{"product_id":"kawaii-sweet-world-cookbook-isbn-9780525575429","title":"Kawaii Sweet World Cookbook","description":"\u003cb\u003eA YouTube star teaches you to bake ridiculously cute, Japanese-style treats, with 75 brand-new, easy-to-follow recipes for totally original and delicious cakes, candies, cookies, cupcakes, and more.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A delightful debut cookbook.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKawaii\u003c\/i\u003e means “cute” in Japanese, and cuteness is the main ingredient in these sweets. In \u003ci\u003eKawaii Sweet World\u003c\/i\u003e, YouTube sensation Rachel Fong teaches you how to bake super-easy treats that are just as fun to make as they are to eat. Whether you’re a cookie rookie or a piping pro, you’ll find tips on all the basics, from whipping up the best buttercream to using a turntable to decorate—but this is no ordinary baking book. Why have a plain layer cake when you could have a cuddly corgi cake?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThese seventy-five utterly unique recipes include chocolate cupcakes that transform into snuggly koalas, cake pops that are twinkly-eyed narwhals, lemon cookies that turn into emojis, and cream puffs that become little pink pigs. With \u003ci\u003eKawaii Sweet World \u003c\/i\u003ecookbook, the fun is baked right in.“In this delightful debut cookbook, Fong, creator of the YouTube channel of the book’s title, transforms several classic, tasty desserts into \u003ci\u003ekawaii\u003c\/i\u003e (the Japanese word for \u003ci\u003ecute\u003c\/i\u003e) creations. . . . Committed to making sure that the desserts ‘taste just as good as they look,’ Fong provides baking techniques and tricks. . . . Readers won’t be able to resist Fong’s invitation to bake cute creations.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRACHEL FONG is a 20-year-old, self-taught baking sensation, a YouTube star, and one of Tastemade's contracted bloggers. At age 12, she started Kawaii Sweet World, a YouTube channel dedicated to DIY-ing Kawaii crafts and baked goods. It quickly turned into a viral baking channel featuring Rachel's original Kawaii creations and has garnered over 2 million loyal fans. Fong is currently a sophomore at Stanford University.\u003cb\u003eWhat is Kawaii?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Before we get started baking, let’s talk about what \u003ci\u003ekawaii\u003c\/i\u003e means! \u003ci\u003eKawaii\u003c\/i\u003e is a Japanese word that best translates to “cute,” and it describes anything lovable, cuddly, and endearing. The particular style of it is like Hello Kitty, Pokémon, and Totoro. It often manifests in cute animals (both real and illustrated) with big eyes and heads that are disproportionately large in relation to their bodies. These features emphasize an innocence and youthfulness that is a major component of kawaii style. And beyond cute cuddly creatures, kawaii also frequently means adding a face to something that normally wouldn’t have one. For example, see the smiling Sushi Cake Pops on page 197, or the Kawaii Royal Icing Cookies on page 106. These lovable expressions add personality to the otherwise inanimate objects, making them extra cute or “kawaii.” \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Kawaii culture is believed to have originated in the 1970s when teenagers in Japan developed a fun, childlike style of handwriting that was often accompanied by doodles of hearts, stars, and cartoon faces. Many believed this trend emerged in response to the rigidity of post-World War II Japan, as it allowed the Japanese youth to express their individuality. The Japanese stationary brand Sanrio noticed this movement and subsequently launched their cultural icon, Hello Kitty. A huge success among the Japanese population, Hello Kitty took the world by storm, ushering in a worldwide appreciation of kawaii. These days, kawaii style is used for all kinds of clothing, accessories, plush, stationary, and more! It’s truly become a cultural phenomenon, globally, and one that I adore because of how fun, colorful, and inviting it is.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePanda Cake\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePandas are the quintessential kawaii animal. With their big eyes and fluffy bodies, you just want to reach out and give them a big hug. But because a trip to China to see real life pandas isn’t in the books for now, I decided to create the next best thing: a cake decorated like a panda! For this one, I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe. In fact, it’s become tradition in our family that every April 24—my birthday—I make and devour an entire chocolate cake by myself. Okay, let me clarify—not in\u003ci\u003e one \u003c\/i\u003esitting,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand my dad will usually have a few slices, but for the most part I take down the whole thing. And my cake of choice is the one used in this recipe. It’s rich, fluffy, moist, and absolutely divine when paired with a creamy buttercream frosting. