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Cooking Baking

The Sweetapolita Bakebook

75 Fanciful Cakes, Cookies & More to Make & Decorate

by (author) Rosie Alyea

Publisher
Random House Canada
Initial publish date
Apr 2015
Category
Baking, Cakes, Desserts
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780525612230
    Publish Date
    Apr 2022
    List Price
    $29.95
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780449016268
    Publish Date
    Apr 2015
    List Price
    $26.95

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Description

Paint, doodle, and sprinkle your way to stunning one-of-a-kind sweets.
 
The world of Sweetapolita is sparkly and sprinkly and charming as can be, with 75 recipes for everything from pretty homemade cookies to decadent layer cakes. But what really sets these treats apart are interactive designs that let everyone in on the fun of decorating: Painted Mini Cakes are served with edible "paint" for guests to personalize at the table, the fondant-covered tiered Chalk-a-Lot cake is paired with homemade edible "chalk," and Rainbow Doodle cookies are made for kids to go to town on with edible markers.
 
Rosie Alyea, the creator of the Sweetapolita blog, frolics in flour and frosting, and she loves to get her two young daughters involved, too. The pages of her debut book are full of playful ideas that will inspire creativity in bakers of all levels—including a recipe for making sprinkles at home and numerous ways to showcase them, such as the Sprinkle-Me-Silly Pizza with rainbow jimmies and nonpareils galore.
 
With 75 full-color photographs of cookies, cakes, and more plus step-by-step technique tutorials, The Sweetapolita Bakebook will change the way bakers decorate, while entertaining every kid—and kid-at-heart.

About the author

Contributor Notes

ROSIE ALYEA trained in Cake & Confection Design at the Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts in Toronto. She established herself as a savvy entrepreneur with the creation of Cake Beauty, a popular dessert-themed line of natural bath and body products before going on to found Sweetapolita.com. She has been featured in The Globe and Mail, Reader's Digest, Martha Stewart Living online, Huffington Post, People.com, and The Kitchn.

Excerpt: The Sweetapolita Bakebook: 75 Fanciful Cakes, Cookies & More to Make & Decorate (by (author) Rosie Alyea)

INTRODUCTION

I can still vividly recall my first cake experience: It was 1977, and I was earnestly leaning over a heart-shaped chocolate birthday cake, feeling the warmth of three little pink Cake Mate candles burning away as I excitedly tried to dream up a wish. The cake was adorned with stark-white and Barbie-pink frosting roses, swirly piped borders, and an elegantly scripted “Happy Birthday Rosanne.” It was the quintessential supermarket bakery cake, and it was perfect. My mom was never much of a cake-baker, though she always cooked big meals and made many a pie.

For many years to follow, my mom bought me these beloved heart-shaped birthday cakes—sometimes chocolate, more often vanilla—from our local grocery store in my hometown of Kitchener, Ontario. She knew, as mothers do, that something as simple as a cake had the power to make her little girl’s eyes twinkle and smile shine brighter. To this day, I cannot spot a heart-shaped cake, or even a heart-shaped cake  pan, without feeling the love and comfort of my childhood.

So, armed with a whimsical name and a burning desire, I decided to up and start a blog. My creative heart and soul were all a-sparkle as I launched Sweetapolita.com. After several years of living all-things-baking, I felt particularly connected to the world of sprinkles. I knew there was a way to elevate and celebrate sprinkles in a way that would bring ease and excitement to not only every baker, but to anyone who wanted to play in the kitchen. It was a magnetic pull I could not ignore; perhaps it is the instant YAY they inject into anything they land upon, launching inspiration to create colorful sweets and sparking much childhood joy for everyone involved. I couldn’t explain why my connection to these crunchy little bits was so strong, but the creative in me knew this was where I was meant to be, and the entrepreneur in me felt reinvigorated. With that, I created a small  collection  of  Sprinkle Medleys—mixes of premium sprinkles that celebrate color and texture with enough wow to be the star of any show—and started an Etsy shop. Fast forward a few more years, and Sweetapolita has evolved into a global lifestyle brand, bringing more happiness than I could have ever imagined possible.

But of course it’s not just about career happiness. To me, baking and sprinkles are so, so much more than that. Frolicking in flour, frosting, and sprinkle-tossing, even as a hobby or occasional pastime, is something that no one can ever take away from you. It is yours. Baking is timeless, its possibilities are boundless, and you can infuse it with your own flair—most often delighting everyone in your path along the way. Like a magic wand filled with sugar and sprinkles, sharing a made-with-love dessert seems to have the almighty power to instantly provide a sense of glee. A single confection can transport someone straight back to his or her childhood—often before even a spoonful of frosting or single cake crumb is tasted. Add a few unexpected touches of whimsy-and-wow to your creations, and you just might teleport them somewhere they’ve never even been.

As much as we love to bake for others, the truth is, I think there is just as much in it for us—or more. There’s something empowering about spending time alone with your creativity and making something with your own two hands, and I strongly believe that we all yearn to leave our stamp on the world— whatever it may be. Whether it’s blogging, opening a bakeshop, starting an empire, or even simply being the noted baker of the family, I believe you can thrive if you set out to be different and memorable. I mean, since we’re in this, let’s do what we love, kick it up a notch, and make some serious magic!

Throughout this book, you will find that most of the recipes and ideas are geared to tickle the childhood fancy in all of us while serving up a slight dose of drama and sense of splendor, making them suitable for anything from coffee with friends to the fanciest of celebrations or events. While working on this book, I strived to create desserts that you just might find if you discovered an enchanting bakery tucked away within some distant candy-colored carnival, because I can’t help but feel that a dash-of-dreamy makes everything taste better. As a sprinkle-junkie, I couldn’t resist devoting an entire chapter to sprinkles. With recipes such as Sprinkle Me-Silly Pizza and Rainbows & Sprinkles Cake, I celebrate the diversity and merriment of the sprinkle— hooray! While many recipes in this book call to the child in all of us, children are the focus of the playful Wondrous Sweets for the Wee chapter, where we help kids dive into super-colorful and creativity-inducing recipes like the Cut & Paste Illustration Cake and Chalk-a-Lot Cookies with Edible Chalk. And who says cookies are just for kids? Things get a bit fancier in the Sugar-Coated Cutout Cookies chapter—classic cutout cookies are adorned with everything from glittery sugar (Menagerie Masquerade Cookies) to cotton candy (Pink Cotton Candy Cloud Cookies). 

But creating the For the Love of Layer Cakes chapter allowed me to embrace my obsession for layer cakes. The enchanting lavender and blueberry Blue Moon Dream Cake celebrates supreme flavors and textures, while the four-layer Double-Chocolate Birthday Cake revels in serious chocolate decadence, but with a decorative twist. And since some parties require even more cake (my kind of party!), I created an entire chapter of tiered cakes—Fanciful Tiered Cakes, to be exact—in which I share some of my favorite fondant and buttercream techniques, such as creating a beaded effect, twinkly sequins (Sprinkle Twinkle Cake), and a chalkboard finish (Chalk-a-Lot Cake) that is ready to be doodled upon with bright Edible Chalk. 

I also created the ultimate building blocks for successful baking and caking: the last few chapters include my prized basics, including lofty, tender cakes for layering, the fluffiest of frostings, the most decadent fillings, and ever-buttery-and-crisp rolled cookie recipes, as well as many favorite fundamental cakedecorating techniques, such as frosting the perfect layer cake, covering a cake in fondant, and more. These recipes and techniques are not only used to create many of the designs in the book, but can be mixed and matched to create countless new dessert ideas—fancy cakes and confections aplenty! And whether you bake for whim or for work, I sincerely hope that this book inspires you to bake yourself happy, let your imagination run the show, and delight all of those lucky people around you.

Love,
Rosie xo

Editorial Reviews

“I have been so excited for Rosie’s book, and it is every bit as magical as I had imagined it would be. From the first chapter beginning with homemade sprinkles (YAY!), to her charming ideas and stunning layered cakes, The Sweetapolita Bakebook is filled with wonder and whimsy that’s sure to delight your buttercream dreams.”
—Angie Dudley, New York Times Bestselling Author of Cake Pops
 
“Rosie seems to see the world through a magical haze of sprinkles, delicate pastel frostings, and the captivating smiles of her gorgeous little girls. She lends a unique creativity, charm, wit and impeccable grace to the world of baking. This book is an absolute delight and a must buy for every level of baker!”
—Amanda Rettke, blogger of I Am Baker and author of Surprise-Inside Cakes
 
“Rosie’s stunning baked goods consistently blow my mind. Not only are her recipes top-notch, but the whimsical beauty that comes along with each cake and cookie and fluffy stick of cotton candy is one-of-a-kind. Her authenticity and style are something I’ve admired for years. I can’t wait to share her book with everyone I know—and that Campfire Deluxe Cake is the first on my list to make!”
—Jessica Merchant, author of Seriously Delish
 
“The beauty of Rosie’s cakes (and other baked goods) is that they are infused with a sly intelligence and wit rarely seen in the baking world. They are beautiful and sublime, but also subversive in a Willy Wonka madness sort of way. And if you don’t love life just a little bit more after baking and eating Rosie’s Chocolate Root Beer Float Cake, then there is no hope for you.”
—Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, owners of Baked bakery and authors of Baked Occasions
 
“Rosie creates the most beautiful confections I’ve ever seen, hands down. Paging through her new book, The Sweetapolita Bakebook, is an absolute delight. I was pleased to find stately layer cakes, which are a hallmark of her style, and I was further enchanted by a candy land of small treats. Gorgeous full-color photos and Rosie’s clear, concise voice will ensure success for bakers of any skill set.”
—Heather Baird, author of SprinkleBakes
 
“Once in a while, a new cookbook lands on my desk, and it just makes my day. This is one of those books; it really makes me smile. It’s so full of amazing and creative ideas that all I want to do is dive into my fridge and start to cream butter and eggs. I want to make it all—start with a Rainbow Cake, then move on to Chalk Cookies, and finish off with a Blue Moon Dream Cake. And while I’m lying on the couch in an absolute cake coma, I will dream and plan about what to make tomorrow.”
—Paul Lowe, author of Sweet Paul Eat & Make and creator and founder of Sweet Paul magazine
Quote from the Author: 

"I like to think of Sweetapolita as Miette at the circus." --Rosie Alyea