Score! Anyways, back to the cake, my husband kept going on and on about how good the cake was! I had a fun time making it too which has never happened for me when making cakes. I got the main tools she suggests too and I think that helped.Next, it was time for my son's B-Day cake (Star Wars cake pictured). I used her Dark Chocolate Cake recipe along with her Black Buttercream recipe in the book and then did the stars and logo, etc from other tips online. Everyone loved it and we didn't have a ton of discolored mouths everywhere! My brother was iffy on the black buttercream but after having a slice he said the buttercream was the best part but that it was all really good!I will say though I was hoping for a little more instructional/decorating pictures in the book (it has step by step pictures for decorating the cover photo cake but just descriptions for assembly on the other cakes which do have different styles slightly). But overall that's not a big deal because she has tons of videos on her IG page and lots of Q&A's on there as well. Speaking of, I have sent a few questions in and she has replied and been very helpful.There is a lot of variety as far as cake and buttercream recipes go and I can't wait to make more. I am thinking of making the Biscoff Cake this weekend possibly. I will add more photos if Amazon lets me as I make them.If you're a beginner like me and want easy cake recipes and lots of variety of flavors and you like this style of decorating cakes I think you should definitely get this book and check out her IG and website for more recipes and tips.2/18/2020: Adding photo of the Fruity Pebbles cake. :D This one is cute but none of us cared too much for it.6/11/2020: Adding photos of the Cookies and Cream cake (this one was amazing and the best one I think so far, my husband thinks the White Chocolate Raspberry one is still the best but this one is my favorite so far) and a Dark Chocolate Cake (I used the Dark Chocolate Cake from one recipe and a plain Dark Chocolate Buttercream from another recipe in the book, you can definitely mix and match cakes and buttercreams!)

I just had to write a review on this book. I almost never leave reviews I am embarrassed to say. However, this book and the author, deserve to be reviewed. I was so excited to purchase this book after happening upon the author's website through Pinterest. Mandy appears to be so genuine and so talented and her cakes look absolutely amazing. I initially bought the book for the decorating techniques to learn, however, I am not apposed to trying out the recipes just because they use a box cake mix. When I read some of the reviewes I just had to laugh! How rediculous that people would bash and shame this sweet lady just because she uses cake mix! How utterly immature, petty and mean some people can be. I can laugh though because it is not me who is being ripped apart. I am sure Mandy doesn't laugh and it must be hard for her to read these reviews. It saddens me that these jerks are out there, faceless, nameless and judging someone that obviously has put her heart and soul into her book and brand, which is amazing in my opinion. I am a very experienced baker and am starting a baking biz, side hustle. Very excited to be using this beautiful resource to polish my cakes to look even a little like Mandy's is what I am hoping and Yes, I will be trying out her recipes as well! Mandy, honey.....don't let these trolls and idiots get you down. You go girl! And I recommend you laugh all the way to the bank at how rediculous some people are out there! You deserve every penny you make from sharing your passion!! And thank you for doing that! You have given me hope and inspiration as I pursue my dreams and passion as well. Take care and thank you for a beautiful resource...you are very talented and I wish you all the best! <3

I’ve always baked from scratch. But when I started following Mandy on Instagram and saw her cakes I knew I wanted to give them a try. I have to say I was not disappointed. They are consistently delicious and you cannot tell that they started out as boxed cake mixes. (I personally don’t eat cakes made from mixes because of the taste.) The ingredients she adds to her recipes make all the difference in the world. I’ve included pictures of four of her cakes that I’ve made and one of her cupcakes: funfetti cookie dough cake, strawberries and cream cake, pumpkin cake with brown butter maple buttercream, biscoff cupcakes and her cotton candy cake. I’ve also made her peanut butter oreo cupcakes and cookies and cream cake. They’ve all been delicious and I would make them again.There are people leaving negative reviews for this book that have never made her recipes. That makes no sense. That’s like saying a meal was terrible but you never actually took a bite of it. How can you give an opinion on something you’ve never tried? I also disagree with reviews that feel this book is for beginning bakers. Why? Because you don’t measure out all your dry ingredients? I don’t understand the reasoning.Her cakes are delicious. Some are more challenging to make than others. Give her recipes a try and you won’t be disappointed.

Excelente producto que se adaptó a mis necesidades y fue justo lo que buscaba

Love everything in this book

Excelentes ideas para hornear y decorar.. lo recomiendo ampliamente.Las recetas son de caja, pero vienen modificadas para incrementar su sabor.Excelente compra

I am a home baker who always cooks from scratch, i loved the cover of the book and thought it would be an amazing cookbook .Now on receiving it I am very disappointed that every recipe is a cake mix in a box that you add ingredients to.....THE DESCRIPTION ON THE SALES PAGE WAS There's always something to celebrate in life, and there's no better way to celebrate than with some decadent, mouthwatering cake! No matter your confidence in baking, Mandy Merriman-the Blondie of the popular blog Baking with Blondie-is here to help you think outside the cakebox and create easy, delicious, beautiful cakes that you'll definitely want to show off. Dust off your apron and get ready to create some buttercream joy.I assumed as it said think outside the cake box meant you would not be using a cake mix, so now all I have is a pretty overpriced icing cookbook, very disappointed

El recetario llegó más tarde de lo esperado. Contiene buenas recetas paso a paso. Pero me decepcionó muchísimo que TODAS ls recetas usan pastel de caja! =( Por eso...3 estrellas