Babycakes Cook Book

[jebby]

Hi all,

I was recently given a copy of the "Babycakes" cookbook which has recipes from the Babycakes Bakery in NYC. The photos of the cakes, cookies, etc. look wonderful but there are a lot of expensive ingredients which I am not used to using, such as evaporated cane sugar. I am wondering if anyone has baked from this book and if so, how the recipes turned out.

Thanks!

J

[jebby]

Okay, if anyone ever searches and finds this thread, do NOT try to bake out this cookbook. The ingredients are difficult to find and expensive. My cookies and muffins were horrible.

[love2travel]

I too have the book and have the ingredients on hand but the recipes are not all that wonderful; not bad, not great. I've had better.

[Kelleybean]

Did they include their frosting recipe? Too bad it didn't come out well. We have a Babycakes near us and their stuff is really good, but expensive. I would love to duplicate their frosting, but read online that the frosting they make in their bakery includes an ingredient that you can't find commercially.

[Adalaide]

I actually read that on their website. It has a Q&A and they talk about how their frosting has in ingredient made just for them. Lame.

I'm actually pretty disappointed to read this. I have been considering picking up the cookbook. I don't indulge in baking particularly often, but when I do I will go to nearly any length to get the ingredients I need. Cooking is cooking, whatever, I don't care. I cook to live. Baking is a passion, an art, a love. Not something I would make substitutions on, or use second best for.

[love2travel]

I actually read that on their website. It has a Q&A and they talk about how their frosting has in ingredient made just for them. Lame.

I'm actually pretty disappointed to read this. I have been considering picking up the cookbook. I don't indulge in baking particularly often, but when I do I will go to nearly any length to get the ingredients I need. Cooking is cooking, whatever, I don't care. I cook to live. Baking is a passion, an art, a love. Not something I would make substitutions on, or use second best for.

My copy was given to me as well. The recipes really are not that bad - just not worth making again in my opinion but I am a very, very particular baker. If you are like me (and I know you are) I would recommend other books instead. That is how I feel about cooking, too. I cannot settle and use the best ingredients I can get my hands on.

If you see the book, flip through it, but as you know really great cupcakes are easy to replicate, anyway, with better recipes out there. One of my favourites for baking (not breads, but desserts and such) is Blackbird Bakery Gluten Free. Another is Tartine Gourmande. LOVE that book. The tarts are just heavenly.

The Snickerdoodles from Babycakes are good but again, not worth getting the book for. I'd say this book is in the middle of good books - not the worst by any stretch but not the best, either. And as a book lover this book is too thin for my liking. I love huge tomes that weigh 8 lb.

ETA: There is nothing really unique in this book except for the doughnuts which are pretty good but not the really good yeasty puffy light yeasty doughnuts. When I buy books I look for unusual and interesting and new.

[love2travel]

Did they include their frosting recipe? Too bad it didn't come out well. We have a Babycakes near us and their stuff is really good, but expensive. I would love to duplicate their frosting, but read online that the frosting they make in their bakery includes an ingredient that you can't find commercially.

Buttercreams are very easy to make and extremely delicious. Tons of great recipes online. I wonder what that ingredient is??!!

[GottaSki]

Someone gave it to me when I was newly dx'd - pretty pictures but I was not impressed with the recipes I tried.

[love2travel]

Someone gave it to me when I was newly dx'd - pretty pictures but I was not impressed with the recipes I tried.

Often recipes look as good or even better than the pictures but not so with this one. They are sorta meh. I wouldn't mind looking young and slender like the Babycakes girl! She's a cutie, that is for sure. Unless the pictures of her lie as the food pictures do...