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Sitting in Bars with Cake: Lessons and Recipes from One Year of Trying to Bake My Way to a Boyfriend
It’s hard to meet people in a big city, let alone any city. And after living in LA for several years as a single lady, Audrey Shulman turned to baking. But rather than eating her cakes solo over the sink, she brought them to bars, luring guys with a heady dose of butter and sugar.
Sitting in Bars with Cake recounts Audrey’s year spent baking, bar-hopping, and offering slices of cake to men in the hope of finding her boyfriend (or, at the very least, a date). With 35 inventive recipes based on her interactions with guys from all walks of life, from a Sticky Maple Kiss Cake to a Bitter Chocolate Dump Cake, this charming book pairs each cake with a short essay and tongue-in-cheek lesson about picking up boys in bars.
Sitting in Bars with Cake recounts Audrey’s year spent baking, bar-hopping, and offering slices of cake to men in the hope of finding her boyfriend (or, at the very least, a date). With 35 inventive recipes based on her interactions with guys from all walks of life, from a Sticky Maple Kiss Cake to a Bitter Chocolate Dump Cake, this charming book pairs each cake with a short essay and tongue-in-cheek lesson about picking up boys in bars.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2015
39 people are currently reading
826 people want to read
About the author
Audrey Shulman
1 book26 followersAudrey Shulman is an avid baker and relentless hostess. Sitting in Bars with Cake is her first book, a collection of stories and recipes from her year spent baking cakes and taking them to bars in hopes of finding a boyfriend. Audrey's blog has been featured on The Huffington Post, The Rachael Ray Show, Jezebel, The New York Post, The LA Times, and On Air With Ryan Seacrest. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Audrey lives in Los Angeles, where she can often be found eating pumpkin flavored desserts. She is a graduate of Bennington College in Vermont. Photo credit Mara Barr.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 6, 2017
A humorous look into the life of a desperate single, but not a cookbook. I bake quite a bit and the recipes looked horrid, especially the frostings. I think the recipes were part of the joke.
I categorize this as bathroom reading.
I categorize this as bathroom reading.
July 21, 2016
This is one of the strangest books I've ever read and gets stranger, the more I think about it. First, I thought, oh, cute idea in that typically cute way that some women think. You know, the way to a man's heart is through his digestive system. But the author actually spent a year, going to different bars once a week, each time bringing a cake that she's baked with her, trying to find men to date. Think about this scene. A bar, lots of people laughing loudly, drinking beer, music sometimes too loud to talk over, and here's this woman with a cake. Now, I've never seen men all that interested in cake, especially when they're drinking beer. In my experience, it is usually women who gravitate toward cake, even while asking for just a little piece or saying, while eating, "I really shouldn't...". See how I'm making gender generalizations here? I hate what this book is bringing out in me! So, on to the recipes themselves. I've always loved reading cookbooks and I admit that some of these recipes sound good (Sticky Maple Kiss Cake with Pumpkin Frosting) or intriguing (Bacon Sponge Cake with Potato Chip Frosting). Others border on disgusting (Artichoke Cake with Balsamic Glaze), at least to my mind. Did she ever find a boyfriend? I still don't know. I guess it was more about the journey than the destination.
June 24, 2023
You know how in every group setting there's that one person who wants to tell you a funny story, and you and the group listen intently, and then suddenly everything is quiet and awkward and everyone except the storyteller realizes this must be one of those stories you really had to be there for to find amusing?
That person wrote a book. This book.
It's a book that doesn't know what it wants to be - Is it a memoir? A dating guide? A humor book? A cookbook? It's somehow all of the above and none of the above - trying to be a jack of all trades, but a master of none.
The stories aren't detailed enough nor given enough context to be an interesting memoir. There's no logical conclusion to be an insightful guide to dating. It's funny, I'm sure...to someone who was there or maybe someone who likes non-sequitur David Letterman style Top 10 lists. And given how many times the author alludes to her own baking mishaps or people not liking her cakes, these recipes are probably not to be trusted and quite frankly most of them sound downright awful. Perhaps that was meant to be part of the humor?
