--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People…" description: "\"“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 serv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jeanne-ray-21386_discipline_cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equat_705119.jpg" --- # Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with… ![“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…” quote by Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jeanne-ray-21386_discipline_cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equat_705119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jeanne-ray-21386_discipline_cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equat_705119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e3/jeanne-ray-21386_discipline_cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equat_705119.jpg) > ““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.”” [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes the moral superiority assigned to dieting, arguing that it disconnects people from the joy of eating and creates unhealthy judgments. **In simple terms:** Dieting isn’t a badge of virtue; joy matters. Key Takeaway Enjoy food without judgment. Themes diet culture joy judgment food self‑esteem Mood reflective critical Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - dinner parties - social gatherings - diet trends - self‑image issues Key Concepts moralism social comparison well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What does joy in eating look like for you? - How can we balance health goals with pleasure? A Different Perspective May overlook legitimate health concerns behind dietary choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cake/) [Cakes Gotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cakes-gotten-5574553/) [Dessert Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dessert-person-3733966/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Person Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-discipline-3733967/) [Serve Cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-cake-5222387/) ## Related quotes > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equate-virtue-with-turning-down-3/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equate-virtue-with-turning-down-2/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [Sam loved to listen to music and make his own songs, to wear soft velvets, to play in the castle kitchen beside the cooks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sam-loved-to-listen-to-music-and-make-his-own-songs-to-wear-soft/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The three of us just try put our heads down and stay creative. The awards truly are just cake. It's one of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-scott/the-three-of-us-just-try-put-our-heads-down-and-stay-creative-the/) [Hillary Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-scott/) > [“We went for a walk on College Street and popped into Coco's for a snack. There, I revealed my future, much like the exquisitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-rosen/we-went-for-a-walk-on-college-street-and-popped-into-coco-s-for-a/) [Amy Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-rosen/) > [Your favorite kind of cake can't be birthday cake, that's like saying your favorite kind of cereal is breakfast cereal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/your-favorite-kind-of-cake-can-t-be-birthday-cake-that-s-like-saying/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [“I bring the leftovers to rehearsal, and Ms. Albright lets us have a cake picnic on the stage. And by cake picnic, I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-bring-the-leftovers-to-rehearsal-and-ms-albright-lets-us-have-a/) [Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/) > [Let them eat cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/let-them-eat-cake/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [It's strange because pandan cake isn't hard to make but yet it can only be bought in Singapore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/it-s-strange-because-pandan-cake-isn-t-hard-to-make-but-yet-it-can/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [Happy Birthday To Me,I just turned twenty three(23),I want a new Puppy, And I'll name it Julie:) Chocolate cake anyone all I have leftover,,,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/happy-birthday-to-me-i-just-turned-twenty-three-23-i-want-a-new-puppy/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [A lot of people are programmed to think, 'Oh, I want to do this, but I also want this.' It's like they want everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metro-boomin/a-lot-of-people-are-programmed-to-think-oh-i-want-to-do-this-but-i/) [Metro Boomin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metro-boomin/) > [Baby I love you like a fat kid loves cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/baby-i-love-you-like-a-fat-kid-loves-cake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) [Ludwig Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-erhard/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) ## More by Jeanne Ray > [“I have a vested interest in this thing because I want to see you happy. What you need to ask yourself is this: Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-have-a-vested-interest-in-this-thing-because-i-want-to-see-you/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“I first noticed I was missing on a Thursday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-first-noticed-i-was-missing-on-a-thursday/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“We are tanks and guns. We are force of history. We will crush them beneath our heels like bugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/we-are-tanks-and-guns-we-are-force-of-history-we-will-crush-them/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“You're just going to bear witness to his life. I think sometimes that's the greatest gift we can give one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/you-re-just-going-to-bear-witness-to-his-life-i-think-sometimes-that/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“I think if you have something that you really love to do, you're already ahead of ninety-nine