A Passion for Baking by Jo Wheatley (a book review)

Here’s the pic I tweeted Jo
upon the books arrival! 

Last fall I (along with 5 million other viewers) watched Jo Wheatley become the 2^nd winner of The Great British Bake Off! Less then a year later her book A Passion for Baking is out! (at a Sainsbury’s near you or now on Amazon.) Having just bought a few baking books for my birthday I was going to wait patiently until I could afford to splurge on more books. Except I didn’t have to wait that long!! I had entered as many times as I could to win a signed copy of the book on her blog. And guess what?!?! I won a copy!! Yay!! I was so super excited when it arrived late last week! 

The book was read from front to back over the weekend and I have to say I love it! It has a little bit of everything. I love the breakfast and brunch sections the most I think; Saturday morning I made the family her American style pancakes served with maple syrup, yum! 

Other sections include family baking, afternoon tea, celebration bakes, baking with children, breads, biscuits and cookies, pastry, and desserts. I am pretty sure that covers everything and anything you could want to bake! This will be a book I reach for time and time again: comfort bakes, show stoppers, and just because I can bakes. I had a hard time choosing where to start! So, I'm glad someone else did...

On Jo’s blog, Jo’s Blue Aga, she is running another competition to win a place in one of her Master Classes. All you have to do is bake the Chocolate Birthday Cake on page 124 of her book (that I was just telling you all about) and decorate it! Then post a picture of the cake and her book on Facebook. I thought I have the book why not give it a go. If anything I have something I made from her book to show you!!

Inspired by Jo’s Rocky Road Cupcakes in her book (page 144) I used the recipe for marshmallow butter cream to sandwich between the layers of the chocolate cake. I also took a star tip and piped around the outside of the cake with the butter cream. Then I took pink and white mini marshmallows and scattered them over the top with some pink and white sprinkles. Then I melted white chocolate and drizzled it over the top! Not too shabby if I say so myself!

This is a fun way to see how people decorate cakes just follow Jo on Facebook to see the other entries. You can always like United Cakedom on Facebook too while you're there! :0) One person commented that all the cakes looked the same and how that shows what a great recipe it is. I would have to agree if everyone gets the same results then it means it was clear, concise, and easy to follow recipe. Everything you want from a good bake book!

The cake is being taken to my husband’s office tomorrow morning so will update when the verdict comes back- but in the mean time go grab yourself a copy and get baking!!