Cupcake Class by Joy Howard and Deanna F. Cook is a kid-friendly baking book that makes it easy for young bakers (and the adults who join them) to turn simple cupcakes into adorable, creative masterpieces. With step-by-step photos, recipes for basic vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, and decorating tips for using piping bags, fondant, and candy, kids can create everything from mermaids to sloths to funny faces. It even comes with stickers and toppers for extra fun, making it perfect for parties or just a rainy afternoon activity.

This book is such a fun and easy guide for transforming ordinary cupcakes into something totally special, even if you rely on store-bought ingredients. There are so many cute ideas that can be whipped up in a single afternoon of decorating. I got this book just before spending a day with my granddaughter, and as soon as she flipped through it, she picked out the emoji and friendship bracelet cupcakes for us to make together. While there are a couple of simple recipes included, you can just as easily use boxed mixes or premade cupcakes and frosting to dive right into the decorating fun. I highly recommend Cupcake Class for anyone looking for approachable, creative inspiration. No Martha Stewart skills required!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Cupcake Class is a book primarily aimed at youngsters to learn how to bake and decorate cupcakes, but no one says that the young at heart or people baking for children can’t love this book, too. Some steps might require some adult interaction, particularly if using a stand mixer and the oven. But there are so many ideas, a loving adult might want to make to surprise and delight the youngsters.

The book starts with basic recipes for cupcakes:
Very Vanilla Cupcakes (with recipes for 12 or 24 cupcakes.)
One Bowl Chocolate cupcakes (with recipes for 12 or 24 cupcakes.)
Buttercream Frosting (of course.)

Then the fun stuff starts
Develop Your Decorating Skills - the chapter that shows you how to make the bakery style cupcakes that we’re familiar with. This section takes the baker from tinting the frosting, to filling the bag, and using different types of tips for different effects.
But then the creativity starts with Candy Decoration Skills with directions for using candy melts and using a candy mold; also for making candy shapes from gumdrops or caramels, cutting marshmallows, etc.
Working with Fondant – cutouts and shapes
Springles, dots, squiggles and sprinkles for the creative cupcake baker.
Decorating cupcakes to make animal faces – incredibly cute and creative. I love this chapter!
And creatures of the sea – or boats on top of the water.
Create a pirate map with cupcakes, or a solar system. Or maybe geodes are more your style. Rocket ships, fairy houses, flower gardens, an insect collection, snakes, unicorns, gnomes and faces
What to do for a children’s party? How about creating custom cupcakes?
How about celebrating your favorite team or holidays?

This book is jam packed with fun ideas. I think kids will love the ideas, and I love the ideas for special cupcakes for celebrations. They are almost all simple, attractive and creative. Moms and Dads, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, as well as the kiddos will love this book stuffed with cupcakes to delight everyone..