Whether it's for newly-weds or newborn babies; for feast days or special holidays; for birthdays or anniversaries; for moving house or leaving work, a decorated cake is the focal point of many different types of celebrations. And it's the decorated cake which personalizes a party. This practical new book shows a wide range of simple techniques and decorating shortcuts, so that anyone with little or no expertise can produce a party centrepiece to be proud of.All types of icing are covered, including buttercream, fondant and royal icing and there are techniques for making simple flowers, decorations and a range of fun characters, all perfect for novice cake decorators. Shortcuts show how to use cookies and candies to create colourful designs and how to make the best use of stencils and colourings to produce sophisticated motifs.With detailed instructions, basic cake recipes and a tempting range of decorations, Celebration Cakes provides a wonderful new collection of eye-catching as well as mouth-watering designs.