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Eat Cake
Ruth loves to bake cakes. When she is alone, she dreams up variations on recipes. When she meditates, she imagines herself in the warm, comforting center of a gigantic bundt cake. If there is a crisis, she bakes a cake; if there is a reason to celebrate, she bakes a cake. Ruth sees it as an outward manifestation of an inner need to nurture her family—which is a good thing, because all of a sudden that family is rapidly expanding. First, her mother moves in after robbers kick in her front door in broad daylight. Then Ruth’s father, a lounge singer, who she’s seen only occasionally throughout her life, shatters both wrists and, having nowhere else to go, moves in, too. Her mother and father just happen to hate each other with a deep and poisonous emotion reserved only for life-long enemies. Oh, yes indeed!
Add to this mix two teenagers, a gainfully employed husband who is suddenly without a job, and a physical therapist with the instincts of a Cheryl Richardson and you’ve got a delightful and amusing concoction that comes with its own delicious icing.
Add to this mix two teenagers, a gainfully employed husband who is suddenly without a job, and a physical therapist with the instincts of a Cheryl Richardson and you’ve got a delightful and amusing concoction that comes with its own delicious icing.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2003
About the author
Jeanne Ray
33 books316 followersJeanne Ray is the New York Times bestselling author of Julie and Romeo and four other novels. She worked as a registered nurse for forty years before she wrote her first novel at the age of sixty. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and her dog, Red.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,197 reviews
May 28, 2026
“Life is not a static experience. We shouldn’t expect things to remain the same.”
This was my first book by Jeanne Ray, and it came to me through a donation to my Little Free Library Shed. Before diving in, I found myself curious about the author and discovered she is not only a successful New York Times bestselling novelist – and, a former nurse, but also the mother of novelist Ann Patchett.
There is something wonderfully comforting about the way this novel embraces the messiness of family life. For Ruth, our main protagonist, the answer to nearly every crisis is to bake a cake.
“A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what’s served on the happiest days of your life. …if sides are to be taken, I will always take the side of cake.”
Ruth’s teenage daughter, Camille, keeps changing her mind about whether to be vegan or not, her husband has lost his job, and her long-separated parents suddenly move into the house — each occupying separate bedrooms and adding to an avalanche of family chaos.
So how does Ruth cope? By baking, of course. And when her cakes begin bringing joy to others — especially through the whimsical boxes she delivers them in — the possibility of turning that happiness into a family business begins to take shape. Along the way come second chances, family revelations, healing, and love.
Yes, the story is predictable at times, but it is also warm, charming, and deliciously presented. I appreciated the way food, family drama, and personal reinvention were woven together. The added recipes at the end are a delightful bonus that any foodie will appreciate.
Just don’t read this while craving sugar.
This was my first book by Jeanne Ray, and it came to me through a donation to my Little Free Library Shed. Before diving in, I found myself curious about the author and discovered she is not only a successful New York Times bestselling novelist – and, a former nurse, but also the mother of novelist Ann Patchett.
There is something wonderfully comforting about the way this novel embraces the messiness of family life. For Ruth, our main protagonist, the answer to nearly every crisis is to bake a cake.
“A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what’s served on the happiest days of your life. …if sides are to be taken, I will always take the side of cake.”
Ruth’s teenage daughter, Camille, keeps changing her mind about whether to be vegan or not, her husband has lost his job, and her long-separated parents suddenly move into the house — each occupying separate bedrooms and adding to an avalanche of family chaos.
So how does Ruth cope? By baking, of course. And when her cakes begin bringing joy to others — especially through the whimsical boxes she delivers them in — the possibility of turning that happiness into a family business begins to take shape. Along the way come second chances, family revelations, healing, and love.
Yes, the story is predictable at times, but it is also warm, charming, and deliciously presented. I appreciated the way food, family drama, and personal reinvention were woven together. The added recipes at the end are a delightful bonus that any foodie will appreciate.
Just don’t read this while craving sugar.
May 16, 2011
I loved this book. It is not what I expected, it was not fluffy. It was a great read, and it made me want to bake, and eat.
Best Quote:
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, 'That person is better than I am. That person has discipline.' But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what is served on the happiest day of your life."
Best Quote:
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, 'That person is better than I am. That person has discipline.' But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what is served on the happiest day of your life."
December 3, 2007
Before Chick Lit there were women's contemporary writers like Elizabeth Berg and Barbara Kingsolver -- writers who touched at the issues and concerns of women, but did so with intelligence and wit. Jeanne Ray writes in the same way -- perhaps with a bit less intensity, but definitely with the same pen. Eat Cake tells the story of a middle-aged woman who must recreate herself when her life is turned upside-down by her husband's layoff and warring parents. She delves into her deepest desires and finds -- herself.
August 18, 2007
Put yourself inside of a lemon bundt cake and inhale deeply for some serious therapy!
I love the feel of this book. The overall tone was calming. I, like Ruth, unwind while baking. Everything makes sense when I'm up to my ears in flour.
One of my favorite parts of the book is that her family is so sick of cake because she makes it all the time. So, she's having this particularly bad day and is aching to shred up her carrots to put into a cake instead of glazing them for dinner. She justifies doing this by baking it in a different pan and calling it carrot bread. So, it's just as good as a side dish of veggies!
I love the feel of this book. The overall tone was calming. I, like Ruth, unwind while baking. Everything makes sense when I'm up to my ears in flour.
