A Spoonful of Sugar

Make. Bake. Create.

Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Press
    • FAQ
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Contact Us
  • Crafts
    • Crochet
    • DIY
    • Embroidery/Cross stitch
    • Gift Wrapping
    • Knitting
    • Miscellaneous
    • Paper Crafts
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Australia Day
    • Back to School
    • Valentines Day
    • Easter
    • ANZAC Day
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bars & Slices
    • Bread & Pastries
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Confectionery
    • Cupcakes & Muffins
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Ice Cream
    • Jams/Preserves
    • Main Meals
  • Sewing
    • Sewing Tutorials
    • Quilting
    • Sewing & Quilting Patterns
  • Family
    • Back to School
    • Family Fun
    • Our Home
    • Parenting
    • Travel
  • Shop
    • Pattern Store
    • Etsy Store

Books for Bakers and Cooks

December 5, 2013 By A Spoonful of Sugar - 1 Comment

Sarah and I had a big day of Christmas shopping this week and now have lots of gift wrapping to do. We love to buy books as gifts – there is such a huge range of titles available and you can usually find the perfect book that suits the interests of your recipient. Today we are reviewing 6 titles that will be perfect for the Bakers, Cake Decorators, and Cooks on your Christmas Gift List! (You may even want to treat yourself!)

Macarons, Cupcakes & Cake Pops by Mia Öhrn is a gorgeous book full of pretty and colourful treats to bake for your next celebration. The book is beautifully presented with lovely photography and has an amazing array of sweet and delicious desserts. It includes a helpful Macaron School which guides you through the techniques needed to create these lovely morsels. Macaron flavours included: passion-fruit, blackcurrant, lime and mint, and many more. Cupcake varieties included: rocky road, candy cane, coconut and passion fruit, and more. There is a lovely range of cake pops to make, as well as cookies, fudge cups, brownies, madeleines, whoopie pies and other delicious treats. If you love to bake, you are bound to find plenty of inspiration in this beautiful title. The hard part will be deciding which treat to bake first!









Book Details:
Publisher:     Sterling
Format:        Hardback, 84 pages
ISBN:          9781454905769
RRP:            $19.99

Macarons, Cupcakes and Cake Pops is available from Booktopia.



SprinkleBakes, Dessert Recipes to Inspire Your Inner Artist,  by Heather Baird is brimming with creative treats to make your next dessert really shine! Written by the author of the SprinkleBakes blog, it allows you to unleash your inner artist to create desserts that look and taste like works of art. Using your imagination, and techniques of sculpting, application of colour theory, drawing and painting techniques, you can put your own creative twist on your blank canvas of cookies, cakes, and candies. SprinkleBakes is full of beautiful photos that guide you, step by step, through many of the processes. What we love about this book, is that it includes many original and creative ideas and techniques so you can put your own spin on many desserts. It will change the way to look at recipes and is would make a great gift for bakers with a passion for art.

Book Details:
Publisher:     Sterling Epicure
Format:        Paperback, 276 pages
ISBN:          9781402786365
RRP:            $24.99

SprinkleBakes is available from Booktopia.



Decorate Cakes, Cupcakes, Cookies with Kids by Autumn Carpenter, is full of techniques, projects, and party plans for teaching kids, teens, and tots. This is a great gift for a Junior Masterchef. It is full of clear, step by step, photographs to teach children the basics of cake decorating. Including the processes of rolling fondant, piping buttercream, and other decorating methods, it will provide hours of fun for adults and kids to spend time together in the kitchen. The cakes are rated in complexity and there are helpful suggestions on how to include younger kids in the process.The projects are centred around 15 themes such as Pretty Pony, Tropical Luau, Pirate Shindig, and Snowy Treats, there is something for your next children’s party. Children will enjoy looking through the book to select a cake for their next birthday. This book would make a lovely gift for a child who loves to bake.
Book Details:
Format:        Paperback, 144 pages
Publisher:     Creative Publishing International
ISBN:          9781589237766
RRP:            $34.99

Check out the Google Preview at Booktopia for more images. Also available from Can Do Books.

