Baking with Kim-Joy: Cute and Creative Bakes to Make You Smile

by Kim-Joy

Infuse your baking with a sprinkle of glitter, a rainbow of colors and a menagerie of woodland creatures with the help of this unique baking book from everyone's favorite Great British Bake Off finalist, Kim-Joy!

If you've ever wanted to know how to bring your baking to life, Kim-Joy will show you how in this fun and practical book. As well as basic cake mixes, cookie doughs, fillings/frostings and decorating techniques, she shares 40 of her wonderfully imaginative designs for iced cookie creatures, big occasion cakes, character macarons and meringues, ornate breads and showstopping traybakes. Recipes include step-by-step photography and adorable illustrations accompanied by little messages of positivity throughout.

Whether you want to learn how to make a llama cookie, a cat paradise cake, a panda-madeleine or a choux-bun turtle, there's something here to capture your imagination and spread a little (Kim-)Joy!

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Reference, Collections, Adult

176 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2019

About the author

She was born in Belgium to an English father and Malaysian-Chinese mother and now lives in Leeds with her partner.
Kim-Joy rose to fame having made it to the final of the Great British Bake Off 2018 with her unique, intricate baked creations that captured the hearts of the nation.
Her iced woodland creatures, space turtles and beautifully decorated cakes - along with her calmness and vibrant positivity - put a smile on everyone's face and Kim-Joy has since earned a legion of baking fans around the world.
Having previously worked in mental health, she now devotes her time to creating cakes and treats that bring a little Kim-Joy to as many people as possible.

Reviews

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time perfect as the Great British Bake Off starts this Tuesday Kim -Joy 's new fun cake book comes out , every bake with a funny story.
This an interesting collection of adventures cakes The Vegan Chocolate Cake, Spiced Carrot Walnuts, The Rainbow cake that was made on GBBO to Snow Christmas Cake. The fun cookies cat biscuits to the cat buns Space Turtle Buns.
The square cakes are most interesting as so fab .
Over all this a cake bake dream with great photos of the cakes ,tips on icing each recipe is writen well

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, a little spoiler... I LOVED THIS. After watching Great British Bake-Off last year, Kim-Joy was definitely my favourite and so to see her debut baking guide released, I had to borrow a copy from the library ASAP. The guide is so colourful, well-illustrated, handy tips and easy to read baking recipes. I would say that it is very accessible and as for myself trying to bake, well, I burn 99% of things I cook, so maybe the baking might not be as pretty as Kim-Joy's...

Highly recommended!

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love the details of the book, and the recipes were easy to follow! It's really nice to recreate Kim-Joy's bakes from the show, and it's great for anyone who's a big fan of the Great British Bake-Off (Great British Baking Show for US watchers) and enjoys adding a touch of creativity and flair to their baking.

[Wendy Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a vegan and very lazy baker, I didn't think I'd really find much use for this cookbook —I just wanted to enjoy reading about Kim-Joy and seeing her cute designs. BUT I WAS WRONG. There are several clever and delicious-sounding vegan recipes in here, and I'm beyond excited to try them out! Also, some of the ultra-cute designs don't even look that hard to make. I might actually make something adorable for my extended family's first post-COVID get-together!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I flipped through this cookbook but didn't try any of the recipes, let alone decorating ideas. I am in awe of Kin-Joy's talent! I could possibly manage the breads. The little turtles were cute. I appreciate how she gives options for flavors for those who may not like one options can use another. The directions are clear and seem easy enough to follow but I'm not an artist so I didn't try anything. My almost 14-year-old niece squealed when she saw the cookbook. She and her mom ooohed and ahhhed over it. They asked to borrow the book and I handed it over and will let their talent and imaginations do the rest. I will report back if they make anything!

[Mikey ಠ◡ಠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Kim-Joy and have all her books in my Libby app as we speak! The instructions regarding decorating and baking were so helpful and informative. I might buy this book in the event I ever need to decorate a stunning cake for a party of 16 people, but I don’t even know 16 people so this is probably unlikely.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't love Kim-Joy? I'm looking to inject some color and magic into my baking game to impress some Very Important Kids in my life, and this book is putting me on the right trajectory. Can't wait to bake and decorate Baby Yoda cookies with the semolina flour and royal icing recipes this Friday--and make either the rainbow or carrot cake for Easter! And, as soon as my friends can gather together post-COVID, I'm going to try the Space Turtle Cake. It's not quite the cute space turtle cookies Kim-Joy made on the Great British Baking Show, but it's close! "Turtles in space on a cake! Out of this world! What more do you need?"