One of my favorite parts of the book is that her family is so sick of cake because she makes it all the time. So, she's having this particularly bad day and is aching to shred up her carrots to put into a cake instead of glazing them for dinner. She justifies doing this by baking it in a different pan and calling it carrot bread. So, it's just as good as a side dish of veggies!
March 4, 2008
Ruth Hopson has always loved to bake cakes. Baking is the way she relaxes, relieves stress, shows love to her family, and fights insomnia. When her husband, Sam, is fired from his job as a hospital administrator, Ruth's world is turned upside-down. To help cope, she makes even more cakes in order to center herself on something familiar. Though her family enjoys the cakes, Ruth bakes them so often that they have become a commonplace occurrence.
Ruth's mother, Hollis, moved in with them after her home was robbed and she no longer felt safe. Then out of the blue, Ruth's long-lost father, Guy, ends up with two broken wrists and joins the menagerie. Hollis and Guy have been divorced for years, and their relationship is anything but pleasant. As the family comes to grip with all of the changes, they also need to figure out how to earn enough money to live on.
Jeanne Ray has written a delectable novel. The characters come to life with humor that had me laughing out loud and reading passages to the rest of my family. The interactions between Hollis and Guy are hilarious and true-to-life. Sam and Ruth's relationship is filled with emotion. Readers will be able to identify with their struggles and the decisions they need to make. Anyone who has experienced a job loss can readily comprehend the shock and understand the transitions that this event produces.
The descriptions of baking, selecting ingredients, and eating the different varieties of cakes make for mouth-watering reading. There are recipes included for many of the cakes described for readers to make at home. I am definitely going to try 'Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Frosting'. The merging of fiction with descriptions of cooking has long been a winning combination, and this novel touches the heart as well as the stomach.
Eat Cake is another engaging offering from Jeanne Ray, also known for Step-Ball Change and Julie and Romeo. Grab yourself a piece of cake and be prepared for a delicious experience!
Ruth's mother, Hollis, moved in with them after her home was robbed and she no longer felt safe. Then out of the blue, Ruth's long-lost father, Guy, ends up with two broken wrists and joins the menagerie. Hollis and Guy have been divorced for years, and their relationship is anything but pleasant. As the family comes to grip with all of the changes, they also need to figure out how to earn enough money to live on.
Jeanne Ray has written a delectable novel. The characters come to life with humor that had me laughing out loud and reading passages to the rest of my family. The interactions between Hollis and Guy are hilarious and true-to-life. Sam and Ruth's relationship is filled with emotion. Readers will be able to identify with their struggles and the decisions they need to make. Anyone who has experienced a job loss can readily comprehend the shock and understand the transitions that this event produces.
The descriptions of baking, selecting ingredients, and eating the different varieties of cakes make for mouth-watering reading. There are recipes included for many of the cakes described for readers to make at home. I am definitely going to try 'Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Frosting'. The merging of fiction with descriptions of cooking has long been a winning combination, and this novel touches the heart as well as the stomach.
Eat Cake is another engaging offering from Jeanne Ray, also known for Step-Ball Change and Julie and Romeo. Grab yourself a piece of cake and be prepared for a delicious experience!
October 7, 2021
Audiobook read by the author
Ruth Hopson likes to bake cakes. She finds comfort in comforting others, and lately everyone – including Ruth – needs some comfort. Her mother has moved in after a day-time burglary at her home, her teenage daughter has all the sullenness and angst of most 16-year-olds, her son’s away at college, and her hospital administrator husband has just lost his job. Then her father, a traveling piano player whom she hasn’t seen in 35 years, breaks both wrists in a fall and has nowhere else to go. Can she bake enough cakes to soothe everyone – and herself?
I have loved every book I’ve read by Jeanne Ray, and this one is no exception. Her writing reminds me of Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Berg. Her characters experience everyday life, with all its joys, crises, heartaches and triumphs.
I loved Ruth. I liked how she came to grips with her anxieties, how she reached out for help when she needed it, how she listened to advice but still made her own decisions. I loved the interactions between Ruth and her mother, or Ruth and her daughter. This is a woman I want to be friends with … and not just because of her cakes, though I would love to try them!
And I really liked the addition of Florence, the occupational therapist who makes house calls as a favor to the family to help Ruth’s father recover the use of his hands. This is a no-nonsense yet compassionate woman that everyone needs as a best friend. She’s a wonderful addition to the mix of this household.
The audiobook is performed by the author, and I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job. She really brought these characters to life. One little quibble with the audio version, however, is that it is difficult to tell when Ruth is saying something out loud or just thinking it. But that didn’t really lessen my enjoyment of the book.
The text includes detailed recipes at the end.
Ruth Hopson likes to bake cakes. She finds comfort in comforting others, and lately everyone – including Ruth – needs some comfort. Her mother has moved in after a day-time burglary at her home, her teenage daughter has all the sullenness and angst of most 16-year-olds, her son’s away at college, and her hospital administrator husband has just lost his job. Then her father, a traveling piano player whom she hasn’t seen in 35 years, breaks both wrists in a fall and has nowhere else to go. Can she bake enough cakes to soothe everyone – and herself?
I have loved every book I’ve read by Jeanne Ray, and this one is no exception. Her writing reminds me of Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Berg. Her characters experience everyday life, with all its joys, crises, heartaches and triumphs.