The Kitchen Pantry Cookbook, Make Your Own Condiments and Essentials by Erin Coopey, is a useful volume filled with wonderful condiments to accompany and highlight your meal. Store bought versions are often loaded with preservatives, extra salt, and sugar. Using the lovely recipes in this book, you can create your own fresh and delicious salad dressings, stocks, relishes, pickles, condiments, nut butters and spreads to stock your pantry and to give as gifts for food loving friends. We love to give gifts from our kitchen at Christmas and this book is going to be a great addition to our library with so many lovely recipes to try. We can’t wait to make the Maple Pecan Butter, Honey Mustard Dressing, Garlic Dill Vinegar, Orange Flower Curd, and Steak Sauce.
Book Details:
Format:       Paperback, 176 pages
Publisher:    Quarry Books
ISBN:         9781592528430
RRP:           $34.99

Cake Craft Made Easy, Step-by-Step Sugarcraft Techniques for 16 Vintage Inspired Cakes by Fiona Pearce is the perfect volume for anyone wanting to master essential cake decorating techniques from buttercream piping to royal icing stencilling. The book includes links to 12 online cake decorating videos to guide you through the more complex processes. Each of the 16 Vintage inspired cakes includes loads of step by step photographs and tips to guide you through the process and to instruct you in  cake decorating skills. This is a lovely book for anyone wanting to learn cake decorating so you can create beautiful cakes for special occasions.

Book Details:
Format:       Paperback, 128 Pages
Publisher:    David & Charles
ISBN:         9781446302910
RRP:           $24.99

Cake Craft Made Easy is available from Can Do Books and Booktopia.

The Soupmaker’s Kitchen, How to Save your Scraps, Prepare a Stock, and Craft the Perfect Pot of Soup, by Aliza Green is brimming with delicious, nourishing, and healthy soups. This lovely cookbook includes recipes for soups, bisque’s, chowders, and purees. Including lots of step by step photography and tips, you will be able to create lovely soups for your next family meal or dinner party. The Soupmaker’s Kitchen includes soups from many different cultures, as well as seafood, poultry, beef, vegetarian and vegan favourites. What we love about soup is that the most basic of ingredients or leftovers, can be transformed into a nourishing meal.  Lovers of soup will find plenty of inspiring recipes in this handy volume. We can’t wait to try Pennsylvania Dutch Bacon, Corn, and Potato Chowder; Mexican Sopa de Tortilla with Shredded Chicken, and the French Onion Soup.
Book Details:
Format:      Paperback, 160 pages
Publisher:   Quarry Books
ISBN:        9781592538447
RRP:          $29.99

The Soupmaker’s Kitchen is available from Booktopia.

Please note that we are not paid to write book reviews but we do receive a review copy of the book from publishers/distributors. All opinions are our own.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: book review

« 9 Ways to Use Candy Canes
Christmas House Gift Cards »

Comments

  1. Nisa-mom says

    December 6, 2013 at 8:43 am

    OMG … beautiful books, I want all of them for my birthday present :))

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
×

Categories

Archives

PURCHASE PDF PATTERNS

We offer over 100 affordable PDF sewing patterns available for download from our store website or Etsy store. Each pattern includes detailed instructions, numerous photos, and templates.

