Off the shelf
baking book reviews
Cupcakes: Luscious bakeshop favorites from your home kitchen
Shelly Kaldunski
127 Pages (Hardcover)
Shelly Kaldunski was one of the main contributors to Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook and has worked as a food editor for Martha Stewart Living, so it didn't take much persuasion to click on that "buy now" button.
This small format hardback book is divided into five categories: Basic Cupcakes, Fruit & Nut, Chocolate, Special-Occasion and Frostings, Fillings & Finishes. Also included are small sections on presenting your cupcakes, creative cupcaking, hints and tips, plus the photography scattered throughout the book is gorgeous.
Now for the good part, the recipes; the first cupcakes I baked from the book were the 'Salted Caramel Cupcakes' pictured above... fantastic, I loved them. Then on to German Chocolate Cupcakes, Rocky Road Cupcakes, Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes, Tangerine Cupcakes (I used Tangelo's instead), Chai and Honey and Rum Raisin.
The Rocky Road Cupcake Incident; I explained to my husband Mark that when he asks "which one can I take?" referring to the freshly decorated Rocky Road Cupcakes and I reply "you choose", it does NOT mean you can choose to eat all of them! Step-son Daniel, voted the Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes "epic", which apparently in teen speak is "good" and the Chai and Honey nudged out the Salted Caramel to become my favourite.
The butter cream frostings and variations are great, try the Chocolate Malt variety it is sooo good.
On my ever expanding "I want to bake" list are Lemon Blueberry Crunch & Mini Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcakes.
Full of interesting recipes & ideas, it's a great book and one of my new "favourites".