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eMakes one 6-inch layer cake \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFor the Cake:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Cooking spray\u003cbr\u003e 1 1\/2 cups all-purpose flour\u003cbr\u003e1 1\/2 cups sugar\u003cbr\u003e2\/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder\u003cbr\u003e1 1\/2 teaspoons baking soda\u003cbr\u003e3\/4 teaspoon baking powder\u003cbr\u003e1 teaspoon table salt\u003cbr\u003e2 large eggs, at room temperature\u003cbr\u003e3\/4 cup buttermilk\u003cbr\u003e6 tablespoons canola oil\u003cbr\u003e1 teaspoon vanilla extract\u003cbr\u003e3\/4 cup hot coffee\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFor the Frosting:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1 1\/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature\u003cbr\u003e4 1\/2 cups confectioners’ sugar\u003cbr\u003e1 1\/2 teaspoons vanilla extract\u003cbr\u003e3 tablespoons milk\u003cbr\u003eBlack and pink gel food colors\u003cbr\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFor the Decorations: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRainbow sprinkle mix\u003cbr\u003e4 chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos\u003cbr\u003e2 pink jelly beans\u003cbr\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e1. Make the cake:\u003c\/b\u003e Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the pans with parchment paper and lightly spray again. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e2.\u003c\/b\u003e In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on medium speed until combined. Pour in the hot coffee and beat on medium speed until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e3.\u003c\/b\u003e Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean, 27 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the pans and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Peel off the parchment paper and let cool completely.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e4. Make the frosting:\u003c\/b\u003e In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar. Beat in the vanilla and milk until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat the frosting on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e5.\u003c\/b\u003e Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frosting to a small plastic zip-top bag and cut off a small tip. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e6.\u003c\/b\u003e Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frosting to a separate bowl and color it black with the black gel food color. Transfer it to a small plastic zip-top bag and cut off a small tip. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e7.\u003c\/b\u003e Transfer 1\/2 cup of the frosting to a separate bowl and color it pink with the pink gel food color. Transfer it to a small plastic zip-top bag and cut off a small tip. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e8.\u003c\/b\u003e Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag or large plastic zip-top bag and cut off a large tip.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e9.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eDecorate the cake:\u003c\/b\u003e Using a cake leveler or serrated knife, cut the rounded tops off the cakes. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of the remaining white frosting onto a 6-inch cake board, and then place one cake layer on top. Pipe a layer of white frosting onto the cake and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Place a cake layer on top, pipe on a layer of white frosting, and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Top with the final cake layer, cut side down. For the crumb coat, pipe a thin layer of white frosting over the entire cake and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e10.\u003c\/b\u003e Pipe white frosting over the entire cake and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Run an icing smoother around the sides of the cake to smooth the frosting. Using an offset spatula, bring the frosting from the top edges of the cake toward the center to create a flat top.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e11.\u003c\/b\u003e Using the reserved pink frosting, pipe the outline of a scallop border around the top of the cake. Then fill in the scallops with more pink frosting, and pipe pink frosting to cover the top of the cake as well. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting is firm and doesn’t stick to your finger when tapped, about 20 minutes. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e12.\u003c\/b\u003e Using an offset spatula, carefully smooth the scallops and the top of the cake. Press the rainbow sprinkles over the pink frosting.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e13.\u003c\/b\u003e For the ears, use a serrated knife to cut off about 1\/8 inch from the bottom of 2 of the chocolate sandwich cookies to create a flat edge. Place the ears on top of the cake toward the front. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e14.\u003c\/b\u003e Separate the two remaining chocolate sandwich cookies and scrape off the cream filling. Use a serrated knife to cut two of the chocolate cookies into ovals for eyes, and cut a third chocolate cookie into a triangle for a nose. (You can eat the remaining cookie!) Using the reserved white frosting, pipe dots onto the eyes for pupils.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e15.\u003c\/b\u003e Press the eyes and nose onto the front of the cake; use the reserved black frosting to pipe on a smile. Press one pink jelly bean on each side of the eyes for cheeks.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Refrigerating the cake before smoothing the scallops allows you to touch them up without distorting their shape. Don’t skip this step!","brand":"Clarkson Potter","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301746462949,"sku":"NP9780525575429","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780525575429.jpg?v=1767730653","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/kawaii-sweet-world-cookbook-isbn-9780525575429","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}