WEB STORE ETSY STORE

Instagram

A little peek at my next Makers Caddy… sewn in Som A little peek at my next Makers Caddy… sewn in Something Blue, Tilda’s beautiful new range releasing worldwide on June 1. I’ve just cut out the pieces and couldn’t resist sharing the fabrics, tags, labels, and all the tiny details that make this project so fun to sew. It’s always the little touches - the leather patches, contrasting handles, and coordinated notions - that bring a caddy to life. Stay tuned to see the finished version.Comment CADDY for a link to the pattern.Fabric Details: Tilda Something Blue with thanks to @Tilda_australiaPattern Details: Makers Caddy Sewing Pattern - Available in my Pattern Store and Etsy Shop  #makerscaddy#tildafabric  #wipinprogess #tildasomethingblue #ilovetilda
There’s something so lovely about putting together There’s something so lovely about putting together a bright, happy self‑care gift… especially when it’s handmade.  I stitched a colourful set using Ruby Star Society fabrics - a Relaxation Eye Pillow and a Heavenly Heatpack - and styled them into a complete gift bundle.To make it feel extra special, I lined a small bamboo tray with soft tissue, added the two calming makes, tied them with a pink ribbon, and tucked in a few thoughtful extras: a candle, a box of speciality tea, and a tiny plant. It’s simple, cheerful, and such a beautiful way to show someone you care.Both projects are scrap‑friendly, beginner‑friendly, and quick to sew - perfect for weekend making or last‑minute gifting.If you’d like to sew your own self‑care set, comment SELFCARE and I’ll send you the link to the bundle. You’ll also save 25% on these two gift‑ready patterns when you buy the bundle.#selfcaresewing #beginnersewingproject #scrapfriendysewing #handmadegiftideas #aspoonfulofsugardesigns
The Large Quadra Pouch in this bright orange colou The Large Quadra Pouch in this bright orange colourway shows off everything makers love about this pattern — it folds completely flat for storage, has a clever structured base, four coordinated fabrics, and cinches closed beautifully. It’s quick to sew, gift‑ready, and so satisfying to pop open and fill.If you’d like to sew your own, comment QUADRA and I’ll send you the pattern link.Pattern Details: Quadra Pouch Pattern - available in our Pattern Store and Etsy shop.#QuadraPouch #SewingPatternDesign #HandmadePouch #SewingProjects #ASpoonfulOfSugarDesigns
One of my favourite features of the Quadra Pouch i One of my favourite features of the Quadra Pouch is how it folds completely flat between uses — perfect for travel, storage, or keeping your sewing space tidy. A quick press and it pops back into shape, ready to fill with treats, notions, or gifts.This version uses eight Tilda blenders for a scrappy, pretty finish that shows off the crisp base and four neat corners.If you’d like to sew your own, comment QUADRA and I’ll send you the pattern link.Pattern Details: Quadra Pouch - available in our Pattern Store and Etsy Shop.#ilovetilda #drawstringpouch #sewingpattern #scrapsewing #sewingcommunity
@tilda_australia
Thank you so much for the wonderful reception to t Thank you so much for the wonderful reception to the Quadra Pouch launch last week — I’m thrilled you’re loving this pattern as much as I do.Today I’m sharing a brand new Tilda version, stitched in the large size and made entirely from blenders. I used four Bellflower prints from the Wallflower range for the exterior, and four Stella prints from the Songbird collection for the lining — eight fabrics in total, making it delightfully scrappy.I love how easily Tilda collections mix and match, and how each corner of the pouch showcases a different print. The clever panel construction gives the pouch a neat flat base without boxed corners, and the result is both practical and beautifully structured.If you’d like to sew your own, the Quadra Pouch pattern is available in both my Pattern Store and Etsy Shop.Comment QUADRA and I’ll send the link straight to you.Pattern Details: Quadra Pouch (3 Sizes) - available in our Pattern Store and Etsy ShopFabric: Bellflower blenders and Stella blenders from Tilda, with thanks to @tilda_australia#tildafabrics #quadrapouch #sewingproject #scrapfriendlysewing #pouchpattern
There’s something so soothing about sewing small, There’s something so soothing about sewing small, comforting projects… especially the ones that feel as lovely to gift as they do to keep.This week I’ve been stitching up a little calm with this Self‑Care Bundle — a relaxing eye pillow and a soft, weighted heatpack designed for quiet moments, tired shoulders, and anyone who needs a gentle pause.Both projects are beginner‑friendly, scrap‑friendly, and quick to sew… the kind of makes that feel thoughtful without taking all weekend. Perfect for someone special, or for adding a little comfort to your own daily routine.This set is sewn in the beautiful Tilda Creating Memories collection - thank you to @tilda_australia for the gorgeous fabrics.If you’d like to sew your own set, I’ve bundled both patterns together with a 25% saving. Use the code word SELFCARE in the comments and I’ll send the link straight to you.Here’s to stitching a little calm into the week ahead 🤍#sewingproject #tildafabrics #makersgonnamake #sewinglove #handmadegifts
Follow on Instagram

Featured Pattern

Travel Sewing Kit Pattern

Featured Tutorial

Retro Drawstring Bag

Featured Recipe

Lemon Pound Cake

Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
×

Popular Posts

  • Tips for Threading a Needle
  • Charm Square Fabric Tray
  • Sell What You Sew
  • Triangle Pouch
  • Pretty Handmade Gifts for Women: 15 Lovely Projects to Sew
  • Tutorial: Emergency Zippered Pouch
  • Make your own linen napkins Make Your Own Linen Napkins

Copyright © 2026 Lisa. K. Cox - A Spoonful of Sugar