I loved Ruth. I liked how she came to grips with her anxieties, how she reached out for help when she needed it, how she listened to advice but still made her own decisions. I loved the interactions between Ruth and her mother, or Ruth and her daughter. This is a woman I want to be friends with … and not just because of her cakes, though I would love to try them!
And I really liked the addition of Florence, the occupational therapist who makes house calls as a favor to the family to help Ruth’s father recover the use of his hands. This is a no-nonsense yet compassionate woman that everyone needs as a best friend. She’s a wonderful addition to the mix of this household.
The audiobook is performed by the author, and I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job. She really brought these characters to life. One little quibble with the audio version, however, is that it is difficult to tell when Ruth is saying something out loud or just thinking it. But that didn’t really lessen my enjoyment of the book.
The text includes detailed recipes at the end.
September 26, 2014
Second reading review: like a cake whose flavors intensify after sitting overnight, this was even better the second time around. Cannot recommend it highly enough.
I love Jeanne Ray. I mean, come on, she's Ann Patchett's mother for crying out loud! And of all her books, Eat Cake is my favorite. It's everything you could expect from the title. It's cake. But the best kind of cake. Intelligent cake. Complex, thoughtful cake. Multi-layered cake.
And also because of the scene where Ruth's mother smashes the coffee cup on the kitchen table, points the broken handle at the sullen teenage daughter and says, "This is not a hotel. Go. Get. Dressed." That, too.
I love Jeanne Ray. I mean, come on, she's Ann Patchett's mother for crying out loud! And of all her books, Eat Cake is my favorite. It's everything you could expect from the title. It's cake. But the best kind of cake. Intelligent cake. Complex, thoughtful cake. Multi-layered cake.
And also because of the scene where Ruth's mother smashes the coffee cup on the kitchen table, points the broken handle at the sullen teenage daughter and says, "This is not a hotel. Go. Get. Dressed." That, too.
November 14, 2012
I loved this book <3
Brief summary
Ruth bakes a cake for all reasons. When she's happy, when she has a reason to celebrate, when she doesn't know what else to do. So when her dad, who she has rarely seen throughout her life, needs to move in with her family because he has broken both wrists and needs help taking care of himself, Ruth turns to baking. Having her dad move in wouldn't be such a big deal if her mom wasn't already living with her, and if her parents didn't hate each other. Add to that a daughter who's 16 and a husband who's just lost his job, and Ruth feels like she's in way over her head.
What I liked
I loved Ruth. I felt like she was an older version of myself. This story was like stepping right into the kitchen of a crazy, but interesting family. I loved it. For me, this is the best kind of book. The kind that makes you smile, makes you feel like you're right there with the characters. I loved all of the secondary characters too. This is how you write a book about a normal person's life and make it seem beautiful. My hat goes off to you, Jeanne Ray.
What I didn't like
I have no complaints :)
Brief thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. Maybe it's because I like to bake cakes. Maybe it's because I connected so well with Ruth that I felt like I was her. Maybe it's because Jeannne Ray did such a good job with this story. Maybe it's all of that and more.
I don't normally do this, but I'm going to add a few quotes from the book. There were some whole paragraphs I wanted to note on here, but they were long so I'm just going to add a partial paragraph and a couple of my favorite lines. If you aren't a baker, you might not enjoy them as much as I do, but I felt they were worth mentioning :)
of people who turn down dessert: "But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because cake is delicious."
"Further proof that cake could take you places you might not be able to get on your own."
"I realized this was one essential difference between raising a family and having a job: the praise factor."
Brief summary
Ruth bakes a cake for all reasons. When she's happy, when she has a reason to celebrate, when she doesn't know what else to do. So when her dad, who she has rarely seen throughout her life, needs to move in with her family because he has broken both wrists and needs help taking care of himself, Ruth turns to baking. Having her dad move in wouldn't be such a big deal if her mom wasn't already living with her, and if her parents didn't hate each other. Add to that a daughter who's 16 and a husband who's just lost his job, and Ruth feels like she's in way over her head.
What I liked
I loved Ruth. I felt like she was an older version of myself. This story was like stepping right into the kitchen of a crazy, but interesting family. I loved it. For me, this is the best kind of book. The kind that makes you smile, makes you feel like you're right there with the characters. I loved all of the secondary characters too. This is how you write a book about a normal person's life and make it seem beautiful. My hat goes off to you, Jeanne Ray.
What I didn't like
I have no complaints :)
Brief thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. Maybe it's because I like to bake cakes. Maybe it's because I connected so well with Ruth that I felt like I was her. Maybe it's because Jeannne Ray did such a good job with this story. Maybe it's all of that and more.
I don't normally do this, but I'm going to add a few quotes from the book. There were some whole paragraphs I wanted to note on here, but they were long so I'm just going to add a partial paragraph and a couple of my favorite lines. If you aren't a baker, you might not enjoy them as much as I do, but I felt they were worth mentioning :)
of people who turn down dessert: "But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because cake is delicious."
"Further proof that cake could take you places you might not be able to get on your own."
"I realized this was one essential difference between raising a family and having a job: the praise factor."
April 27, 2022
Review originally published August 2003
Have you ever gone to one of those stress relief workshops where the instructor tells you to close your eyes and imagine yourself in a safe and peaceful place? I went to one of those workshops when my children were teenagers, and the guy sitting next to me relaxed himself to sleep, complete with snoring! Why do I bother signing my husband up for workshops?
