is the book "planet cake" by paris cutler worth buying (i am in the U.S. so i am going to have to have it aired in because it is not yet available here...or it if is i can't find it)?

is it beginner oriented (not really what i am looking for)? lots of pretty photos i can drool over, lol?

i think i have read or own every cake book available in the US and now i am branching out overseas


thank you!
diane

bumpin' myself back up.

I am waiting to get this too, and no I don't think it's available in the states yet. They have the release dates listed on there site, and if I remember right I don't think it is available here until around Christmas. Anyone have it yet?

I bought this book but I havent had real chance to look at it yet - as soon as I do ill let you know (but i live in aus)

i was hoping some folks from australia would find my post
please do, and i will anxiously await your review.

thank you!
diane

I am just looking at it now. I really admire planet cake design aesthetic. I like the clean lines and bright colours. I am not one for buttercream or pastel coloured flower arrangements - its just not my style.

The first 60 pages describe basic techniques and photos of tools etc. Like most cake decorating books if you are an experienced cake decorator the instructions are pretty basic but if you are an inexperienced baker the instrctions while appearing basic probably wont be able to tell you enough to actually do a professional job the first (or first ten) times around. Some of the information is repeated in different sections (i.e. what to you if the ganache is too hard after being in the fridge) but dont nevessarily give the best instructions on how to achieve their famous crisp and sharp corners on the cakes.

Planet cake swear by ganaching so there is little or no information about buttercream. They provide two ganache recipes and 5 or 6 basic (made from scratch) cake recipes.

The first cake section is devoted to cupcakes - a lady bug, dragon fly, pink cupcake with bow etc but my favourite one is the one with faces like babies, pirates and children like these http://blog.lemonpi.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/pc-cupcake-boy.jpg. They are really cute and a little bit different that what I am used to seeing.

The next cake designs are grouped by shape - circle, square and 3d. The firt few circle cake designs are simple - that doesnt mean they are plan but that the beauty comes from the sharp lines and attention to detail. I think each of the cake tries to embody another specific technique - like one cake focuses on ruffles, another on using a big bow and so on..

The round cakes are mostly themed for children's birthdays - a pirate theme, princess theme, and boat theme and so on. The square cakes on the other hand can be better adapted to an older demographic. In particular I love their briefcase cake which has a tie lying on top. They also have a record player (how 1980!), an eye shadow case.

The3d cakes have to be my favourite although I am not sure the instructions are the best. They have a design for a high heeled boot, a bbq (similar to the one we have on cc), a flip flop,purse cake, ice cream on a stick, artists pallete and so on.. I think with these cake if you work well by looking at a picture and copying it you will produce very nice work. These cakes also all come with templates that you can enlarge to the right size on a photocopier.

Most of these designs are the "popular" - this is what people want for their birthdays etc so in that sense this book would probably be a great investment.

It might be just me but i own a dozen of these types of books and find they i end up looking at the photos more than learn actual techniques from them - i rely on cake central, individual blogs and youtube for that!

Im fairly new to cake decorating and I just got the book, I love it. I made a cake and covered it using their chocolate ganche receipe and instructions on how to cover the cake in fondant. It was the best I've ever done, so smooth and the ganche was YUM. I then tried their white chocolate ganche but had a problem of it melting underneth the fondant which caused my cake to look lumpy.
Overall I would still buy this book because I'm a cake book JUNKIE and the pictures in the book are gorgeous.

Planet Cake have a distinct style.
The pictures are very good and clear.
Personally I found it a bit basic for my needs and as ahuvas said I have enough books with pictures and with CC who needs more.

I'd recommend it if you are new to ganache and want to see their techniques. However, having been to one of the demonstration courses at Planet Cake I know they haven't included all the secrets to getting the perfect finish which I found a little disappointing. It is a little lacking in recipes but as they specialise in ganache on mud cake that isn't surprising.
The cakes are beautiful and as the previous poster said the cupcakes are very cute. I would have liked them to include something on figurine making - maybe in the next book??

