Katrien’s Mini-Cakes Cupcakes, cake pops and more

by Katrien van Zyl (Metz Press)

My daughter is an avid baker and was thrilled to page through this beautifully illustrated book of step-by-step cake decorating projects by “self-proclaimed chocoholic” Katrien van Zyl.

Each project uses chocolate decorations, mini-cakes, cupcakes, cake pops or brownies and Katrien shares her hints and shortcuts to help you along. You’ll find tried and trusted recipes for cakes and fillings, decoration templates as well as a section on storage and transportation.

If you have any special occasions coming up and want to show off your new baking and decorating skills, the good news is that most of the projects in this book can be made days or weeks in advance. Simply bake and freeze your filled mini-cakes, make your decorations two weeks in advance and then assemble your masterpiece a day or two before the event.

The author’s first book – Katrien’s Cakes – is a bestseller. – Juliette Donkin