Gorgeous and Gruesome Cakes for Children: 30 Original and Fun Designs for Every Occasion

For me this is the favorite cake decorating books by Debbie Brown. I also own 50 easy party cakes and Baby cakes, but this one is so inventive. What I like most about this book, is that she uses different shaped cakes (that you carve yourself) to decorate as the basis of the cake. So no boring round cakes that are decorated with handmade figures, no the whole cake is already a handmade figure. And if you don't want to or can carve a round cake, you can buy round baking forms (or small cakepop forms), which you only have to decorate then. And the results are absolutely stunning. As in her other books, she shows with every cake very clearly to the smallest detail how to replicate it.What I like specially in this book, is that it has beautiful ideas for boys and girls, old and young. My oldest son (8 years) said with every gruesome cake: this is the one I want for my birthday. But there are also nice cakes for smaller children and for even for spouses that like to eat cake on their birthdays ;-)I also own lots of cake decorating books by Carol Deacon, but Debbie Brown is more for advanced cake makers, because of the details. Carol makes a hand more like in a comic, by pushing a round pink piece of sugarpaste flat, while Debbie makes a hand with fingers, that look completely real. They both have their charm, it is just what you like and can make.

I saw a sample preview copy of this book while on a workshop last week-end and highly recommend it. I thought it had a really nice bright clean layout but most of all, lots of new fun modern novelty ideas for boys and girls, adults and children, and now I can't wait to get it when it comes out next week. It is full of great new designs in Debbie's own classic modelling style, clean, simple and yet very effective. As usual, the book is suitable and inspiring to beginners and more experienced cake makers and yet remains accessible to mums at home too, thanks to clear explanations and the minimal use of tools needed. If you liked Debbie's "enchanting" and "fairy tales", this is definitely another one to get.

Debbie Brown's designs are excellent and well illustrated, and show good ideas that can be used to adapt cakes.

Another good Book from Debbie Brown,This book is great for an experienced Cake decorator, but not so good for a novice.Th only thing that I can say bad about this book and all other books by Debbie Brown is that the illustrations aren't step by step, very easy to follow for an experienced Cake decorator, but not so good for a novice.Having said that this book is a worthy investment, and it belongs on on the shelf of every serious cake decorator and those of us that make cakes for fun.

I had been really looking forward to this book, and was amazed by the beautiful step by step photo's & instructions, it was everything I had wanted this book to be. I was however completely devastated, that one of the pages had not been bound correctly, you do NOT expect loose pages in a brand new book, so I was very much let down by this purchase...........GUTTED is not the word!!!!

Love this book so full of great ideas and tips on making these fantastic cakes. Family and friends are all trying to get birthday cakes from it!

I am a big fan of Debbie Smith and this book does not disappoint. The cakes are all brilliant. They are suitable for adults as well as children. The instructions are easy to follow and the photographs are clear with vivid colours. All the cakes are new, imaginative and innovative. They are also great fun and even the gruesome cakes are pretty gorgeous!!

I buy lots of debbie brown books and then never use them, not true of this one. It has lots of ideas that suit kids 1 to 15 and the instructions are quite easy to follow. I love the way she tells you exactly how many grams to use, it's very nearly idiot proof.