levy beranbaum may claim the mantel of “cake ambassador”, but she’s stuck in a small-minded, 20th century rut. i used to faithfully follow recipes like hers to produce wonderful cakes, but now that i need to bake for celiacs among family and friends, i’m looking to more innovative authors. the fact that she is so inflexible as to tell people not to substitute anything and to simply “make something else” rather than adopting cake recipes to people’s dietary restrictions means that she’s more part of the last century than this one.
Rating: 1 / 5

I am a little disappointed about this book. I read so many good reviews that I decided I had to get it.

The author is explaining which products are the best to use and how important it is to stick with her recommended ingredients, measurements, and the way of proceedings. I had a feeling that I was reading a work of a charismatic person who demands following the exact steps of her recipes, not allowing for any other way of doing it. The cakes are lacking the layers and filling and are only decorated with glazes.

The moment I tried one of the cakes I got a very sad imitation of a chocolaty ring, dry and boring.

I am a believer in that even with simple products you can achieve much better results, than I got from this book.

I have to mention that I am an experienced baker and I like sometimes to create something unusual and tasteful by myself.

I am going to try a few more of Rose`s cakes and I will see if I can get better results.

Rating: 3 / 5

Dear Rose,

Everyone who has heard of the Cake Bible will love your new book. 20 years have passed, and this new book really is everything one have been wishing for since. I know all your other books can also be “part two” of Cake Bible, but this one is it!

I hope you live till 150 years, and you release a new CAKE book every 20 years. The world needs it. I am so happy you are so open to reality and indeed you are evolving. This book shows you, the new Rose, renaissance Rose, the Rose that is catering to today and to people of today. Once many times I commented, narrow minded, that mini cakes, cupcakes, red velvet, white chocolate, non mousseline, etc, are not real cake or real baking, but now you changed my vision. I glanced at your book 5 times last night, until taking it to bed and flip every page from the very first page, page by page until past middle of book and hope to fall asleep in a dream. I also looked at the cover, the hard cover, the spine, the paper, how this is all built.

I love my mention, I told my friends I am mentioned in the acknowledgments and perhaps in very short and small print, but now, I have near 5 lines if not a whole paragraph about me! I also love the part you say that writing is lonely, but now your blog makes you no longer lonely. So many new angels came to you via your blog and keep coming, I think now is the perfect time to revamp your blog, change the design, add more functionality, no idea how, so many new technologies now. Maybe just have you come back to it the same way we miss you, with your many generous comments and answers. I think you will, you have a new book to blog about!

I don’t know how you keep track and in touch with the many people you mention in the acknowledgments and introduction. The world is at your feet, so many family and friends, colleges, agents, and also computer people! I love Woody’s picture, with his measuring device, really neat and well presented.

Love the lemon poppy seed cake baked on the Nordic Ware heart pan, the slice is so stunning!

I thought you already told me everything about the book… you have been, and that yesterday I wouldn’t be impressed. I was so wow, this book is so beautiful my dear, so you, and it shows you made this book for love and as a gift to people that you love, many people, and with individual attention. Each cake is a love story! You wrote a cake to each person you love, like a musician giving the gift of music, you write one new song for each one of us. Thank you for been who you are, only you know how, and there is only one like you, Rose, but so glad this flower comes in many colors!

I hope this book does well and that you take a lot of ginseng and embrace publicity, the news, the media. We really like to hear your side of the story about this book, now that is out to the public!

Hugs / Hec

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Rating: 5 / 5