In Jeanne Ray’s newest novel, Eat Cake, the main character escapes by imagining herself in the warm hollowed-out center of a large Bundt cake, usually gingerbread. Ruth is all about cake. She loves to bake, and uses quality ingredients—no box cakes for her! She bakes to relieve stress, when just imagining herself in the cake isn’t quite enough.
She has a son in college and a teenage daughter (with an attitude) at home. Her mother has moved in, and is afraid to move back to her own home after a robbery that took place there. Ruth’s husband has bad news at work, and then she gets a call that necessitates her father moving into their home as well. Her mother and father separated years before and don’t get along at all. Is there a Bundt cake in the world large enough to relieve the stress?
Jeanne Ray gives us such odd, yet likable characters, we can’t help wishing for a sweet ending to this story. It’s a perfect light read, complete with recipes for the cakes that she writes so enticingly about. She also wrote Romeo and Julie, a New York Times bestseller, and Step-Ball-Change, both available at our West Salem location.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Have you ever gone to one of those stress relief workshops where the instructor tells you to close your eyes and imagine yourself in a safe and peaceful place? I went to one of those workshops when my children were teenagers, and the guy sitting next to me relaxed himself to sleep, complete with snoring! Why do I bother signing my husband up for workshops?
In Jeanne Ray’s newest novel, Eat Cake, the main character escapes by imagining herself in the warm hollowed-out center of a large Bundt cake, usually gingerbread. Ruth is all about cake. She loves to bake, and uses quality ingredients—no box cakes for her! She bakes to relieve stress, when just imagining herself in the cake isn’t quite enough.
She has a son in college and a teenage daughter (with an attitude) at home. Her mother has moved in, and is afraid to move back to her own home after a robbery that took place there. Ruth’s husband has bad news at work, and then she gets a call that necessitates her father moving into their home as well. Her mother and father separated years before and don’t get along at all. Is there a Bundt cake in the world large enough to relieve the stress?
Jeanne Ray gives us such odd, yet likable characters, we can’t help wishing for a sweet ending to this story. It’s a perfect light read, complete with recipes for the cakes that she writes so enticingly about. She also wrote Romeo and Julie, a New York Times bestseller, and Step-Ball-Change, both available at our West Salem location.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
June 10, 2017
This book made me hungry for cake! The descriptions of Ruth's cakes .... ahhh. I could visualize the specific cake and smell it and almost taste it.
"You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what's served on the happiest days of your life." I smiled when I read this because it rang so true.
Ruth has always used baking cakes as her special, calm place. She bakes any time of the day, morning, noon, midnight. If things are chaotic and she needs calm, she bakes cakes.
She is going to begin baking a lot more cakes in the very near future. This is a story of finding yourself amid the chaos that we call family. The perfect storm is about to hit the comfortable life that Ruth has built with her husband, Sam, and two teenage kids.
Families are a blessing until everyone one is living under the same roof due to life's ups and downs and crazy circumstances. Letting the crumbs fall where they may is how Ruth deals with her wacky life and family.
"You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what's served on the happiest days of your life." I smiled when I read this because it rang so true.
Ruth has always used baking cakes as her special, calm place. She bakes any time of the day, morning, noon, midnight. If things are chaotic and she needs calm, she bakes cakes.
She is going to begin baking a lot more cakes in the very near future. This is a story of finding yourself amid the chaos that we call family. The perfect storm is about to hit the comfortable life that Ruth has built with her husband, Sam, and two teenage kids.
Families are a blessing until everyone one is living under the same roof due to life's ups and downs and crazy circumstances. Letting the crumbs fall where they may is how Ruth deals with her wacky life and family.
August 15, 2022
Eat Cake is a heartwarming, sweet story of a love for baking cakes coming to the rescue of a family in suddenly dire financial straits. Middle-aged Ruth, stay-at-home mum and ardent baker of fabulous cakes, is already coping with having her long-divorced elderly mother staying with them, along with Ruth's obstreperous sixteen-year old, Camille - when Ruth's husband, Sam, is laid off from his job as a hospital administrator. As if that wasn't enough, Ruth's maverick father, who left her mother to bring Ruth up on her own, turns up out of the blue, needing a home and very attentive health care...
How cake-baking comes to the rescue is what forms the crux of this book, and what delicious cakes those are! Plus, what a nice (yes, nice is the most appropriate word I could think for this) family. They're not dysfunctional or nasty; they love each other, they stand by each other - even though, like any real family anywhere, they bicker and they whinge frequently.
True, the speed at which all the problems are ironed out was a little too convenient, but still. I read this book between one heavyweight Booker-winner novel and another that I imagine will also be no light and frothy fiction. Eat Cake was just the sort of easily-digested, airy, sweet in-between filling.
And yes, the cake recipes are all there, at the end of the book. Delicious.
How cake-baking comes to the rescue is what forms the crux of this book, and what delicious cakes those are! Plus, what a nice (yes, nice is the most appropriate word I could think for this) family. They're not dysfunctional or nasty; they love each other, they stand by each other - even though, like any real family anywhere, they bicker and they whinge frequently.
