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Cake: A Slice of History Paperback – April 11, 2017

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 28 ratings

Cake can evoke thoughts of home, comfort someone at a time of grief or celebrate a birth or new love. It is a maker of memories, a marker of identities, and delicious!

It was the year 878 A.D., and a man claimed sanctuary in a small village home in Wessex. To the surprise of the villager, the man was not a passing vagabond but Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons. The village homemaker was happy to hide him from the marauding Danes, provided he keep an eye on the cake she had baking in the oven. Preoccupied with how to re-take his kingdom, Alfred let the cake burn, and the incident passed into folklore forever.

From these seemingly ignoble beginnings, not only was Alfred able to reclaim his spot in history, but the humble villager's cake has become a part of world culture as well. Alysa Levene looks at cakes both ancient and modern, from the fruit cake, to the pound cake, from the ubiquitous birthday cake to the angel food cake, all the way up to competitive baking shows on television and our modern obsession with macaroons and cup cakes.

Along the way, author Alysa Levene shows how cakes are so much more than just a delicious sugar hit, and reflects on how and why cakes became
the food to eat in times of celebration. Cake reflects cultural differences, whether it is the changing role of women in the home, the expansion of global trade, even advances in technology. Entertaining and delightfully informative, Cake: A Slice of History promises to be a witty and joyous celebration of our cultural heritage.
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An illuminating, informative, and engagingly entertaining book that will delight readers of cookery titles and social history. This is a natural complement to Nicola Humble’s Cake: A Global History." ― Library Journal

"Levene tells a good story. This may be your only chance to have your Cake and read it, too." ―
La Crosse Tribune

About the Author

Alysa Levene is a social historian at Oxford Brookes University and an enthusiastic amateur baker. Visit her website at www.sliceofcakeandapocketofpins.wordpress.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books; Reprint edition (April 11, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 168177349X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1681773490
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 28 ratings

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
28 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2017
    I got the ebook and really enjoyed it. Lots of great information packed into an entertaining read. If you like history, if you like baking, if you ever thought about how progress in other areas directly affect what we eat and how we eat it, if you're just a geek like me and was sitting there eating a cupcake wondering how we wound up with them as a dessert, then you'll probably find the book enjoyable. Is it a perfect book? no. Will it change your life? Possibly. I had no idea how interesting specific food histories are, and now I'm a little obsessed. I got one on bread and I've got one on my wish list about butter. So be warned, this book could open up a whole new dimension of geekery for you.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2020
    So so. Read better
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
    This book discusses the history of cake, from its oldest origins up to modern times. The focus leans into the British traditions, but does cover cake in other areas of the world. Tying in with cake is the development of recipe books and the role of women over the course of history in baking. In covering how cake changed over time, the author also delves into some of the ingredients and technologies that influenced the makeup of cake, including the availability of sugar from sugarcane and ovens with better control over temperature. There is a dip into how women and baking are perceived and the concept of the “domestic goddess”. Overall, it was an interesting overview of cake baking in history.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Adrian Briscoe
    5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE BOOK
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2020
    If you love history and cake then you love this
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Cake cake cake
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 31, 2019
    Good book to read for history of cake
  • Claire Mudway
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great read for all cake enthusiasts
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2024
    The book was full of interesting facts and information, Great for all cake enthusiasts whether your a baker or an eager taster. A sweet inspiration which is a delicious read.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully written. Bought as a present for my Grandmother ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2016
    Lovely book, beautifully written. Bought as a present for my Grandmother but will be buying another copy for myself!
  • Dave
    5.0 out of 5 stars CAKE!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2016
    My mum thinks its great, I get extra cake :)