On the bright side, it's short. I read this because it showed up as an option for one of the Kindle Challenge badges and it was available at my library, so I went into this blind with only the title and a brief synopsis written by the publisher's marketing department to guide my expectations. I was hoping for something akin to the Julie/Julia project - a chronological baking journey and the dating mishaps encountered along the way written in a way that makes me feel connected to the author and a part of their journey. What I received were unsatisfying asynchronous soundbites that had the potential to be interesting stories and/or lessons in the hands of a more skilled storyteller coupled with equally unsatisfying recipes.
That person wrote a book. This book.
It's a book that doesn't know what it wants to be - Is it a memoir? A dating guide? A humor book? A cookbook? It's somehow all of the above and none of the above - trying to be a jack of all trades, but a master of none.
The stories aren't detailed enough nor given enough context to be an interesting memoir. There's no logical conclusion to be an insightful guide to dating. It's funny, I'm sure...to someone who was there or maybe someone who likes non-sequitur David Letterman style Top 10 lists. And given how many times the author alludes to her own baking mishaps or people not liking her cakes, these recipes are probably not to be trusted and quite frankly most of them sound downright awful. Perhaps that was meant to be part of the humor?
On the bright side, it's short. I read this because it showed up as an option for one of the Kindle Challenge badges and it was available at my library, so I went into this blind with only the title and a brief synopsis written by the publisher's marketing department to guide my expectations. I was hoping for something akin to the Julie/Julia project - a chronological baking journey and the dating mishaps encountered along the way written in a way that makes me feel connected to the author and a part of their journey. What I received were unsatisfying asynchronous soundbites that had the potential to be interesting stories and/or lessons in the hands of a more skilled storyteller coupled with equally unsatisfying recipes.
December 18, 2015
Maybe I would have enjoyed this if I were in college. I found it really obnoxious that she referred to the men she was trying to meet as "boys", and then she got annoyed when a man started talking about "chicks". How is that any different? The recipes didn't even sound appealing...none I want to try, and I love cake.
September 28, 2015
I loved this book. Granted some of the recipes sound horrendous, the stories keep you coming back.
I am certain that I would be friends with Audrey and I would have jumped on the bandwagon with my own version of sitting in Bars with Cookies.
I can't say how much I enjoyed reading this!
I am certain that I would be friends with Audrey and I would have jumped on the bandwagon with my own version of sitting in Bars with Cookies.
I can't say how much I enjoyed reading this!
September 2, 2016
I loved the premise of this book, and did find it funny. I wanted some more depth/description/insights into the author's actual experiences. But overall, great pairing: awkward conversations and interesting cakes! (And I loved the illustrations.)
June 9, 2015
Delightful twist on dating and recipes. It's a great gift for college grads. I just gave it as a birthday gift for a 30-year-old.
May 31, 2018
Ok
I really only read this for the cake recipes. There was nothing really moving or interesting about the outcome for the writer. What was really disappointing was that she used the same cake recipe with flavor alterations the whole way through the book.
I really only read this for the cake recipes. There was nothing really moving or interesting about the outcome for the writer. What was really disappointing was that she used the same cake recipe with flavor alterations the whole way through the book.
February 22, 2016
This book was so fun! Loved the recipes mixed in with the author's tales of trying to meet men in bars.
November 11, 2023
50 cakes. 50 bars.
The author devises this plan to meet men. She bakes cakes (recipes included in the book) and takes them to bars and offers slices of cake to men that look interesting.
It didn't get her a boyfriend, at least not so that it was divulged in the book, but it did get her a book.
And a movie was made from it, so there's that.
Not much of a cake person personally, there were only a couple cakes included in the book that I'd want a taste of....
The author devises this plan to meet men. She bakes cakes (recipes included in the book) and takes them to bars and offers slices of cake to men that look interesting.
It didn't get her a boyfriend, at least not so that it was divulged in the book, but it did get her a book.
And a movie was made from it, so there's that.