Bunsen which course did you do?I am thinking about doing their Novelty 101 but I am not sure. Did u think it was worth the money?

I bought the book after reading about the ganache method on their website and having reasonable, but not great results trying it for myself. I hoped the book would shed a litle more light on the 'secret', but was disappointed as it doesn't. Now I know you have to go on one of their courses to be allowed access to that information!
Having said that, I have persevered and have improved greatly through my own trial and errors, and I will not go back to buttercream again, as the finish it gives to the fondant is fantastic. If you like their crisp straight edges this is the way to go.
The book has good basic info for beginners and I found the instructions for the cakes easy to follow. I have done the giant cupcake, it turned out OK.

I am a Planet Cake stalker...hee hee. Love their cakes. Love love love them. You betcha I'm getting that book as soon as it is released here.

drakegore...this place has worldwide free shipping: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781741963182/Planet-Cake

I ordered from them once (a little Maisie Parrish book)...the customer service was great, and shipping was pretty quick considering how far it had to travel.

Flourpots - thank you for that link. There are a few books that I wanted to buy but wasnt too happy about international shipping charges to Australia!

I just uploaded my latest cake picture which I decorated using Paris' ganache technique and then checked the forums and saw your question. I have just bought the Planet Cake book and I absolutely love it (I'm fairly new to cake decorating). I think the finish I acheived is a lot more professional than my other cakes and I'm very excited to work my way through the book, using Paris' techniques. It might be a bit basic for you if you are more practised.

You're welcome, ahuvas.

you could pour it if you did it when it was still warm but they tell you to refrigerate it so its more like thick peanut butter.

It's not yet available in the US (although I don't know why.) Amazon just got some used ones in: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1741963184/?tag=cakecentral-20

I read the release date for U.S. was August.

bbmom where did you read that?

bob...I read the same thing here: http://planetcakeupdate.blogspot.com/2009/01/planet-cake-update-week-ending-31109.html

...and what's up with the price of this book at the link I posted on page 1....it was 18 bucks and change and now it's 22 and change .

Yes. This is actually a photo of the guy from planet cake demonstrating how to apply buttercream.

http://adashofcinnamon.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/img_4820.jpg

I also whipped it and applied it like buttercream with a 1M swirl to make lamington cupcakes - vanilla cupcake, whipped ganache and coconut

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1359829

I'm pretty sure it was amazon, but cant remember. I saw some cupcakes a cc member did and she said from Planet Cake book and I was like cool...so I did a search and found it...I just checked the listing on amazon and now it has changed and they are offering used ones so maybe thats not where I saw it. But it definitley gave a release date for U.S. for August.

thank you everyone for such great feedback and the links!
ahuvas, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed recap; i greatly appreciate it!

i bought the book, yeah!!!!!!!! the idea of covering a cake in ganache was the deciding factor --- i think this sounds great but a little intimidating so i think reading the book will help me.

flourpots - that link has lots of books i want but are not yet released in the u.s. ---- i think i will be spending some money there. thank you!

thank you again!

Here is a link to an Aussie blog with Aussie bookshops http://www.cakesandmore.org/blog/books/. But the problem is still the international shipping - from what I can see they use your fedex too and that just kills you with the postage! I don't understand why postage to and from the US is so ridiculous! (I know we're a long way away but there doesn't seem to ever be an economical option!). Anyway, I'd be a bit surprised if you could pick up a used copy of their latest book as I'm pretty sure it was only released in March this year. I may be wrong, but I think there is an older book out there. My sister got the book and I thought the instructions were quite good (but I'm a beginner) and there were some nice cakes - I too am a fan of the baby faces but I was probably a little disappointed that there wasn't a lot of really different stuff. I do think it is aimed more at the beginner. I'd still buy it though.

Oops! I see you decided to buy it while I was writing my post! That Book Depository site is awesome - it also lets you preview the pages if they are available. Ganache is pretty easy to use - it's all I've tried given the hot and humid weather over here and it also divine with a choc mudcake!!!!! Mmm! Yum!