Cupcake Class: 50 Fun Themes & Totally Amazing Designs for Kids to Make & Share

Gr 3-5–This colorful, engaging cookbook takes young bakers through the process of baking cupcakes from scratch and decorating them in a variety of delightful designs featuring animals, space, nature, and more. Organized by thematic chapters, this volume gives readers a well-rounded introduction to baking basics, kitchen tools, and safety tips before covering the recipes for vanilla and chocolate cupcakes and buttercream frosting. From there, the focus shifts to decorating skills before spending the rest of the book showcasing an assortment of awesome designs sure to liven up parties, playdates, sporting events, or school events. Piping bag icons located near each design’s requirements indicate difficulty level. The easiest designs feature one piping bag; the most complex have three piping bags. Engaging photographs showcase the beautifully styled final designs as well as clearly illustrate step-by-step instructions and highlight required tools and elements. Even the most complicated decoration designs seem doable with a healthy dose of patience; still, young bakers with fine motor issues or who struggle with perfectionism may get frustrated with some of the trickier piping work. Some of the designs require additional components and/or tools (piping bags and tips, candy melts, molds) that not everyone may have access to or can afford. Young bakers with less autonomy in the kitchen will need assistance with sharp implements and heating/baking devices. Verdict A visually appealing cupcake decorating book that will likely delight aspiring young bakers. Recommended for public and school libraries.