True, the speed at which all the problems are ironed out was a little too convenient, but still. I read this book between one heavyweight Booker-winner novel and another that I imagine will also be no light and frothy fiction. Eat Cake was just the sort of easily-digested, airy, sweet in-between filling.
And yes, the cake recipes are all there, at the end of the book. Delicious.
March 9, 2009
We're entering into a new phase here at chez czuk, and I've been a little weepy over it, as it is not only a change in a family member, but a severe change in my lifestyle as well. But it's a change I am willing to make. (I keep remembering that saying that you are an adult once and a child twice, and thinking someone needs to add a bit that you are a parent forever, even if it's to those who parented you. Sigh.) Anyhow, I've been feeling quite sorry for myself, because on top of it all, I seem to have drawn a string of crappy reads. This book, which has been on my wishlist a while, fairly jumped off the shelf at my favorite UBS, where I went to cheer myself up after battling bumma to get her Physical Therapy exercises done (She has pronounced them "boring" and I have pronounced "necessary". I won. But it doesn't mean I like winning.)
It is an absolutely delectable book. I just finished another Ray book, and the same thing holds true here that I said in that review. Every single character in this book was real. So often there's an overblown good or bad guy. But every single one was real. And the story is real, as are the solutions to the problems. How absolutely refreshing.
Plus, this book has some killer cake recipes in the back. I'm gonna bake cake. Then, I'll eat cake and listen to Rhapsody in Blue, and smile.
It is an absolutely delectable book. I just finished another Ray book, and the same thing holds true here that I said in that review. Every single character in this book was real. So often there's an overblown good or bad guy. But every single one was real. And the story is real, as are the solutions to the problems. How absolutely refreshing.
Plus, this book has some killer cake recipes in the back. I'm gonna bake cake. Then, I'll eat cake and listen to Rhapsody in Blue, and smile.
May 16, 2008
It's not really about cake just how cake saves Ruth's life. My Mom gave it to me, it was a lot of fun to read. For anyone who likes to save room for dessert, this ones for you... "Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always a person at the table...No, really, I couldn't...Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, That person is better than I am. That person has discipline. But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy".
October 20, 2009
Humorous and delightful, this charming book is pure cake therapy. If you've ever felt you had a little too much on your plate family-wise, you'll relate to Ruth and her need to find some way of balancing the chaos--for Ruth it's baking cakes. Who knew that something so simple and sweet could also prove to be a saving grace? A wise, wonderful, foodie comfort read.
June 7, 2024
So comforting.
Want to Read
April 10, 2026sounds like fun. I loved Julie and Romeo, which I read years ago.
August 13, 2009
Such a fun, fun book. Definitely one I will buy. I guess it's not a surprise that a book about a woman who loves to bake was as riveting to me as a mystery is to someone else! I started it yesterday and decided that I had to go to bed at 11:30 even though I hadn't finished it. I left off at the climax, and I kept waking up all night to dreams of cakes!
It was also a tender story about family, marriage, and working differences out.
And now, I think I must bake a cake today.
These are a couple of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial little pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, That person is better than I am. That person has discipline. But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what's served on the happiest days of your life.
This is a story of how my life as saved by cake, so, of course, if sides are to be taken, I will always take the side of the cake."
"Nobody likes to think they need to be rescued and everbody is grateful when it happens."
"It was worth everything, that moment, that song. It did the very thing that music can do when it is at it sbest: It elevated us and healed us and showed us how to be our better selves."
It was also a tender story about family, marriage, and working differences out.
And now, I think I must bake a cake today.
These are a couple of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn't, she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial little pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, That person is better than I am. That person has discipline. But that isn't a person with discipline, that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don't eat the whole cake. You don't eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that's safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what's served on the happiest days of your life.
This is a story of how my life as saved by cake, so, of course, if sides are to be taken, I will always take the side of the cake."
"Nobody likes to think they need to be rescued and everbody is grateful when it happens."
"It was worth everything, that moment, that song. It did the very thing that music can do when it is at it sbest: It elevated us and healed us and showed us how to be our better selves."
January 31, 2016
This book is, essentially, chicken pot pie for a reader. Maybe meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Steamed veggies and rice if you're vegetarian. It's simple and easy and palatable. It makes you feel all warm and happy inside.
This is the story of Ruth - a homemaker whose orderly life goes a little haywire - in the way that a lot of orderly lives do. Ruth uses cakes to soothe and work out her frustrations. She's pretty timid and very kind. When new responsibilities land on Ruth's shoulders she has to step-up in ways that are uniquely her own.
This book was a little odd for me in that i didn't connect with any character. They were a likable cast - but i didn't see myself reflected anywhere. And the writing, while comfortable, never stopped me in my tracks. The story wasn't one that i could relate to in that i could see it happening to me. But the magic of this book is despite all that i loved it. It was essentially a one-sitting read - only interrupted by family commitments. It's also something i could see myself reading again when i wanted to be taken out of my own head - but not in an abrupt or demanding way.
This book felt like Eat, Pray, Love to me - except more accessible. Ruth's life and problems felt realistic. She could easily be that friendly neighbor that you chat with when you see each other at the super market. I can heartily recommend this book to anyone that loves cooking, comfort, and a sweet easy read.
PS - there's a bonus recipe section at the end of the book. You're likely to need it bc if you can read this and not crave cake you're stronger than i am.
