Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book (Second Edition)

I've bought a lot of baking books and after buying this one I wish I hadn't bothered with any others. It is by far and away the most reliable and useful cake book I have ever used - in particular I found it a much better buy than Leith's enormous Baking Bible. There are sections on chocolate cakes, meringues, traybakes, celebration cakes, cheesecakes, scones and teabreads, biscuits and shortbread, continental cakes, family cakes, little cakes, cakes for bazaars and fetes, cakes for children to make, cakes and biscuits for presents, and healthy cakes and biscuits. There are also very useful sections on ingredients, equipment and methods, and a section on questions and answers. (These sound dull, but in fact they teach you a lot about cake-making.)Every cake I have made from it has worked and has been delicious and has evoked the sort of compliments I have (sadly) never received before for my cakes.One of the best things about it is that there is such a range of cakes in terms of difficulty and time. There's plenty to make if you've only got an hour before the children get home from school. There's also plenty to make if you've got a whole morning to potter and create something complex.I'm thinking of getting rid of my other cake books. This really is the only one you'll ever need.

Good book

I brought this second hand. What a bargain.I love the recipes, they are simplicity and very yummy. What a treat.I really think this used product at cheap prices is a great idea.

I bought this book a few weeks ago because it seemed to be close enough to being an important reference book for English cake baking. On that basis, it comes close, but doesn't win. As a large compendium of English baking, it is very good.Since then, I have baked my way through about a quarter of the recipes, which is very good going. Most of the results have been close to perfect: I can especially recommend her Bara Brith recipe, which is utterly delicious, and her carrot cake and rich brownies are likewise almost perfect. The pictures are luxurious and tempting, and cover the majority of recipes; they are also very representative of what the recipes actually will produce, and aren't overembellished.I have a few criticisms. Cooking times aren't always precise, and I find that I have to check very carefully to make sure that the cakes are really ready. Additional sugar is a very popular topping on rock cakes, sponges and other types, which I find excessive. Mary Berry also invariably specifies margarine instead of butter, except for one or two recipes where the taste of margarine would be truly obnoxious. The chocolate chip cookies were the only recipe so far to disappoint, with the result being more like a sponge than a cookie. The only sponge technique used is all-in-one, even for the Victoria sponge, and examples of other traditional sponge techniques would be appreciated. Most of the cheesecake recipes relied on gelatine rather than baking, which I felt was inapproriate for a book with a full chapter on cheesecakes.The chapter division and sequence I found rather puzzling. The first chapters are on chocolate cakes, meringues, "traybakes", and celebration cakes. Most books would have saved three of these more difficult chapters for the end of the sequence. Then there are separate chapters on celebration cakes, Bazaars, gift cakes, continental cakes and then family cakes; although this is feasible, I find it hard to decide in which of these chapters some recipes should really belong.Back to the good; the beginning chapters on tools, ingredients and techniques are brief but excellent, and the short chapter at the end on problem solving is also very good.If you want an easy to follow cake book with many British traditional recipes, as well as a few surprises, where 90% or more will give excellent results - then this is a book for you. It isn't complete, and doesn't include many representative international recipes - but that may not be a fault for you.

Excellent recipes

Exactly what I wanted. Already picked recipes out to try

You know what, I've been umming and ahhing about investing in a traditional baking book. I have had a few in my time and would class myself as a very experienced baker. So I came across the Hummingbird cookbook first and then read the reviews about how the recipes aren't accurate but I thought "hey I will give it a go anyway" and then after receiving that book from Amazon I stumbled across this, Mary Berry's cake book.Its full of about 200 different recipes. Probably 97% of them have a picture to show you how the cake should turn out. Each category is lovely. The recipes are full proof too and idiot proof for those that are inexperienced (not that you are idiots, just a saying).So to sum up; If you're looking for a cake book then its well worth investing in a chef/baker who has had years of experience and isn't out there to just publish a lush cake book. You want lush cakes, not a pretty colourful book!!! This one is perfect, Mary Berry knows what she is talking about and having watched her on "The Great British Bake Off" I feel that she is so professional and has a very very strong knowledge of how to bake a cake.The book is ideal for learners too because it has helpful tips and helps you on the common mistakes.Finally, its the only "cake" book that I have found with more than just a few recipes in, a recipe that has full proof recipes, a cake book that has traditional english recipes in but also unusual ones and a publication that helps you.

I love a Mary Berry cookbook, and they never disappoint. The instructions are really easy to follow, and I've never yet had a disaster. She has a great way of explaining things in detail, that gives me confidence in baking. I think I have most of her books now. Like most cookery books where quite a few books have been written by the same author, you do seem to get some rather similar recipes crossing over that seem to have just been slightly tweaked to publish. Great book though.

Oubliez vos à- prioris sur la cuisine anglaise !Prenez votre dictionnaire au cas où , feuilletez le livre et laissez vous guidez par votre gourmandise....Les recettes sont données en mesure anglos -saxonne , mais aussi en gramme ce qui est très pratique. Pour certains produits typiquement britanniques introuvables normalement en France, il existe des sites qui font de la vente par correspondance ou bien allez sur les forums , les habitués vous donneront le produit équivalent.A vos fourneaux et bon appétit !"one teaspoon for each cup and one for the teapot"

Honestly, I confess, I bought this for my daugher in law and can't give it away. It is just as beautiful as it is insturctve. You can hear Mary's voice in each recipe.

Wonderful!

Just simply great bookes, great work and recipes that are easy to follow - Great no less!

Its great book, Well explained each steps...