In what may be a futile attempt to keep cost and storage of cake decorating books at a minimum, I'm asking for your input on what are your favorite books and why? I ordered and returned Colette Peters' "The Art of Cake Decorating". The cover cake is magnificent, but it's unlikely I'll ever actually do it, and I didn't find the contents specific enough. I love "Simplifying Sugar Flowers" by Alison Procter and the Borders book "The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating". Wilton is fine for ideas for specific, average cake designs, and cakecentral is wonderful, so what I really need is the "how-to" of decorating techniques in both icing and gumpaste/sugar art. I'd also like to learn more about blown sugar, although I have to say the information on these forums is excellent. My hands-on experience is extremely limited, but I've been attending "cake college" here at cakecentral for some time now as well as doing a lot of reading. The result has been that what little I've done has really looked great and I'm excited to move forward! Thanks, everybody, for your valuable support!!
do you plan on using home made cakes or mixes? I make a lot of cakes from scratch and I find that I just adore the cake bible and great cakes they have a lot of tips for old fashioned cakes and a lot of tips for amazing results for more modern things... they also give a great list of essentials and such
just an idea
Jen
Hi Jen,
I think for now I'm going to stay with mixes, although I like the status of "from scratch". My main concern is that the density of scratch cakes won't hold up the weight of multiple layers plus icing/fondant. People have so over the top raved about the flavor of the DC mixes that it's embarrassing (didn't ask/didn't tell it was a mix). I think it's subliminal: the cake is so pretty they just think it tastes wonderful!
ok, I use mixes for the classes I attended, because well it's fast and easy but I never send a cake out the door from a box.. I'm just kind of picky like that plus, the from scratch helps me get a bit more for the buck... you can explain that fresh good ingredients cost more, but honestly they seem to make a much better cake to me as well. I have found that just the batter for most of my scratch cakes are thicker you can't just pour them in a pan you have to spoon them in and then level them out and... bang the pan on the counter to make sure there are no air bubbles... the cakes seem to be richer, denser and well there are recipes for lighter fluffier cakes, but I myself am much more satisfied with from scratch.
I won't say I don't play around with flavors and techniques with a box, it's just cheaper... i mean i can get cake mixes for half a dollar on sale, so If i'm going to try a new decorating technique and it's just for us... then i'm all about the box 
but there is something very satisfiying to me about making the whole entire thing from scratch.
Jen
I like books that have colorful pages and step by step instruction there may be a cake I would never do but the techniques in them can be used in other cakes, for me it has to have a few techniques although I may never replica a whole cake in the book, "Celebrate with a Cake" by shows the step by steps on how to create a bride and groom topper and babies one example that's what gets me to get the book I also check them out if I can and read them see if they are worth buying then I hit Ebay
If you like mixes try the cake doctor. That has excellent recipes made from a box.
I just got "The Cake Bible". I think this will be one book that I will use very often. It has eveything from pancakes to wedding cakes and everything in between. It has great directions on spun sugar and decorating. Not colored pictures but very informative.
Also my favorite - The essential guide to cake decorating! A must for just starting out.
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