Baking & Decorating Delicious Indulgences is the subtext to this pretty-as book.  It all looks so easy that even the klutziest-fingered of us come out believing we could make something as gorgeous as the Wedding Cupcakes on page 87, or the Chocolate Mousse Layered cake hiding under a chocolate cage on page 81.

Here at last is the answer to everyone’s performance anxiety fears when faced with the need to prepare a few trays of such delicate confections.

The book begins with all the necessary ‘how-to’ instructions, proceeds to several basic recipes, then launches the wannabe cupcake-ier off on a swift and sugary ride.

There are crystallised flowers to please grandma and even a cupcake solar system for the bigger kids. It’s all here. Dozens of ideas to put sweet smiles on everyone’s faces.

Marcianne Miller, Lark Books, 2010, rrp A$18.99, softcover.