Recently, my girlfriendâs daughter has been very intrigued by my cake decorating and wants to learn⦠In fact sheâs determined to make my baby shower cake all by herself â Iâm so excited!!! Sheâs been painting and taking classes for years, and I dare say her art is stunning â not just for a kid!, so she does have the decorating talent going for her⦠Iâd like to get her a couple of books to get her started, but Iâm a little stumped looking at my quite diverse collection and trying to pick something that would be good for her as well⦠I guess Iâm looking for a book that teaches basic techniques (not Wilton though⦠), recipes (Marcel Desaulniersâs Death by Chocolate?... Tom Phillipsâ Chocolate Cakes) and another with just stunning designs for inspiration (Coletteâs Cakes to Dream On?... Margaret Braunâs Cakewalk?... ) but they all seem too "mature" and not quite teenage friendly...

Any advice will be appreciated!

I'm curious.
Why not Wilton?
I'm sure many of the extraordinarily talented people on here got their start from a Wilton book or class.
They are user friendly, not overly mature and have great starting inspirations.

Jibbies

What about Elisa Strauss' book?

Elisa Strauss has one coming out in November called Confetti Cakes for Kids I have her first book and I love it!

How about Debbie Brown's books? They look very kid/beginner friendly. Not much on the buttercream technique, but definitely some good cake ideas. (Try abebooks.com for getting them cheaper! Or the library has lots of them and you can request them from different branches to be sent to you.)

The Wilton class books are available many places (cake stores, ebay) and are great for angles to hold your piping bag, consistency...the basics. You don't have to take the class.

The Cake Bible is great recipes for building on.

for now here are a few other books available now

Easy cut up cakes for kids

Bake and Make Amazing Cake (Kids can do it)

Really? That's how I started decorating. My best friend's daughter wanted one of the cakes in her book. I found it to be very step-by-step instructions and it came out great. The oohs and aahs from that cake is why I took classes.

Thanks All! I see Elisa Strauss recommended multiple times, I have to say never heard of her... The kidsâ book looks most definitely intriguing! Debby Brown, of course! I have her Magical Cakes (running to look at the book, I must have somehow missed it, the fondant figure directions there are great, that is definitely a possibility â with a warning âthese cakes are tinyâ!) 'Kids Can Do It' may be a tad too young based on the Amazon description, but 'Easy Cut-up Cakes for Kids' is interesting even for me!

I guess, I find it a little too âmainstreamâ and a little outdated⦠Personally, havenât been thrilled with any of their books Iâve picked up at Michaelâs to look at. I have, on the other hand, learned things from their website and I own some Wilton gadgets. Just shortening, powder sugar and piped flowers in neon colors in C1 are not my thing, thus Iâd find it difficult to steer someone else in that direction, even though it may be a really good way to start learning decorating techniques.

I guess what messes me up with Debbies books is that it's not in pounds and ounces, or did I get the UK version? I dunnuh shutting up

Kids' books for a 14-year-old? Isn't that high school freshman age?

I learned to bake mostly from the Time/Life books. They have great photos and very detailed explanations of what all the terms (what does it mean to "cream" butter, what does it mean to whip egg whites to peak stage, etc) mean, plus a section of recipes.

The two Whimsical Bake House books would be teen-friendly. Also, Cake Art by the Culinary Institute of American, which is beginner-friendly BUT from a professional POV, which it sounds like this young lady may appreciate.

And definately the Wilton, with an additional books for good recipes.

I would say just pick and choose the Debbie Brown books carefully - she has quite a few "adult themed" cakes. Not that 14 year olds these days would be shocked by that, but still.

The two Whimsical Bake House books would be teen-friendly. Also, Cake Art by the Culinary Institute of American, which is beginner-friendly BUT from a professional POV, which it sounds like this young lady may appreciate.

And definately the Wilton, with an additional books for good recipes.

I would say just pick and choose the Debbie Brown books carefully - she has quite a few "adult themed" cakes. Not that 14 year olds these days would be shocked by that, but still.

OOh, I have a WBH book on its way right now! I think its called Little Cakes? And another on request from the library.

I saw one Debbie Brown book in Lbs and Ozs (Favorite Character cakes) at the Library, but the two I have Cartoon Cakes (mostly Warner Bros) and Party Cakes are both in cups. (I had to go look!) I like measuring by weight, its so much easier and turns out better.

Have you ever made her Madiera cake? I made it once and didn't like it.

Yes, don't get her the DB's Naughty Cakes or the More Naughty Cakes books, but I'm sure you knew that!

Dang it! I think I got Debbie's UK version Books, could I be any denser! But in my defense I did guy them from eBay. Now I know better!