The Chocolate Cake Sutra: Ingredients for a Sweet Life

by Geri Larkin

The Chocolate Cake Sutra demonstrates that when the best aspects of a spiritual life converge, we are better able to take the slings and arrows of our lives in stride with grace and a grin. What are the right ingredients for a life filled with delectable treats?


3 cups of living an adventurous life
Include a large portion of true friendship
Add a dash of genuine generosity, extreme tolerance, and clear-headedness
Leave dish open to all kinds of knowledge
Stir with great energy
Bake ethically and serve with exceptional amounts of wisdom
Chock full of moving and enlightening stories, The Chocolate Cake Sutra will help you let go of perfectionism and celebrate the sacred nature of the life you already have.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Self Help, Religion, Memoir

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 9, 2007

Reviews

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully lighthearted yet wise book on the Flower Ornament Sutra told through the eyes of its author, Geri Larkin, an ordained Dharma teacher, business consultant, world traveler, and raconteur who loves people. Her infectious enthusiasm for living a sweet life by following the Buddhist principles outlined in the Flower Ornament Sutra, even if that life includes living in an urban zen center in the heart of Detroit's inner city which she opened in 2000, is based on blending the principles Joy, Ethics, Tolerance, Generosity, Perseverance, Clearheadedness, Cultivating Wonder and Surprise, Adventuring, Yoda's wisdom into what she calls the ability to respond to life with fluidity, grace, humor and compassion. Yes, she includes a recipe for baking an awesome chocolate cake.

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

After deeply enjoying "Stumbling Toward Enlightenment", I went looking for other books by Geri Larkin. This is one of two my library owns. Larkin uses the Flower Ornament Sutra as a scaffolding for this book. I mean, that's what she says, I can't say for sure, I've never read any sutras. I feel like maybe I should.

Anyway, it was a nice book.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

She combines Buddhism with humor and real life. When I read her books, they somehow help me become a better version of myself. Her insight draws me back to my Buddhist education, but really, you don't have to be Buddhist to appreciate and enjoy and learn from this book. Would be a great book to read with a group.

[Marian Semic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of taking a class on the Diamond Sutra that featured video lectures by Geri Larkin and I was so impressed that I resolved to read her books. I was not disappointed. The Chocolate Cake Sutra is an American Zen classic filled with many great bits of wisdom and entertaining accounts.

[Camellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh so sweet...what a gift

[Deborah Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty and wise, breezy and profound. With cake recipe. Geri Larkin's writing always makes me feel renewed.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, beautiful wisdom delivered with good humour and lovely stories. Highly recommended.

[Michelle Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book at the library because the book cover had a delicious looking piece of chocolate cake. It sounded like it would be a light read with some cute anecdotes about how to live a happier life and it was. The author is a Buddhist teacher and the book goes through several “ingredients” for living a good life. They include gratitude, joy, clear headedness, adventure, tolerance, and ethics.

Reading the book is like having a cup of tea with someone you really like as she recounts funny stories about her experiences and you walk away thinking you’re going to try and be better at…well…being. Larkin tells stories of being a parent, a daughter, a Buddhist, a client of Weight Watchers, and more. Can you get more real? Even the work she's done in seminary is told in such as way to get her points across without going into painstaking detail about how to be a Buddhist seminary student. (I was very thankful for that!)

She has a chapter devoted to Yoda—the little guy from Star Wars.

I can see why some readers found the book confusing. It does not go in chronological order. The author recounts stories as they relate to her topic so events are not in order. She does not give any thorough account of her own life, but rather you come to learn about her through her stories; I found this to be very enjoyable. However, if you are a very intense reader and don’t want to feel like you’re lounging with a friend shooting the breeze, you may not feel the same. (Note, this is not her first book so fans may already be familiar with her life story and her work. Nevertheless, I did not find this to be a problem.)

I have copied, but not yet tried the recipe for chocolate cake given at the end.