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is joyful. I am yet to make any of the recipes, but I keep borrowing this as an ebook, and reading it again. There is a halloween cake with meringues as ghosts and some spooky pears. I am sure that everyone needs a space turtle cake in their lives with the incredible colours it provides. There are pages of instructions for some cakes but this seems helpful rather than overwhelming. The recipe I want to make first are the Tangzhong Cat Buns (think a tin of bread rolls that look like sleeping cats), but first I need to add some food dye to my kitchen supplies. The Space Turtle Melonpan Buns also look joyful. Macarons are turned into many animals including cats and koalas. The lemon tarts with meringue cats also look lovely as do the Pigfiteroles in Mud (choux pigs in chocolate).

This would be an interest addition to reading group discussions.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun! Kim-Joy is so talented, and all of her bakes are so bright and cheerful. I loved looking at her creations and reading her carefully planned recipes.

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim Joy is a legitimate joy! I loved her baking book! This is the first cook book I’ve read cover to cover and I loved it. I love that she included both measurements, not just metric.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cakes look lovely and have easy vegan swaps but some of the decorating is so intricate I doubt I'd be able to replicate!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyful and creative!

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of The Great British Bake-Off and it is a pleasure to read a book by a former contestant (a finalist too!). This is a baking cookbook filled with delightful cakes, cookies, and bread recipes. Each recipe has little adorable illustrations and easy to follow instructions. I enjoy that she always had a little blurb to say with a recipe and at times had pages of instructions/tips and tricks for certain recipes (looking at you macarons). I recommend this book for cat lovers, bakers, and fans of the show.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I’m feeling down or overly anxious, I go to the same place: The Great British Baking Show. And there is no contestant on all the seasons of the show that made me smile with wonder and whimsy more than Kim-Joy. Her colorful creations with delightful creatures always warmed my heart, so when I saw that she had a book out, it was the first thing on the gift list I gave to my boyfriend. And since he is also a fan of the show and of Kim-Joy, it was the first thing he bought me.

Baking with Kim-Joy is as much of a delight as watching her on television. It’s filled with colorful photos of her bakes, from the Space Turtle Cake to the Tangzhong Cat Buns to the Cardamom, Almond &Honey Bee Cookies to the Pigfiteroles in Mud.

Her recipes for cakes, cookies, and small bakes are filled with flavors, and she includes lots of tips for adding decorations. You can use her ideas if, for example, cats made of meringue or llamas made of cookies are your thing. But if that’s not your thing, you can also use her ideas for more traditional (or just less creature-oriented) bakes. She also includes recipes for vegans, like her Ginger Cookies, Farmyard Animal Doughnuts, and her Vanilla Cake with Lemon Curd & Blackberries.

Baking with Kim-Joy is simply a joy from start to finish. Perfect as a gift for fans of the show or for young bakers trying to find their own decorating style, this delightful cookbook is an inspiration, an instructional book, and just a lovely sweet pick-me-up at the end of a long day. I love it, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've started baking my way through this book and am learning a lot from it. The tangzhong cat buns recipe is amazing. I've made it twice already. This book is very visually beautiful, but I'm truly impressed by the recipes. Most of them are very straight forward but still elegant. Today I made the ginger cookies and kept thinking to myself "This can't possibly be all the ingredients?" But it was, and they were very easy to make. My only complaint is that I'm an amateur baker, so phrases like "knead until dough is smooth" are ambiguous to me. I have loads of questions and end up googling things mid-bake. If you're looking for quick/easy bakes, this probably isn't the book for you, but if you want to learn and actually become a better baker, this is a wonderful starting point.

Kudos to Kim-Joy for being ridiculously cute and making an exciting cookbook that nerds can appreciate. :)

[Melissa Engbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all of her creations in this book! Pigs in Mug might be the cutest treat Ive ever seen. I'm hoping to try out a couple of recipes, some of them are not very practical though

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two words - Space Turtles!
What delightful and imaginative recipes. The pictures just add that extra 'kawaii' aspect to it.
I WANT A SPACE TURTLE!!!! Did I mention this book as Space Turtles?!?!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Would give 4.5 🌟 if it were possible)

Such a cute and magical book.
Kim-Joy was a major stand out in a season full of great bakers on the GBBO, so I looked to see if she had any books out (she had 3 by the time I’d gotten to her season).

I’m glad I bought this book, it is full of whimsy and fun, and it really does give some great recipes & ideas for making our pastry and baking as unique and colourful as we want.
I will say that it is definitely not a baking how-to, nor is it as advanced as books put out by other GBBO contestants- however,if you’re looking for an in-depth baking book for a beginner, I’d look elsewhere. This is more about taking your decorating (and baking) to the next level & having some fun.

