Nothing beats one of these 30 great cakes for making a birthday party, anniversary celebration, or festive gathering extra-special. And, they’re easy, too, all designed to take no more than 2 hours from start to finish. So, if you’re hoping to deliver a delicious dessert without spending ages mixing and measuring, try a fairy tale castle with marshmallows and ice-cream cones; an iced sponge cake topped with wild animals; a Birthday Fairy pudding cake; a Christmas Santas fruitcake; or a Lovebirds cake with a chocolate nest. There’s a recipe for almost any occasion—even a Football Fan cake for the Super Bowl.
Carol Deacon is an award-winning cake designer and the author of thirteen cake books, including Perfect Party Cakes Made Easy and Cake Decorating: The Complete Step-By-Step Guide, 2nd Edition, also available from IMM Lifestyle books. She designs and writes for many food and cake magazines. Carol has worked at Jane Asher's cake shop in London, and ran her own successful wedding cake business. She lives in England.