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Rose Levy Beranbaum books: Heavenly vs. Bible?

post #1 of 18
6/12/12 at 4:23am
Thread Starter 
If I already have the Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum, is it worth it to also purchase her Rose's Heavenly Cakes book too? I have a gift card to use, so I'm not really hung up on money. I just wasn't sure if her recipes were duplicated in the books. Anyone have both?

TIA!
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post #2 of 18
6/12/12 at 4:53am
I too would like to know. bought her book at half price (had her signature) and love it. would like to know if I should be on the lookout for the other
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post #3 of 18
6/12/12 at 6:24am
I have both. There are definitely new recipes but also larger yield recipes of her originals. In my opinion, I would get it.

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post #4 of 18
6/12/12 at 6:33am
I have both... Im looking to get Toba Garrets book next! I already use her yellow cake recipe so i know i love it!!

23 years old, Mom to no one and damn proud of it lol.

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23 years old, Mom to no one and damn proud of it lol.

Cookies!
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post #5 of 18
6/12/12 at 6:39am
I have Toba's books too! I am a bit of a cookbook hoarder...

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post #6 of 18
6/12/12 at 6:41am
I have both. I have found that while I use both as a reference, I enjoy RHC more and use more of its recipes.

I have over 200 cookbooks, more than half are baking. RHC is in my top 10 as far as reference books. I rarely reference TCB anymore. Twenty years later, she has plenty to share.

Definitely a great investment for avid scratch bakers. Recipes are at the intermediate level.
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post #7 of 18
6/12/12 at 6:57am
I have both. There is some overlap as some of the cakes in Heavenly use recipes from C.B. For instance The White Velvet Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache uses the white velvet cake recipe from C.B. There is another where she adapts the yellow downy cake recipes from the C.B.

The key difference it seems is in Heavenly she does not give you general recipes with ideas for how you can make variations of the recipe. She gives you the recipe for the specific variant. For example she gives the recipe for borbon whipped cream as opposed to a general recipe for whipped cream and then identifying possible variants as she does in C.B. This is not to say that the recipes in Heavenly are simply combinations of recipes from C.B. I do not regret having both.
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post #8 of 18
6/12/12 at 7:02am
I have both and while I use both, CB is definitely the first baking book everyone should have. (it's my usual wedding or housewarming gift) but Heavenly Cakes is like graduate school.
No license or insurance. Put lead wires in cakes, never wash hands, cake boards are used cardboard. No contracts cause I can't read or write. No lawyer cause I'm judgment proof. I bake with old mix boxes found behind Walmart. Now about my question
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No license or insurance. Put lead wires in cakes, never wash hands, cake boards are used cardboard. No contracts cause I can't read or write. No lawyer cause I'm judgment proof. I bake with old mix boxes found behind Walmart. Now about my question
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post #9 of 18
6/12/12 at 8:05am
I think 20 years ago, RLB was a pioneer in baking method and science put in book form. She was there before every answer was on the web too. I think my preference for the newer book is that I study method from many chefs. But any scratch baker will benefit from the first book. The second book is also beautiful to look at.

I agree the new book is more specific in recipes, but I still use it as a method reference vs a cookbook. About 20% of my recipes are from someone else and most of the rest are loose adaptations. Both of RLB's books give the necessary information to move fa baker fromone who uses recipes as-is to being able to adapt for flavors and personal preferences.

Both books are also great for helping a baker advance in skill level. So many bakers have followed her books in blogs that it is easy to find out what went wrong or how a recipe can be adapted just by a simple search.
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post #10 of 18
6/12/12 at 8:50am
I have and use both pretty regular. She has some recipes in HC that are not in TCB and so forth (I use her German chocolate icing in HC and it's amazing). Both are my go-tos for recipes.

But she also updated several of her recipes in the newer book.

Worth it.
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post #11 of 18
6/12/12 at 8:57am
I have HC and I love it, her Vanilla butter cupcakes are my go-to cupcake recipe and I really enjoy her chocolate layer cake recipe as well.
Does anyone know if there is a chart of modifications needed doubling or tripling her recipies? I have had some trouble with making her chocolate layer cake recipe to bake in a 10" square or 12" round and I'm not sure if I need to adjust the leavening. Or is this something that owning the CB would help me with?
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post #12 of 18
6/12/12 at 9:17am
i have to admit, i have both books as well. i originally purchased the cake bible first. then the first opportunity i had i purchased the second. i don't regret it. although i have not yet tried any of the recipies from the second book, i was just reading through it last night and plan to make one this weekend. not a waste of money.!
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post #13 of 18
6/12/12 at 9:53am
Thread Starter 
thank you so much, everyone, for your replies! this is very encouraging; i'll purchase the book soon. i'm enjoying this journey of becoming a scratch baker. as always, i appreciate yall's insight and guidance!
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Cake Calculator: http://shinymetalobjects.net/cake/calculator/cakulator.cgi
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post #14 of 18
6/12/12 at 11:08am
FYI Just got back from half price and they have both. TCB sells for $7 .
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post #15 of 18
6/12/12 at 11:21am
Lovelyladylibra: The yellow cake recipe that you mention, is from TB or RL?
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