A Zombie Ate My Cupcake

Book excerpt: Cupcakes have been iced up in pink and glitter for far too long...and now they are getting their revenge! Lily Vanilli shows how you can take inspiration from the macabre and grotesque to create some really evil-looking cakes that taste divine. Using natural ingredients and edible decorating materials, such as edible lustre dusts, gum paste and glazes, Lily shows you how to turn basic cupcakes into amazingly realistic and delicious sculptures, from Eerie Eyeballs to Ghastly Ghouls. For really gory desserts, why not make Dracula's Bite red velvet cupcakes, or some Bleeding Hearts, which are moulded with deep red fondant into human hearts and covered with a cherry blood sauce? You can also go for heavenly Fallen Angel Cakes, made with a divine honey-flavoured icing, or indulgent, truly dark chocolate Devil's Food Cupcakes, with ganache icing and chocolate devil's horns. With 25 brilliant recipes and tips and tricks throughout, this is the perfect introduction into the world of alternative cake decoration.Since she started out selling her cakes at a market in East London, Lily Jones (aka Vanilli) has gone on to become one of Britain's best-loved artisan bakers. With a star-studded client list and a thriving bakery on Columbia Road, Lily's bakes are famous for their unique flavour combinations, spectacular design and exquisite taste. www.lilyvanilli.com