Lindy Smith’s Mini Cakes Academy
I love doing book reviews – well, actually I love reading new cakey books and getting inspired and being desperate to share what I’ve found with you guys, but when it comes to the actual writing of these posts I always find myself waffling on and on and making them way too long. And that was the case with Lindy Smith’s Mini Cakes Academy, by David and Charles
I’ve Interviewed and reviewed a Lindy Smith book in the past and there’s one thing you should know about her. She works REALLY hard and is really creative. She has a new book coming out in what feels like every five minutes and they are all so different and totally inspirational. How does she do it?
Lindy Smith’s Mini Cakes Academy
The latest book is just the same. Jam packed with clever hints and tips on how to get different effects, some of them basic for the beginner and some of them more challenging but all inspirational. Sometimes you just need to be shown a new tool or colour combination to give you a whole new idea for a cake. One piece of inspiration and the book’s a winner – don’t you think?
What I love about this book are the simple ideas executed to perfection. Whether it’s the stunning colour combinations of the Rosette cake or the cute washboard sides on the beach hut cakes. The way some simple plunger cutters have been used to make an elegant Christmas tree cake look fabulous or the clever use of a flower and some piping to make the cutest diddy wedding cake. Also, there’s buttons. I love a sugarpaste button on a cake!
Why I think Lindy’s books are so great is that no matter what level you’re at there are plenty of photos to describe the techniques so you can understand the way to make every element of decorating. Some books only have one step shot and explain the rest with words and you just can’t get a handle on what they’re on about. Here Lindy explains everything in clear detail and shows you too. You can’t go wrong.
What else is in the book?
As well as seeing where the inspiration for each cake comes from there are templates and recipes (for the main size cake tins when making small cakes) and the sticky toffee cake sounds really deelish. There’s even a vegan chocolate cake in there. There are recipes to make your own sugarpaste, pastillage, flowerpaste and of course buttercreams and ganaches.
If you aren’t sure where to start when covering a fiddly mini cake there are steps to show you how with buttercream, marzipan and sugarpaste.
Whether you want to paint your cake design, create beautiful flowers, go for modern or vintage there’s something for everyone. With 30 fabulous designs you’ll be spoilt for choice.
And what’s more you can win a copy right here on CakesBakesAndCookies.com. I bet you want to don’t you?
The Mini Cakes Academy Giveaway
The lovely Lindy herself emailed me offering this book giveaway to you lovely people. How honoured and excited am I by that! All you have to do is leave a comment below answering the question AND enter via the rafflecopter site (just click below to be taken straight through to the competition) A winner will be randomly selected on 12th August.
” What cake decorating question would you ask Lindy” leave a comment below and enter the rafflecopter widget.
Good luck!
EmmaMT
Disclaimer: The book in this post was sent to me by Lindy Smith and David and Charles publishers (Thanks you guys- it’s fantastic). All thoughts and opinions and entirely my own.
CakesBakesAndCookies.com Giveaway Terms & Conditions
This giveaway will close at 12:00am on 12th August 2015. Leaving a blog post comment is a mandatory entry option. This prize is offered by Lindy Smith. I am hosting it on behalf of Lindy Smith. Please note, I am not responsible for posting the prize out or providing it. Lindy Smith or her representative will send out the prize, the winner must provide their name, address once contacted. The winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received by the Rafflecopter widget. The winner will be notified within 3 days of the closing date. The prize is one copy of the ‘Lindy Smith’s Mini Cakes Academy’ book, no cash alternatives are available. This giveaway is open only to residents in mainland UK (excluding Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and Islands) and entrants must be over 18.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your cake designs?
How do you make frosting? mine keeps going wrong
What do you do with leftover icing? Can it be frozen?
why are they so delicious
I’d have to ask if she has any tips for stopping fondant icing from cracking. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, I always get tears and cracks at the tops and sides of my cakes. I usually end up covering them with flowers or something
Where do you find inspiration?
When modelling figures or animals when would you use marzipan and when fondant?
If a person will only be making mini or smaller cakes, and is short on space, what pans and other tools, would you suggest they concentrate on?
Does the type of cake (fruit, sponge, etc…) make a difference to how you ice it?
How to stop fondant/sugarpasts from cracking
Is there an easy was to use food colouring x
Like Tracy, I would love to know where she gets her inspiration for her cake designs. This is the part that I have the most trouble with.
When I’m icing a cake, what’s the best way to stop crumbs of cake getting mixed up into the icing?
Hi Darrell, thanks for entering the competition.
I thought you might find this post helpful
How to do a crumb coating
EmmaMT
My hand isn’t too steady for writing in icing, how do you do it without it looking like a spider walked over the cake.
What quantities of ingredients do I need for a 12″ square Madeira cake? Thanks
Hi Kerry,
Have a look at this post
Madeira cake ingredients
EmmaMT
¿Cual es el fondant con el que haces más cómoda tus creaciones??
How do you stop fondant from cracking ect and if it does cracking do you have to start all over again ? Thank you for the chance to win this, it’s an amazing book and I would love to be able to learn some of these recipes x
Whats the best cake you have ever done?
How do you get the icing to look smooth
How do you keep different colors from blending together.
What’s the best way to use food colouring without it going patchy
if you use silicone moulds for any decorations, shells for example, how do you get them out of the mould without getting them out of shape, even with dusting the mould first?
Sometimes I find icing to soft how do you get it to harden up so it doesn’t run into the other colours
How do you adjust to temperature issues, whether cold or hot, when working with icing or frosting?
I never have patience for cooling. How do u learn it
How do you keep down on wastage for sugarpaste? I find I always need far more than the size guides state to get the sugarpaste the right diameter for covering, then the minute I lift it over the cake I seem to have tons of spare to cut off!
I’d love to know how to get rid of air bubbles from my fondant covered cakes. Thank you
Where do you get the inspiration for new cake designs?
What do you recommend for someone with no artistic talent
How to make the details so tidy
Should you buy packet icing or make it yourself?
How old were you when you started decorating
What do you do to make fondant smoother to roll out ? What do you do to keep the cake moist
What a brilliant looking book – I am always wishing I could make such beautifully decorated cakes as some people manage to, but it never quite comes off for me! The decoration on those Christmas Trees is exquisite, especially given the size. I love the bear on the cover too, just gorgeous!
I would ask Lindy how far in advance you can decorate a cake, and the best way to store and then transport them once decorated!
How do you make a perfect ganache?
Are there are design you’d love to but think would be impossible?
What would be your best recipe for a beginner?
I would love to ask her where she finds her inspirations for her designs
What’s the rules on copying another baker’s designs?
Lindy, can I have lessons? Would be my question!
How do you make your frosting?