[Cal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 actually, I seesawed between a 3 and 4 for this. It's nice, feel good. Not particularly challenging or thought provoking, most of the advice is fairly common knowledge if you read self help at all. It was a very easy read though, good if you want an easily digestible reminder for how to improve your outlook. I was a bit annoyed that she is apparently a "rabid environmentalist" and devoted to not causing harm but is not vegan or even vegetarian? (clam strips?), this strikes me as a bit ignorant since animal ag is a major offense to the environment and also grossly cruel. Veganism may not be perfect either (it's not about being perfect) but it is certainly better for the environment and harms many fewer beings. Perhaps she has changed since she wrote this.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not surprisingly I checked this out of the library the same time I got that Anne Tyler book.

This one, however, I really enjoyed. A lot of westerners who discover and write about Buddhism take themselves way too seriously and can have a holier-than-thou problem. But Larkin offered lots of really compelling stories from her life, connecting them in a conversational - and most importantly unpretentious - way.

I'll remember a few of these stories and more than that, the style of her writing: simple and without any snobbish intention. And considering that intention is what's valued in Buddhism, I think she served her philosophy very well. It was a joy to read and consider.

[stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, uplifting, and a spiritual treat. Larkin effortlessly conveys the sweet rewards of living a disciplined life. Her background in Buddhism does not prevent her from respecting other faiths and your personal belief system should not prevent you from clearly seeing the truth in the message she carries.

[Sumi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice book to read if you're trying to be Buddhist, but American at the same time. Larkin is good at distilling new-agey precepts into ways to go about life, when you want to be wise and wonderful, but you also want to eat chocolate cake for breakfast. She assures us it's a false choice! I read it chapter by chapter, when I don't want to get out of bed.

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure this should be a four starer because of how well it is written or put together. I've given it this because it affected me a lot. Perhaps the time was right. Perhaps the book is brilliant. Perhaps the stars aligned. I don't know. I did get a lot out of it and therefore recommend it.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Geri Larkin islike a Buddhist Annie Lamott (or perhaps it's that Annie's a Christian Geri). Anyhoo...it was a pleasant little read about practical spirituality, but a bit scattered. The premise and the title which wooed me didn't really hold.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess this will serve as a confessional of sorts to my fellow book club members: I thought it was so bad that I took it back to the library without finishing it. But I still look forward to our chocolate party!!!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A straightforward, down-to-earth, hopeful, and encouraging book. It's encouraged me to consider reading the Flower Ornament sutra, which the book discusses. Useful for those with an interest in Zen but good for anyone, really - anyone who wants to live a life of calmness, gratitude, and joy.

[Natalie Kendrach · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a lot of good advice/ideas, but was poorly organized. I felt like it jumped around the whole time.

[Sabina]

All the basic "i already know this but forgot" lessons for life in one book. Made me really think about how much we complain about everything. Start a tally - you'll be surprised.

[Lindsey Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was uplifting, enlightening, full of insight, perspective and optimism; however, the story itself is not fabulously written or exciting.

[Merrikay]

One of my all time favorites.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks for the recommendation sarah! but i keep craving chocolate everytime i look at the picture:)

[Superstella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, inspiring, and an easy read.

[Deb Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, sincere, and great for beginners with some treats for those who have some knowledge of Buddhism.

[m_forooz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Staying calm in harsh times is the best way to be of help to others.
Be generous, and don't expect gratitude.
Appreciate all good things, no matter how tiny they may be.

[Sarah V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A humble, down-to-earth and utterly likeable book about Zen living.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I read this and I loved it even more. Larkin is a great story teller and funnier than ever. I have found all her books thought-provoking and uplifting.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy read. commonsense/feelgood

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of Buddhism as compared to ingredients in chocolate cake

[Maura Folan]

Totally appreciated the approachable style to a self-journey. Reaching enlightenment seems daunting, but put in terms of cake, well, now it sounds like something I can do!

[Bryan Richard]

A really great book ( and especially since chocolate cake is fav). A Buddhist philosophy style of book.