Not much of a cake person personally, there were only a couple cakes included in the book that I'd want a taste of....
November 8, 2016
Some of this book was really amusing, and I marked a few recipes (with paper strips, it's a library book after all!) I want to photocopy to try later. That includes Sticky Maple Kiss Cake with Pumpkin Frosting and Let's Get Baked Granola Cake with Honey Frosting. But Artichoked Cake with Balsamic Glaze and Sweet Pea Cake with Creme Fraiche? Just, no. Is this a Los Angeles thing?
I enjoyed the story accompanying each cake recipe, such as The Guy Who Made Contact With My Mouth, The Guy Who Thought This Was An Art Project and The Guy Who Danced Like No One Watching. But I was a bit annoyed that she called adult males "boys" throughout (and women were "girls") but complained about one man using the word "chick."
I enjoyed the story accompanying each cake recipe, such as The Guy Who Made Contact With My Mouth, The Guy Who Thought This Was An Art Project and The Guy Who Danced Like No One Watching. But I was a bit annoyed that she called adult males "boys" throughout (and women were "girls") but complained about one man using the word "chick."
February 10, 2017
This was a better cookbook than book about dating. The stories weren't particularly exciting but sometimes neither is dating. Reeeeeeally cool recipes in here though, I definitely would like to try some!
June 16, 2015
I read blog posts longer than this book -.-
February 3, 2019
Lots of fun, lovely illustrations, and novel, interesting cake recipes.
May 3, 2019
Pretty adorable, tongue in cheek humor mixed with sweet treats. Definitely more of a coffee table type book than a true cookbook or novel.
May 7, 2021
Bacon Sponge Cake with Potato Chip Frosting
(For people who share their own accomplishments without inquiring about any of yours)
cake
eggs - sugar - cake flour
unsalted butter
1 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1/2 cup crumbled potato chips
frosting
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup finely ground potato chips, plus more for garnish
---
Gin and Tonic Cake with Lime Zest Frosting
(For those inclined to drink or eat away their sorrows)
cake
unsalted butter - sugar - eggs
lemon zest - lime zest - cream of tartar
flour - baking soda - salt
1/2 cup gin
1/2 cup 7Up
frosting
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablepoons gin
1 teaspoon tonic
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
---
Artichoked Cake with Balsamic Glaze
(For young men who could use a shove forward in the dating arena, or a little encouragement taking the lead)
cake
unsalted butter - sugar - eggs
flour - baking powder - salt
one 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 tablespoon lemon juice
glaze
2 cups balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
---
has anyone tried the odder cakes in this one yet?
May 26, 2025
"This big boyfriend void I’d envisioned suddenly seemed very filled by other purposeful space holders in the organizational chart of my life: friends, family, writing, working, baking, and using Instagram to immortalize oblivious boys eating cake in bars. If there had been any hole, I must have imagined it. There would be room created for the boyfriend when he showed up, and I wasn’t trying to cram him in where he didn’t belong."
You wouldn't believe the movie it was made of this book............ However it was a pretty fast read and sort of entertaining in its own way, also, if you're a baker, then there's some recipes for you!
adapted film:
sitting in bars with cake (2023) dir. Trish Sie.
You wouldn't believe the movie it was made of this book............ However it was a pretty fast read and sort of entertaining in its own way, also, if you're a baker, then there's some recipes for you!
adapted film:
sitting in bars with cake (2023) dir. Trish Sie.
March 2, 2024
Is this a cookbook? A social experiment? Art? Who knows. It was unique and quirky. An idea not done to my knowledge before. Some of these recipes were interesting! A cream cheese with cauliflower frosting? A sweet pea cake? I’d try some of these. I suppose after so many cases, you’d want to start experimenting with unique and savory cakes. The way the book was organized was actually done great. The notes, lists, stories accompanying the cakes were fun. A little insight to the author, but yet never telling a complete story. Interesting for sure! I heard there’s a movie, so on to watching that next!
