The Cupcake Cafe Cookbook by Ann Warren, Cupcake Cafe, Joan Lilly, Michael Warren (1998, Hardcover)

This excellent book is a primer on flavor and technique for the cupcake afficianado. I have seen the website for New York City's Cupcake Cafe and as a cake decorator myself, have really admired the beautiful work they do there. I was actually hoping for more photographs, but am extremely pleased with the descriptive way the book is written. Anyone who knows how to hold a decorating bag (or even a novice) will understand exactly how to create the designs of gorgeous flowers that the authors describe by piping directly on your cupcake or cake.

From the beautiful, albeit limited, photographs to the wonderful recipes to the discussions of how to blend color or work a design out of a piping bag, the reader will learn a great deal about how to make the simple cupcake a sublime and delicious creation. Recipes for cupcakes, icings, and decorating techniques are well-written and concise with enough detail to guide the beginner while leaving enough room for the more advanced creator to be sufficiently inspired.

This book is out of print, so if you can grab a copy, do so.