Eat Me! The Stupendous, Self-Raising World of Cupcakes & Bakes According to Cookie Girl

As the cupcake craze sweeping the nation shows no sign of abating, a charming book by Cookie Girl AKA Xanthe Milton hits our shelves this week. 'Eat Me! The Stupendous, Self-Raising World of Cupcakes and Bakes According to Cookie Girl' is a pretty compendium of sweet delights and features pistachio rose blossom cakes, passion fruit sandwiches, pumpkin marshmallow cookies and Bollywood cupcakes amongst many others.

Author Xanthe Milton is a bit of a rock and roll Nigella Lawson meets Amy Winehouse. She started her baking career in London’s Notting Hill, knocking on the doors of her neighbours’ houses dressed up as Alice In Wonderland, with a basket of cakes in hand. She created quite a stir, and soon built up a stream of celebrity clients from Russell Brand to Jade Jagger.

This, her first book, is filled with captivating photography of various sweet-treats and of Milton in the role of a fairytale character at the beginning of each of the five sections: spring, summer, autumn, winter and parties. Each section has a foreword describing the tastes, sounds and sights of the season in such a way that you lose yourself in the words.

A useful section at the front of the book details basic baking equipment and the recipes are well laid out and easy to follow. A very pretty book.

Reviewed by: Carine Seitz