March 9, 2024
Skip the Book - Watch the Movie
I watched a movie that made me laugh and cry. A touching story about friends, found family, baking cakes to find a guy, and sickness. And this story was based on true events. The movie was perfection. So I went out to seek the book.
This book was so disappointing. Nothing about the friend (so was their a friend). It was mostly cake recipes for savory cakes with weird frosting. Some recipes appear to be inedible. Cauliflower frosting - with no added sugar. (Gagging)
This is the first time in my advance age where I can honestly say the movie outshone the book.
I watched a movie that made me laugh and cry. A touching story about friends, found family, baking cakes to find a guy, and sickness. And this story was based on true events. The movie was perfection. So I went out to seek the book.
This book was so disappointing. Nothing about the friend (so was their a friend). It was mostly cake recipes for savory cakes with weird frosting. Some recipes appear to be inedible. Cauliflower frosting - with no added sugar. (Gagging)
This is the first time in my advance age where I can honestly say the movie outshone the book.
January 28, 2024
Picked this up after stumbling on a movie based on it. The movie broke my heart into little pieces but the book was a quick, funny read full of anecdotes about a year of baking cakes to meet guys in bars.
I found Audrey's blog regarding losing her best friend to brain cancer, which was definitely not in the book since, I've now learned, was just a collection of her funniest, best anecdotes about the whole thing.
The blog about Chrissy: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/losing...
I found Audrey's blog regarding losing her best friend to brain cancer, which was definitely not in the book since, I've now learned, was just a collection of her funniest, best anecdotes about the whole thing.
The blog about Chrissy: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/losing...
August 22, 2024
I made the mistake of being so impressed by the movie this book inspired, that I thought the book would be just inspiringly. Both unfortunately and fortunately, the movie is so loosely based on the book and the book did not cause me to sob for an hour after finishing it.
Sitting in Bars with Cake is an entertaining read as we join Shulman on her journey to find a boyfriend. It’s a fun way to view the wild world of dating and how something as simple as a slice of cake can lead to lasting connections.
Sitting in Bars with Cake is an entertaining read as we join Shulman on her journey to find a boyfriend. It’s a fun way to view the wild world of dating and how something as simple as a slice of cake can lead to lasting connections.
October 3, 2024
The movie on Amazon is one of my all time favorites, but the book didn't take the cake. It was cute, but not a real cookbook. It was a little strange and I was pretty disappointed, especially after watching the movie. I really wish it had been genuine recipes. That's what I had been hoping for after all the interesting 🎂 cakes I saw in the movie. But I would highly recommend the movie. It was funny, poignant, heartwarming, and a big winner in my book.
August 23, 2023
I know it was a book with stories from the bars and experiences combined with cake recipes, but I expected it to be more in balance. It was a lot of recipes, I think like 90% and 10% storytelling.
The trailer from the tv series looks promising though, way more storytelling. Maybe that is why I expected more and something from the book.
I love the idea/concept of the book though!
The trailer from the tv series looks promising though, way more storytelling. Maybe that is why I expected more and something from the book.
I love the idea/concept of the book though!
April 14, 2023
Cute book! I enjoyed the fun, flirty nature of the storytelling in between recipes. I kinda wish there were more details provided in each story and about the author. The drawings were cute and some of the recipes sound really good!
August 9, 2023
Link for the playlist from the book: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0KJ...
October 8, 2023
The blog is much better then the book. I really want to watch the movie but I don't have Amazon Prime... https://youtu.be/DBzFS40KD0Y?si=TgzMe...
November 11, 2023
Yeah this was terrible. Thankfully short. Only reason I powered through was to watch the movie for girls night.
November 18, 2023
Good cookbook
Good cookbook and delightfully funny by a hometown girl. Wonder if she married. Recommend the book even if you just want new cake recipes
Good cookbook and delightfully funny by a hometown girl. Wonder if she married. Recommend the book even if you just want new cake recipes
December 9, 2023
Was expecting more.
December 11, 2023
A young woman tries to meet men by bringing cake to bars and giving it away. An interesting look at dating, introverts vs extroverts, and how hard it can be to meet people as an adult.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews