The Bake Off has a lot to answer for. When I was practising in 2011 the only books I could find on the subject were either very much written for the home cook or professional text books full of science, that whilst interesting (well to me) was something I just didn’t have time for. I was busy making 1000 croissants to prepare. Mich Turner’sCake School book sits between the two.
The book could be described as much like GBBO – it takes you on a journey. First off we start with lots of basics on ingredients. The seasoned cake bakers will know this lot already. Then we move onto some quite homely cakes – with an emphasis on fruit and vegetables. There’s a retro pineapple upside down cake, coffee hazelnut roulade and an orange chiffon cake.
Soon there’s advice on splitting and icing cakes with buttercream, jam and curds. How to make a shiny and stable ganache. Step by step instructions on piping cupcakes, royal icing and intricate wedding cake style detail. Hands up a lot of these type of cakes feel dated to me now. I’m a big fan of rustic cakes and very simple decoration. But these intricately iced cakes aren’t there for us to copy perfectly, they’re more a guide to use for inspiration.
There are sections throughout on what could have gone wrong which are very useful. Also sections on ‘what not to do’ and ‘Mich’s tips’ – all full of useful advice with sanitised science to explain why we should or shouldn’t do something.
Photography wise the style is very close up, not overly dressed and reminds me a little of Usbourne books from my childhood. But then this isn’t a lifestyle book. I don’t want to be Mich. I would like an ounce of her cakey skill though.
I have 2 x £30 (RRP) Mich Turner’s Cake School books to giveaway to two people. There are lots of ways to enter – see the Rafflecopter form below. The first way is just to leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy. Closing date 12th December 2014. How to enter:
- Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, Facebook etc.
- This giveaway will close on 12th December 2014.
- Please read the rules below.
- Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
- First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
- If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
- Complete the form – or your beloved entries will not go into the draw. And that would be such a waste of time.
- Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
- Want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.
- If you are viewing this by email you will need to click through to enter.
Rules and things:
- Open to anyone over the age of 18, UK only. Sorry to anyone younger or further afield.
- There are 2 x Cake School books RRP £30 to giveaway to two people. There’s no cash alternative to the prize and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
- Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 7 days then another winner will be picked so check your emails and your spam! The goodies will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after you have sent me your delivery address.
- I am running this giveaway on behalf of Jacqui Small who will be responsible for sending the prize to you by post should you win. Their decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
- This is where I get all stern – please don’t say you have liked the post and followed me on Twitter and Tweeted away like a Tweety thing if you haven’t as guess what? If you win I will check you did do the things you said you did. It’s only fair after all. And I do like fairness.
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Great giveaway :) xx
I love making cakes, they are my favourite thing to make so this would be perfect x
plenty of good ideas there
This would be a super book.
(sam fernley)
Keeping fingers crossed!
Great prize, love books & eating.
love cookery books so fingers crossed
Great competition, thank you!
This looks great, would love to get my hands dirty trying out the recipes :) x
Another great recipe book comp! I’d love to try these too!
This looks great would love to try
would love this book i love baking
Love baking, but I’m not always successful ;)
Love cake
Cake. Just cake hehe :)
Keeping fingers crossed!
I do enjoy baking sweet recipes!
Fab prize
I would love to be able to bake.
Would love to win this :)
Love cake making books
looks great.
Amazing prize!
This is a great prize
baking is great fun! ;-)
I would love to win this. :)
A great baking book which i would love to own :-) x
Great prize :)
great prize
looks nice
Sounds good!
Great prize!
I can cook but cant bake for toffee, so would be great for me.
I have my fingers crossed! :)
Wooo… Cool Cake Cooking
fab giveaway ;)
This would be a big hint to the chef of the family.
Would love to be able to give this to my sister for Christmas as she loves cake making ! :) Lisa Jones
Sounds like the ideal book for me to get into some baking!
This book sounds great.
This is just what I need
Great competition, fingers crossed
fab comp xx
would be interesting to try something different, I always bake the same 2 recipes!
Great book
Just started baking so this would be great
Great giveaway
Fingers crossed!
You do great giveaways! Thank you
Would love to win this
I’d love this
Thanks for the giveaway
fab prize xx
would love to leaarn to cook!
Great giveaway.
Keeping everything crossed, LOL !
Great Giveaway – Thanks
my niece would like this
would love to win this for inspiration
My daughter would love this!
Ooh more bedtime reading.
need this for my cake-hole lol
I love baking books, thank you for the lovely competition.
Fingers Crossed! :)
You can never have too many baking books
I adore cook books
ooh cakes and books, my 2 fave things!!
Great prize!
great prize my kids will love this more than me well eating what I make any ways
Fab prize x
love this for my daughter
Lovely prize x
Lovely book!
brilliant giveaway
Great giveaway
Pick me pick me pick me
To be hobest, i would love to go through all the basics. I am sure there’s loads I don’t know. You do the best giveaways xxx
Always good to read the basics – I always learn or relearn something!
love this
Would love to try out some of those delicious cakes
yummy :) my kids would love me to win this !! lol
Would love to win this.
Love CAKE!!!
with so many birthdays looming I really need this x
Ooh great book!
Just discovered baking so could do with this!
Sounds like an interesting book
good book will help lots
need some new bakes for the winter period!
Mmm cake
fantastic
Great competition
lovely giveaway
Lovely prize. Would love to win this fab book.
lovely prize
Looks fun
Fantastic book. Would love to win this.Many thanks x
love to win, thanks for chance
Great giveaway, I would love to win this!
fantastic giveaway
lovely book x
this is a lovely cookbook :D
I love baking cakes so this would be an ideal prize for me
I love Mich, she was my inspiration to start cake decorating, if I won this book it would be the icing on the cake
I would love to add this book to my collection and to help my teenage daughter who is really enjoying learning to bake and decorate cakes. Fingers crossed
would be great to add to my cookbook collection
I love adding to my cookbook collection!
Always could do with a good baking/cake book. Would love to win.
Baking books are my favourite type of recipe book :) Thank you Holly xx
can’t live without cake so gotta be in to win it !!
Oh love a good baking bible! X
Very interesting to read your thoughts on Mich’s book, thank you
Sounds a great book thank you!
I think mich turners cake are stunning and the book looks amazing
I would love to read the Mich Turners Cake School Book because cakes are my favourite thing to bake xxx