The Wedding Cake Decorator's Bible: A Resource of Mix-and-Match-Designs and Embellishments Paperback – 28 Mar. 2009

I have done some basic cake decorating and sugarcraft but I wanted to advance to sugarcraft flowers with a view to making a wedding cake.I was not disappointed! This book takes you from the recipes for the cake bases (sponges need to be more dense to hold the icing) through all the required tools and on to all the variety of decorative options.The guide to the decorative techniques is fantastic, very clear step-by-step pictures together with excellent notes. I particularly like the section on how to design a wedding cake.Although I have an artistic background, this book is so clear and cutters now readily available, with the aid of this book I truly believe that anybody could do it!My only caviat is the title; a 'bible' implies that you won't need another book, but I would imagine that anyone wanting to decorate cakes for a living or more seriously would need to get another more indepth book specifically on sugarcraft flowers, probably another of Dunn's books, hence the 4 stars (it wouldn't let me give 4.5). Ironically, with a different, less ambitious title I would have given 5 stars.However, that said, if you can only buy one book on cake decorating for special occasions, then this would have to be it. Not only suitable for weddings, this can be used for birthdays, anniversarys, christenings etc. Definitely one to buy, but as you progress you'll need another, so not quite a 'bible'.

This book mainly focuses on different types of cake decoration can ever use - not just for a wedding cake decoration.The book is beautifully decorated with photographs and gives it a very modern feel.The first section covers tool from cake boards to a dresden veining tool. All of which have a very useful photograph next to them.The main section covers many different techniques step by step, for example;Crimper WorkEmbossingCut-outsStencillingGelatine WorkPipingLace & RibbionsMoulds and many more.This would not be a Alan Dunn book without a detailed section of sugar flowers. The section covers the basic rose to a more detailed Asiatic Lily.At the back of the book is some recipes such as sugar paste and a fruit cake. Also there are some using templates that have been used within the books, examples such as butterflies, hearts and leaves.If you know what type of technique you are looking e.g. sugar flowers or stencilling then this book probably isn't the best as it only have 2-4 pages per technique. Nevertheless it's a nice place for inspiration and with the step b step guide it can be really useful.Overall the book is a lovely place to start for someone getting involved in sugar craft for the first time.

As usual Alan has pulled it off again although he has steered away from flowers and gone down a different road with this book, it has lots of useful information and ideas. The only criticism I would make is don't follow the instructions for covering sugar past cakes it is out of date,time consuming and wast of sugar past. You should never cover all the board just the outer rim. Cakes can foment if stood on sugar past and will be inedible. Many books and DVDs show this method, and it is wrong don't do it.

I have a couple of Alan Dunn's sugar flower books. They are beautiful & he is one of the best in this field. However, I tend to look at the pictures in awe but don't actually try to make many of them. This book is different as it covers many areas in step-by-step fashion. The flowers he covers in the book look stunning without being too complicated. There are tips for cake decorators of all abilities and I think it is a great book to refer to.

Thorouoghly enjoyed perousing the ideas and techniques, cannot wait to put into practice!

Alan Dunn is well respected in the icing world. I dont know if I would describe this as a 'bible' but there are very good instructions for a lot of flowers and trims. Not a lot about the use of seperators and more modern elements. However a very good well written and illustrated resource.

I'm working on my first wedding cake for my brothers wedding in August 09. This book has been invaluable to me.There are lots of different techniques explained and it helped me decide which kind of decoration to use.I've decided on sugarcraft roses. The book shows you step by step how to make them.It was definately worth buying this book as a novice cake maker!

As a beginner I bought this to help me make sugar flowers for my sons wedding cake. It was a great success thanks to the clear instructions. Overall the layout is clear from making the cake to adding the decorative flowers, with plenty of helpful tips and design ideas along the way.