I have never bought a cake decorating book but have seen so many wonderful cakes on here that were inspired by a cake someone saw in a book.
So... what's your favorite book?
I have a few cake decorating books. It's hard to pick out a favorite. Each one has its strengths. For inspiration, I love Martha Stewart Wedding Cakes. Not much instruction, but it has recipes I've had lots of success with and whenever I need something to aspire to, I open it and flip through the pages.
I got Toba Garrett's Professional Cake Decorating book a couple months ago. It's great for piping and more classic/elegant techniques. It's more like a text book, so it starts off with basic skills and builds on them in each chapeter.
I also love Collette Peters' Cakes to Dream on, but those are super advanced cakes, so at my skill level, it's just a "someday I'll get there" book.
I've checked out Confetti Cakes from my library a couple times. I plan on buying it soon. It's got some really fun and different techniques in there.
Rose Levy's Cake Bible has never failed me and can't be beat for home bakers or production recipes.
Anything Collette Peters has written for sheer usefullness.
Allen Dunn's books are great for g-paste flowers.
Nick Malgieri's Perfect Cakes... I return to this time and time again when I need something interesting for my case.
Can't believe I missed this thread because I'm a devout Rose Levy Barenbaum The Cake Bible user - love this book, mine is falling apart. However, I have been doing some research to add to my collection and have added to my wish list Nick Malgieri's Perfect Cakes for various types of cakes and Confetti Cakes (Elisa Strauss) and Cakes to Inspire and Desire (Lindy Smith) for style and how to for decorating. Collette Peters was my first cake decorating hero, and a great inspiration, however, to learn from her books, I personally think there are better books that are laid out better to learn from - IMO. Hope this makes since.
I'd highly recommend going to your local library and just checking out everything they have on cakes & cake decorating. (A few at a time of course!) There were many books I was looking forward to, but I ended up just copying a page or recipe or nothing at all. Then there were books I was surprised at, thinking I wouldn't buy, and now are on my "must have" list. Martha Stewart Weddings is one of those. Then were the ones I knew I would be buying but was nice to look at first, like the Cake Bible.
You can request books from other branches in the system. I was really surprised by the number of books they did have. Videos too! Ours is all online which makes the searching even easier - just a couple clicks from home and then a few days later I get an email telling me its ready to pick up!
Collette Peters' Cakes to Dream on Is the book for me to work toward and wish to be able to do one day, and I love Cakes to inspire and Disire by Lindy Smith this book is more of a possiblity for me to do. It also has really good explination on a wonky or topsy turvy cake
I think this is a great topic. i love books and have started a cake book collection, so i love hearing all the great books. i hope we get to hear some more.
I am so glad that this came up again. I was just looking to buy another book to add to my collection. I love Lindy Smith's books, Peggy Porcschen, Debbie Brown's, Elisa Strauss, Martha Stewart, when I want to dream.
I have been wanting the Debbie Brown older one with the carriage on the front, but I can't seem to find it.
It seems that Australia gets so many better books than we get here in the US.
I LOVE my Debbie Brown books and just found the 3 hard to find ones by emailing Debbie Brown!! She has a web site (just google) and she will tell you where to find her books. I just got the one with the carriage, the original party cake book with the champagne bottle on the front and the cakes for men book.
I like Lindy Smith also and just got a couple Nicholas Lodge books for flowers.
Collette Peters has gorgeous cakes but beyond my skill and when I have tryed cakes from her books I think there are a few important steps left out of the cake directions.
Have one Peggy Porschen book "beautiful cakes" but 2/3s of the book is cupcakes or cookies so was a little disappointed when I got the book.
One book I have REALLY been disappointed in was "creative cakes 3D cake Decorating" by Carol Burgers. Poor figures and they use coffee cans to bake in, no sculpting and more for preteens decorating with out any tools or supplies. I buy books off amazon and since you can not see them I have to go by the description on the site. This one was so off the mark and when I put comments about the book on the site. her daughter emailed me upset. It is promoted as a great 3d cake book but every cake on this site is so much better than what is in this book so avoid it.
But Every book I have gotten from Debbie Brown I have been thrilled with and now she is coming out with a wedding cake book in october.
Well i've been thinking about getting the martha stewart wedding book, after so many of you guys say its so good i think ill go ahead and get it.
Well i have all but about 2 of debbie browns books shes the bomb, also Carol Deacon is another i have a few of hers, maisie Parish, Allan Dunn, Nicholas Lodge they are all inspirational and awesome talents and i too am terrible for wanting new books when i see them ihave such a library of recent to ancient books hehehe i have a fav NZ book that i use too for flowers and when i get in the mood to make my petal paste instead of the shortcut dyocell way hehe.
Collette Peters' Cakes to Dream On
Lindy Smith Cakes to Inspire and Desire
Debbie Brown Enchanted Cakes for Children
Ack! I just saw on Amazon that Lindy Smith is coming out with a cookie book Oct 31 ~ Yay!
Ack again! Debbie Brown's Dream Wedding Cakes is coming out Oct 23rd!
Breathe... Okay. I use books mainly for the photos as I suck at reading directions, lol, so actually CC is my favorite place to find interesting cakes. If I'm lucky, I'll get a reply when I PM someone for their approval to use an idea I saw and instructions.
I have cake walk. It has beautiful pictures, Its more of a coffee table book . Really nice to look at , but not really educational. Where did you find Debbie Browns weddings? On amazon?
), but they do have Whimsical Bakehouse & Hello Cupcake 
Whimsical Bakehouse is my all time favorite. I've had it for several years and still love to go through it. I love everything about it even though I have a terrible time when I've tried to make chocolate pieces 
Also another fan of Debbie Brown books.
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