'Cake Making' by Ruth Clemens

Hands up, if like me, you like photos of the finished article in recipe books? Perhaps unwisely, I have often rejected an interesting cookbook simply due to the lack of clear instruction and good illustration. However, I am pleased to say, that The Pink Whisk Guide to ‘Cake Making’ by ‘The Great British Bake Off’ finalist, Ruth Clemens, really does fulfil all of my criteria when deciding to buy yet another baking book.

The book is divided into sections following cake preparation methods, like ‘creaming’, ‘melting’ or ‘whisking’. Each clear step of the recipe – together with numerous tips – has accompanying photographs right through to the completed result and it was difficult to choose something to try from the mouth-watering selection of recipes. In the end, I decided upon a ‘’Jewelled Fruit Loaf’ and a ‘Jam Bakewell ‘Cuppa’ Cake’.

Ruth’s slightly different additions to classic recipes proved to be delightful. The completed fruit cake was sweet, very fruity and moist; as I didn’t have the suggested ‘nibbed’ sugar for the topping, I used glace cherries. Likewise, the Bakewell cake baked superbly and I used it as a hot pudding with custard, as well as a welcoming slice with afternoon tea.

This is a book I would wholly recommend for novice bakers, in addition to experienced cooks who would welcome quirky flavour suggestions and I am looking forward to any further books in this series from Ruth in the future.

The Pink Whisk guide to ‘Cake Making’ by Ruth Clemens is a David & Charles book and is priced at £12.99.