percent of the people out there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-think-if-you-have-something-that-you-really-love-to-do-you-re/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“So maybe you should try to find an answer for yourself instead of waiting around to see what Sam's going to do. Doing something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/so-maybe-you-should-try-to-find-an-answer-for-yourself-instead-of/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“Had I ever spent the day in our neighborhood public high school as an invisible woman while my children were still enrolled there, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/had-i-ever-spent-the-day-in-our-neighborhood-public-high-school-as-an/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“I could, for the first time in maybe thirty years, make my own decision, trust it, and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-could-for-the-first-time-in-maybe-thirty-years-make-my-own-decision/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“I want to I might be good at. I really want to be good at something, to feel passionate about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-want-to-i-might-be-good-at-i-really-want-to-be-good-at-something-to/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/cakes-have-gotten-a-bad-rap-people-equate-virtue-with-turning-down-2/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“(Baking Advice from her mother) It's easy enough to beat an egg into the batter but it's a lot harder to pull one out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/baking-advice-from-her-mother-it-s-easy-enough-to-beat-an-egg-into/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“You never really know what's going on with your ceiling until you just give up and lie down on your floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/you-never-really-know-what-s-going-on-with-your-ceiling-until-you/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“I want to try to figure out what I'm supposed to do, what I might be good at. I really want to be good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-want-to-try-to-figure-out-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-what-i-might-be/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“There's a perfectly good chance that this is a day you're going to remember for the rest of your life. This is the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/there-s-a-perfectly-good-chance-that-this-is-a-day-you-re-going-to/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) > [“I never knew people could be afraid of good news too. I realized that good news took you places you didn't know anything about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-ray/i-never-knew-people-could-be-afraid-of-good-news-too-i-realized-that/) [Jeanne Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) [Explore all 28 Jeanne Ray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-ray/) ## More Cake quotes > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) [Ludwig Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-erhard/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Baby I love you like a fat kid loves cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/baby-i-love-you-like-a-fat-kid-loves-cake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of people are programmed to think, 'Oh, I want to do this, but I also want this.' It's like they want everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metro-boomin/a-lot-of-people-are-programmed-to-think-oh-i-want-to-do-this-but-i/) [Metro Boomin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metro-boomin/) > [Happy Birthday To Me,I just turned twenty three(23),I want a new Puppy, And I'll name it Julie:) Chocolate cake anyone all I have leftover,,,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/happy-birthday-to-me-i-just-turned-twenty-three-23-i-want-a-new-puppy/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [It's strange because pandan cake isn't hard to make but yet it can only be bought in Singapore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/it-s-strange-because-pandan-cake-isn-t-hard-to-make-but-yet-it-can/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [Let them eat cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/let-them-eat-cake/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [“I bring the leftovers to rehearsal, and Ms. Albright lets us have a cake picnic on the stage. And by cake picnic, I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/i-bring-the-leftovers-to-rehearsal-and-ms-albright-lets-us-have-a/) [Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/) > [Your favorite kind of cake can't be birthday cake, that's like saying your favorite kind of cereal is breakfast cereal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/your-favorite-kind-of-cake-can-t-be-birthday-cake-that-s-like-saying/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [“We went for a walk on College Street and popped into Coco's for a snack. There, I revealed my future, much like the exquisitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-rosen/we-went-for-a-walk-on-college-street-and-popped-into-coco-s-for-a/) [Amy Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-rosen/) > [The three of us just try put our heads down and stay creative. The awards truly are just cake. It's one of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-scott/the-three-of-us-just-try-put-our-heads-down-and-stay-creative-the/) [Hillary Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-scott/) > [Sam loved to listen to music and make his own songs, to wear soft velvets, to play in the castle kitchen beside the cooks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sam-loved-to-listen-to-music-and-make-his-own-songs-to-wear-soft/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Photographing a cake can be art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-penn/photographing-a-cake-can-be-art/) [Irving Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-penn/) > [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Browse all 1,341 Cake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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. 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