I recommend this for anyone who is a fan of Kim-Joy’s and her baking aesthetic.
P.S - The fact that she kept the metric measurements for the US edition was much appreciated by me. Volume measurements aren’t as accurate and vary widely depending on what’s being scooped into the measuring cup. I still can’t believe how many of my fellow US bakers refuse to buy a $15 digital food scale for easier baking. Kudos for keeping the metric measurements for the U.S market.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fact: it is impossible to be in a bad mood when reading this book. It is so thoroughly charming in every way. Kim-Joy’s designs are just a pleasure to look at—they are cute and creative and some will leave you in awe. There are lots of inventive flavor combinations and a good range of useful recipes and, while some seem a little daunting, most are approachable and there are plenty of tips and inspiration throughout. There are even translations (e.g., treacle = molasses) and cup measurements and Fahrenheit temps for us Americans, which I appreciated. Overall, highly recommend, it will put a smile on your face and inspire you to try something new.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not going to lie, I checked this out because I watched Kim Joy on The Great British Baking Show and loved her cute, magnificent creations. I knew I would not attempt many of her recipes but needed to see the kitten cookies, turtle buns, and turtle bread.

I LOVE that her recipes are in British and American measurements so I don't have to do the math. Most UK cookbooks only have the metric measurements, as the American cookbooks only have the American system of measurement.

I will be attempting one of the recipes this summer but hope to see patrons try the others!

[Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first recipe in this book is for pistachio and cardamom cake with mango saffron jam- which is so up my street I was prepared to love the whole book x1 million.
The rest of the book is very light on the recipes, and heavy on ways to decorate the recipes for maximum cuteness. As a person who can eat with my eyes closed, I was underwhelmed by the focus on decorating- but it's very in character for what we saw of Kim-Joy on GBBO. She's a delight, but I just can't care about pigfiteroles, and purrmaid macrons, and this book did not inspire me to make them.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this “bake book”! As a huge fan of GBBO, and someone who rooted for Kim-Joy throughout her season, I’m thrilled to have this cookbook in my collection. Every recipe I’ve tried so far has resulted in a DELICIOUS treat. I think this is a slightly more advanced book, perhaps not the best for brand new bakers. Kim-Joy’s style of writing is sweet and her recipes are fairly easy to follow. And you can’t beat the photography/design! Highly recommend, especially for fellow kawaii lovers.

[Eve beinguniquebeingme · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautiful baking book Kim shows us some amazing creations of which my favourite is an Easter cake featuring a rabbit theme in pastel colours.



With easy to follow instructions and lists of ingredients we can get hold of easily to make each cake to bake too.



It's a delightful uplifting and inspiring fun read with beautiful bakes and photographs of each marvellous creation she has created!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not really much reading content here, but all the recipes looked really good and very charming. The photos were nice, I liked all the illustrations. I liked that there were instructions to make many vegan, I have several vegan friends and I have had this for a couple years, never thought to check it. Now I know! As an American I also appreciated the measurements were in both metric and standard so I don’t need to do a bunch of conversions.

[Ligaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Kim-Joy's cookbooks have something else that no other cookbooks that I've read have: a message of positivity. Also, I am biased toward cat-lovers, puns, and cute illustrations. All of that is here. I immediately flagged five recipes I'd like to try. The Tips that are sprinkled throughout the book are very helpful or whimsical, sometimes both. Nice photography, adorable illustrations, well-edited. I haven't made one thing from this book yet, but soon hope to.

[Veronica Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of The Great British Baking Show or Bake-off as it is called in England, you will remember the one and only Kim Joy!! She was always so creative with her bakes, I mean Choix turtles hidden inside a space theme chocolate sphere. This cookbook is great, easy to follow, I checked it out from the Libby app, but this is one that I will need to buy to have in my collection.

[Seebee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love her stuff but not enough guidance for decorating for people like me who are not as artistically gifted as she is. I will look for the TV show online to see if that helps. I feel if I attempted them now my creations would be worthy of 'nailed it ' for sure. I wish Kim Joy had a café in my town where I could just go and buy her magical bakes? Defeatest? Perhaps.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute, creative bakes. Browsing it makes me smile. This is a baking book for the child in all of us. (I don't watch The Great British Bake-Off, but after this book, I might.)

Note to self // recipes to try:
p. 18: Lemon rose raspberry cake
p. 76: Royal icing
p. 116: Macarons! tips & tricks

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that she has a sourdough starter called Sauron!

Some amazing cakes and cookies in this book. I love the kitty cookies. I don't bake but if I did, this is the book I'd use.

Space turtle was not what I pictured in my head.

[Denise Prewett · Rating 3 out of 5]

We enjoy watching the British Bake Show as a family and it was fun to check out Kim Joy's book. She was known on the show for her creativity and this book does not disappoint. Cute designs, not sure I could do :), and interesting recipes. Fun to look through.