Love Bakery: Cupcakes from the Heart [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Love Bakery one of my favourites. I can find endless reasons for swinging by and buying a box of cupcakes . Or, if I want to feel less guilty, I can convince myself that a lovepop (a cupcake on a stick not even joking) is necessary for me to get through the day. And watch this space the cookbook is about to be published! . . . It s done scrapbook-style and has pictures that are literally mouthwatering! --Emma Forbes on http://www.forbesstyle.com

Fabulous cupcakes --Natascha McElhone, Evening Standard

What began as a mum baking for parties has quickly become the hottest cup-cake shop in town --Time Out --Time Out

The taste test: cupcakes http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ebdde206-dbef-11df-af09-00144feabdc0.html

Britain is experiencing an outbreak of cupcake bakeries. Perhaps it s all part of Dave n Nick s exciting regeneration plan we are to become une nation de pâtissiers. Ironically enough, the fashion for les cupcakes has even spread to Paris. It wouldn t be possible without the Americans, who started the craze in New York late last century. Now their Botoxed ladies-who-lunch eat no more than green salad at midday, so as to accommodate a clandestine cupcake or two in the afternoon.....

Debutantes were led by the Michelin Snapper (MS), who has not only eaten in every top restaurant in the world, but also photographed every course. The Pâtisserie Fancier (PF) keeps a flat in Paris the better to hunt down elite pastries. And the Digital Native (DN) lives in a virtual world, but responds well to physical objects resembling cakes. Returning was the Epicure Publisher (EP), who d flown in from Texas for the gig. Also the Discerning Litigator (DL), who s a lapsed home baker, the Hungry Banker (HB), who seems to regard cupcakes as nothing more than devices of seduction and the Gluttonous Pig (GP), who can take or leave cake but hoovers up butter-cream icing.

For our blind tasting we decided to test 11 artisan bakeries, although these little fancies are also available in supermarkets. Enterprising flavours ranged from Earl Grey, apricot and almond, rose and chocolate ginger to cookies and cream, pumpkin, spiced apple cider and rhubarb custard. I won t name the cake which earned this verdict: a catastrophe, tastes of cod (DN)......

So the best cakes on the day? In third place was The Hummingbird Bakery, which has three branches in London, with its moist carrot cake, containing chopped walnut and topped with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon dust: lovely, lovely sponge (DN); plain but cute (HB).

Second came Mama Doreen s Cupcake Company from that northern baking capital Harrogate. Doreen (actually the mother-and-daughter team of Justine Hall and Jessica Bradley) has a flair for edible sparkle. We tasted its splendid blueberry-jam cupcake topped with gilded fresh berries: very pretty (PF); million-dollar appearance (EP); fantastic (DL); wonderfully whimsical (HB); a word to boyfriends everywhere this is the cupcake she wants as an apology for your bad behaviour (DN).

And the winner: the Love Bakery in Chelsea, south-west London which triumphed with its über-sophisticated rhubarb and custard cupcake with ginger snaps: gorgeous surprise shock of rhubarb in the middle (DN); delicious tart rhubarb (DL); I can t find it ... oh, at the bottom (PF); handsome (EP). We also tasted two others from Love Red Velvet and Hickory Dickory Choc. Their bakers judged the amount of rich icing perfectly, whereas Mama Doreen is sometimes a bit too free with her toppings. But hey they both have a great range and you can order online. So get to it! --Financial Times

What began as a mum baking for parties has quickly become the hottest cup-cake shop in town --Time Out

I am on a mission to own AND USE 200 baking and cooking books by the time I am 40 which is just under 3 years away (Argh!). These must be books that are useful and don't just sit on the shelf collecting dust. I am already up to at least 120 with just a couple that I need to get rid of as they are not that good. The Love Bakery is my latest acquisition and I LOVE it! There are hundreds of cupcake books on the market but this has loads of recipes that I will make. I have only owned the book for a week but have already made the Toffee Apple cupcakes and teh Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with plenty more on my 'to bake' list. I attended a charity event last Friday for Halloween where I took loads of cupcakes and the Chocolate Orange Cupcakes were the first to sell out, so they will definately be made again! The recipes do not have loads of ingredients in them or even worse really obscure ingredients what will be impossible to find here in St Helens. --Casa Costello

What began as a mum baking for parties has quickly become the hottest cup-cake shop in town --Time Out

Love Bakery was born after Sam Blears was shamed into making cupcakes for her son's school fair. What started as a few dozen homemade treats became a home kitchen producing 600 cupcakes a week. When cupcakes started to take over the living room, Sam found a new home - the now renowned neon-pink and candy-striped Love Bakery on London's Kings Road.