This is the story of Ruth - a homemaker whose orderly life goes a little haywire - in the way that a lot of orderly lives do. Ruth uses cakes to soothe and work out her frustrations. She's pretty timid and very kind. When new responsibilities land on Ruth's shoulders she has to step-up in ways that are uniquely her own.
This book was a little odd for me in that i didn't connect with any character. They were a likable cast - but i didn't see myself reflected anywhere. And the writing, while comfortable, never stopped me in my tracks. The story wasn't one that i could relate to in that i could see it happening to me. But the magic of this book is despite all that i loved it. It was essentially a one-sitting read - only interrupted by family commitments. It's also something i could see myself reading again when i wanted to be taken out of my own head - but not in an abrupt or demanding way.
This book felt like Eat, Pray, Love to me - except more accessible. Ruth's life and problems felt realistic. She could easily be that friendly neighbor that you chat with when you see each other at the super market. I can heartily recommend this book to anyone that loves cooking, comfort, and a sweet easy read.
PS - there's a bonus recipe section at the end of the book. You're likely to need it bc if you can read this and not crave cake you're stronger than i am.
September 19, 2013
I read a first edition of this book so maybe these things were corrected in later pressings; but for such a tiny little novel this could have been edited more carefully.
The correct name of that hockey team is the "Toronto Maple Leafs" not the "Toronto Maple Leaves." Strange but true. Also, "orange FLOUR water" is not a thing, but "orange flower water" is -- this was in a recipe for crissakes. "Its" and "it's" are not interchangeable and the author didn't seem to know if the correct phrase is "I could care less" or "I couldn't care less" so she decided to use both.
Aside from all THAT nonsense this was a fun quick read.
The correct name of that hockey team is the "Toronto Maple Leafs" not the "Toronto Maple Leaves." Strange but true. Also, "orange FLOUR water" is not a thing, but "orange flower water" is -- this was in a recipe for crissakes. "Its" and "it's" are not interchangeable and the author didn't seem to know if the correct phrase is "I could care less" or "I couldn't care less" so she decided to use both.
Aside from all THAT nonsense this was a fun quick read.
April 3, 2017
Recently I broke both wrists & was looking for books to read on my iPad to help pass my time .I thought the title EAT CAKE was cute & downloaded it.Imagine my surprise when this novel had a character with two broken wrists also! The main character/storyteller also bakes when stressed out-a strategy I am familiar with.
Even without my two broken wrists I'm sure I'd have loved this book!
Even without my two broken wrists I'm sure I'd have loved this book!
April 11, 2022
Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray is a bitter-sweet story about relationships, choices, and decisions. Poignant and funny in equal measure, it is a memorable story of an ordinary family facing challenging times, and how they overcome these adversities. Ray brings to light the struggle between love and annoyance in parent-child relationships.
Ruth Hopson lives in Minneapolis with Sam, her husband (a hospital administrator), her daughter Camille (a surly teenager), and Hollis, her mother, who has moved in to be with them over a year ago. Her son Wyatt is in college. She bakes the most extraordinary cakes, and there’s always a cake in the kitchen! The family is in for a rude shock when their regular lives are disrupted by unexpected challenges. Sam loses his job, and Guy, Ruth’s father, who has been estranged from his family since Ruth was two years old, calls out of the blue. He has met with an accident and needs to move in with Ruth’s family until he can fully recover.
Ruth’s troubles are magnified when Sam, instead of searching for a job, wishes to nourish his lifelong dream of rebuilding yachts, and her parents who have hated each other for as long as she has known them, are now stuck under the same roof. Her teen daughter’s rebellious behaviour adds to her woes.
Faced with all this, Ruth finds refuge in her childhood passion–baking cakes.
Eat Cake is a family drama, and despite the troubling times the family is facing, it is not a gut-wrenching read. Rather, Ray’s writing style makes it a breezy and optimistic read.
The characters are flawed and easy to relate to. Ray has drawn attention to their traits, flaws, wit, strength, and transformation in a free-flowing manner. The familial ties are depicted honestly, highlighting the various complexities in the web of relationships.
Ruth’s situation and emotional challenges as a supporting wife, caring mother, and daughter are complex and relatable. Though initially, she seems to be a pushover, over the length of the novel, she finds her strength and comes through. I really liked Guy and Hollis.
Ruth’s relationship with each family member is so beautiful and relatable. There’s a particular part where Camille and Ruth share a sweet moment, and my heart went all mushy-mushy. The sulky teen’s journey is really beautiful and heart-warming.
Oh, and did I forget to mention the cakes? Yes, I was drooling over the various cakes described in this book–Almond Apricot Pound Cake with Amaretto, Black Espresso Cake, Coconut Buttercream, Carrot Cake, and so on… Thankfully, the author has mentioned all the recipes at the end of the book. I tried a couple of them, and they were absolutely delightful! And those interruptions prevented me from finishing this book sooner. Not that I am complaining!
Eat Cake is fluffy, sweet, and delectable, just as cakes should be!
Do I recommend this?
Absolutely!!
BLOG | INSTA
Ruth Hopson lives in Minneapolis with Sam, her husband (a hospital administrator), her daughter Camille (a surly teenager), and Hollis, her mother, who has moved in to be with them over a year ago. Her son Wyatt is in college. She bakes the most extraordinary cakes, and there’s always a cake in the kitchen! The family is in for a rude shock when their regular lives are disrupted by unexpected challenges. Sam loses his job, and Guy, Ruth’s father, who has been estranged from his family since Ruth was two years old, calls out of the blue. He has met with an accident and needs to move in with Ruth’s family until he can fully recover.
