The Artful Cupcake: Baking & Decorating Delicious Indulgences

Targeted toward bakers with passionate memories of cupcakes and lots of time to spare, this book's polka-dotted, chocolate-dipped and sugar-dusted treats will awe those used to making cupcakes the quick and easy way. Divided into 36 cupcake""projects,"" each with recommendations for frostings and toppings, Miller's book is a pleasure to look at, but it's largely impractical for regular home cooks. None of the recipes have estimated preparation times, but it's clear that a few of the most spectacular projects--Apple Delight Cupcakes, Butterfly Cupcakes, White Chocolate Roses Painted with Petal Dust, a Cupcake Solar System, etc.-- would take hours, if not days, to complete. That said, some of the simpler recipes are faster. Chocolate Cabernet Cupcakes, for example, take only about an hour to make, and their cherry wine flavor would not be out of place at a black-tie party. In fact, the chocolate recipes are consistently impressive: Miller's Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting is good enough to eat by the spoonful, and her Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes are tangy and moist. The book does contain a few editorial mistakes (such as the directive to slice off the top of a cupcake, eat it and then frost it), but these are compensated for by the stunning artistry of the cupcakes, which feature a multitude of decorative techniques including chocolate cages, fondant and candied flowers. (All of these are clearly demonstrated with photographs and step-by-step instructions.) An excellent choice for a caterer or a professional baker, this book would most useful to those who have the time, energy and audience to enjoy delicious, upscale cupcakes.