Murfitt calms potentially nervous fingers by not only including step-by-step color photographs and text but also showing alternatives to traditional embellishments, such as candies, nuts, fruits, even ribbons. Necessary equipment is pictured and described, as are the intricacies of food colorings, marzipan, sugar paste, icings, and chocolate decorations. Though the art of baking itself is not a major feature, the last chapter includes charts of all kinds to figure out proper ingredient quantities for such cakes as Genoese sponge and Madeira, as well as quick-mix and fruit cakes.--Booklist. ...a `must have for anyone with the slightest interest in cake decorating.--Publishers Weekly. Here is a complete, structured course in the beautiful art of cake decorating from first steps to expert skills. Learn techniques that can be used to decorate all kinds of cakes, from a novelty birthday cake to a memorable wedding cake. Techniques include covering cakes, filling and layering, icings, chocolate, sugarpaste, marzipan, piping, flower paste and quick and easy decoration ideas. Over 300 photos.