Ruth’s troubles are magnified when Sam, instead of searching for a job, wishes to nourish his lifelong dream of rebuilding yachts, and her parents who have hated each other for as long as she has known them, are now stuck under the same roof. Her teen daughter’s rebellious behaviour adds to her woes.
Faced with all this, Ruth finds refuge in her childhood passion–baking cakes.
Eat Cake is a family drama, and despite the troubling times the family is facing, it is not a gut-wrenching read. Rather, Ray’s writing style makes it a breezy and optimistic read.
The characters are flawed and easy to relate to. Ray has drawn attention to their traits, flaws, wit, strength, and transformation in a free-flowing manner. The familial ties are depicted honestly, highlighting the various complexities in the web of relationships.
Ruth’s situation and emotional challenges as a supporting wife, caring mother, and daughter are complex and relatable. Though initially, she seems to be a pushover, over the length of the novel, she finds her strength and comes through. I really liked Guy and Hollis.
Ruth’s relationship with each family member is so beautiful and relatable. There’s a particular part where Camille and Ruth share a sweet moment, and my heart went all mushy-mushy. The sulky teen’s journey is really beautiful and heart-warming.
Oh, and did I forget to mention the cakes? Yes, I was drooling over the various cakes described in this book–Almond Apricot Pound Cake with Amaretto, Black Espresso Cake, Coconut Buttercream, Carrot Cake, and so on… Thankfully, the author has mentioned all the recipes at the end of the book. I tried a couple of them, and they were absolutely delightful! And those interruptions prevented me from finishing this book sooner. Not that I am complaining!
Eat Cake is fluffy, sweet, and delectable, just as cakes should be!
Do I recommend this?
Absolutely!!
BLOG | INSTA
August 28, 2026
I liked that this is a feel good book that is not a romance. It was a cute little family story. It inspired me to bake cakes LOL I made a spice cake and lemon cake during my time reading this. Nothing life changing, but a sweet read.
September 19, 2024
Several years ago, I read Julie and Romeo by this author, as well as Step-Ball-Change. I remembered enjoying them, so when I saw this book on the shelf, I snatched it. This is an equally delightful little story. Some takeaways:
* life is going to change, so you better figure out how to be flexible and survive. You're never too old to start over.
* find work that gives you joy.
* live out your dreams
The author didn't start writing novels until she was 60! Plus, I didn't know that she is the mother of author Ann Patchett!
* life is going to change, so you better figure out how to be flexible and survive. You're never too old to start over.
* find work that gives you joy.
* live out your dreams
The author didn't start writing novels until she was 60! Plus, I didn't know that she is the mother of author Ann Patchett!
May 16, 2010
I don't mean to give this book 2 stars, because it's not going to hurt anyone to read it..it's just a book for me that is super forgettable. Predictable plot line and played out more like an afterschool special for me. It was just an easy one to put down, and not much with the character development, but like i said...if you are looking for something light and harmless to read..this will be it.
January 19, 2015
I really enjoyed this fun book. Ruth, with a teenage daughter who is a snot, a son in college, and her mother living with the family, then her husband losses job and news that her long-divorced father fell and broke both wrists and he is a long time piano player, and needs a place to recover. And since he left when Ruth was only 2 years old, her mom hates him. Now they all live together.
September 25, 2013
2.5 stars really. I like cake as much as anyone... actually, probably a lot more than anyone... but I also like good writing. This was cute, but unrealistic and fluffy.
March 15, 2022
Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray
《5/5》
This is such a fluffy, sweet as the cake it speaks of, nice book.
I read it for the The T. A. R.{Who}.D. I. S book club's March book reading & it also fits one of my Popsugar prompts of "A book with a recipe". So double yaay!!
Ruth Hopson, a housewife in Minneapolis, has a full life. A husband, two teenaged kids, a home, a mother who lives with her. It is so full that she neither has any other life, nor seen any other life than this one. A child of a broken home, Ruth has all her life tied her self worth with her family inside the walls of her home. But when her husband loses his job and her estranged father has an accident and she has no other choice left than to bring him home to care for him, life starts getting messed up like it had never messed up before.
Amidst all this, to stay sane, Ruth finds her therapy in baking cakes. She bakes them like people do breathing exercises & yoga. She closes her eyes and imagines herself inside a cake in order to feel some semblance of balance when things around her seem to be all falling apart. What happens next forms the part of the story!
It has some fun dialogues and lines and seems written with a pen full of stardust and confetti. It has 13 recipes of awe inspiring cakes at the end and the entire book is an ode to this much-villanised but equally loved dessert. I am not great at baking but even I feel inspired enough to go to the kitchen and find my own order of the world. But I guess I have plants for that for now.
If you need a book between two heavy books, then this is the book you need to go for.
《5/5》
This is such a fluffy, sweet as the cake it speaks of, nice book.
I read it for the The T. A. R.{Who}.D. I. S book club's March book reading & it also fits one of my Popsugar prompts of "A book with a recipe". So double yaay!!
Ruth Hopson, a housewife in Minneapolis, has a full life. A husband, two teenaged kids, a home, a mother who lives with her. It is so full that she neither has any other life, nor seen any other life than this one. A child of a broken home, Ruth has all her life tied her self worth with her family inside the walls of her home. But when her husband loses his job and her estranged father has an accident and she has no other choice left than to bring him home to care for him, life starts getting messed up like it had never messed up before.
Amidst all this, to stay sane, Ruth finds her therapy in baking cakes. She bakes them like people do breathing exercises & yoga. She closes her eyes and imagines herself inside a cake in order to feel some semblance of balance when things around her seem to be all falling apart. What happens next forms the part of the story!
It has some fun dialogues and lines and seems written with a pen full of stardust and confetti. It has 13 recipes of awe inspiring cakes at the end and the entire book is an ode to this much-villanised but equally loved dessert. I am not great at baking but even I feel inspired enough to go to the kitchen and find my own order of the world. But I guess I have plants for that for now.
If you need a book between two heavy books, then this is the book you need to go for.
Read
May 16, 2024I looooove this book
I read it in high school & “Cakes have gotten a bad rap” was my audition monologue for a lot of shows. I can’t read it any other way.
I love this book
The quotes about eating cake and enjoying cake and “is it someone’s birthday” and going to sleep dreaming about what cake she’ll make
Such good quotes and thoughts about work and finding what you’re passionate about and caring about other people
I love her descriptions of Camille
It all feels relevant
I guess I read it when I was Camille’s age but it’s from Ruth’s pov and it all resonates so much
Like women sacrificing/ the burden of mothers and how much she gives all the time
Losing a job
Divorced parents/grandparents and bickering older people
Piano players like grandpa and mom
Cake baking which I love
A lot of things
And all wrapped in delicious descriptions of cakes!!!!
And a story that progresses from conflict to resolution (not awful conflict right before the end!)
Also Florence as an amazing character?
I read it in high school & “Cakes have gotten a bad rap” was my audition monologue for a lot of shows. I can’t read it any other way.
I love this book
The quotes about eating cake and enjoying cake and “is it someone’s birthday” and going to sleep dreaming about what cake she’ll make
Such good quotes and thoughts about work and finding what you’re passionate about and caring about other people
I love her descriptions of Camille
It all feels relevant
I guess I read it when I was Camille’s age but it’s from Ruth’s pov and it all resonates so much
Like women sacrificing/ the burden of mothers and how much she gives all the time
Losing a job
Divorced parents/grandparents and bickering older people
Piano players like grandpa and mom
Cake baking which I love
A lot of things
And all wrapped in delicious descriptions of cakes!!!!
And a story that progresses from conflict to resolution (not awful conflict right before the end!)
Also Florence as an amazing character?
January 7, 2023
A slice of cake never made anybody fat.
I was hooked after reading this sentence in Chapter One. Though it started slow, it picked up speed much later.
What I liked about the book was that it played on the strength of the characters. The characters seemed real with their row of disappointments and struggles to sustain a livelihood. The author didn't shy away from highlighting their difficult life phases.
The story is mainly about Ruth and Sam. Sam has just lost his job, and now the onus of earning money lies on Ruth, who is an excellent baker. The whole family chips in, their daughter and Ruth's parents, to get the couple going.
It is a good book and an easy read with central themes of love, family, and career.
A couple of lines I loved in the book -
Everybody has parents. Very few people take care of them.
Maybe there are certain times in a person's life when everything can suddenly be different.
A good moment is all that anyone should ask for.
I was hooked after reading this sentence in Chapter One. Though it started slow, it picked up speed much later.
What I liked about the book was that it played on the strength of the characters. The characters seemed real with their row of disappointments and struggles to sustain a livelihood. The author didn't shy away from highlighting their difficult life phases.
The story is mainly about Ruth and Sam. Sam has just lost his job, and now the onus of earning money lies on Ruth, who is an excellent baker. The whole family chips in, their daughter and Ruth's parents, to get the couple going.
It is a good book and an easy read with central themes of love, family, and career.
A couple of lines I loved in the book -
Everybody has parents. Very few people take care of them.
Maybe there are certain times in a person's life when everything can suddenly be different.
A good moment is all that anyone should ask for.
Did Not Finish
December 5, 2020DNF page at 81
It’s a good book. The writing is excellent, the characters diverse, and the situation fraught with tension. This family drama unfolds in a realistic world, recognizable and controversial. At times , the story is funny. At times, it is sad. It should’ve been an unputdownable book.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t force myself past page 81. It was a struggle to get this far. I stopped caring about the characters even before that. None of them inspired my sympathy, for various reasons, and the protagonist seems such a spineless creature, I couldn’t root for her either. Her entire family walks over her, and she allows it and smiles. She doesn’t fight. She doesn’t even want anything. When she feels blue, she bakes cakes, and that seems the whole point of the book.
Not for me.
It’s a good book. The writing is excellent, the characters diverse, and the situation fraught with tension. This family drama unfolds in a realistic world, recognizable and controversial. At times , the story is funny. At times, it is sad. It should’ve been an unputdownable book.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t force myself past page 81. It was a struggle to get this far. I stopped caring about the characters even before that. None of them inspired my sympathy, for various reasons, and the protagonist seems such a spineless creature, I couldn’t root for her either. Her entire family walks over her, and she allows it and smiles. She doesn’t fight. She doesn’t even want anything. When she feels blue, she bakes cakes, and that seems the whole point of the book.
Not for me.
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