Read and Cook – Bridget Jones’s Diary (Novel) and Mom’s orange & chocolate birthday cake #ReadandCook #bookreview #baking
Posted: November 12, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding, Orange and Chocolate Birthday Cake, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 45 Comments
Today, I have selected a humorous book for my review. Bridget Jones’s Diary is very amusing but it does also have a more serious theme. The movie is different to the book from what I have read. I haven’t seen the movie so I can’t comment on it.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (Novel)
Bridget Jones’s Diary is a fabulous and humorous romp through the world of an unmarried 30 something woman living on her own in London. The novel is written in the form of a personal diary and every entry starts with a list of her daily calory count, cigarettes smoked, and alcohol units consumed. This introduction is very telling as it summarises how Bridget views herself and her life. Caught up in the modern ideas of love being linked to looks and, especially, being thin, Bridget is obsessed with her weight. Although couched in humour, this theme is actually a serious one and centres around women’s unfortunate association of looks and weight with popularity, self worth, and romantic love.
Bridget has a job, but she wants to achieve more, she has friends and family, but she wants a relationship and to be part of a couple. The pursuit of these two goals are the main threads of this book which involves a career change for Bridget and also two potential romances. The first possibility is Daniel, a Casanova and womeniser, who is also Bridget’s boss – big mistake. The second is the seemingly stuffy and serious human-rights barrister, Mark Darcy, whom Bridget dislikes when they are reintroduced at a New Year’s party. Bridget’s mother is keen on Mark as a partner for Bridget and reminds her publically that they used to play together as children.
Bridget has a group of single friends, including Tom and Jude who both have never-ending ups and downs with their own relationships. These ‘singletons’ stick by each other through thick and thin. Bridget also has several ‘smug married’ friends who are always seeking to get her married off so she can join their club. As the novel progresses, Bridget is exposed to the realities of imperfect marriages and relationships but this doesn’t change her rose tinted views or desire to be part of a couple.
If you are looking for an entertaining and humorous read to distract your from the trials of daily life, this novel will certainly fit the bill.
Purchase Bridget Jones’s Diary from Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Bridget-Joness-Diary-Picador-Classic-ebook/dp/B01GOG7966
Mom’s orange and chocolate birthday cake
This recipe is also for Jo’s BKD Cookbook Club – November. You can join in this challenge here: https://brookfordkitchendiaries.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/bkd-cookbook-club-november/
My mother turned 87 on 21 October. I decided to host a family lunch to celebrate and she asked for an orange and chocolate cake. I ordered the Terry’s oranges from an on-line supplier and they were delicious and an interesting decorative feature for this cake. This time, I did not marble the cakes, but rather made two cakes. The bottom layer is and orange cake and the top layer is a chocolate cake. I made an orange flavoured buttercream to ice the orange cake and used ganache to ice the chocolate cake. I broke up two of the Terry’s oranges for the orange slices decorations and used a nearly whole one for the top main decoration feature. I sprinkled the entire cake with edible gold glitter as a final touch.
Recipe for rich chocolate cake
Ingredients
2 large eggs
500 ml (2 cups) sticky brown sugar
250 ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
250 ml (1 cup) Greek (double thick) yogurt
500 ml (2 cups) cake flour (plain)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) bicarbonate of soda
190 ml cocoa powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla essence
250 ml (1 cup) boiling water from the kettle
Method
Line the bottom of a 23 cm x 30 cm round baking tin and spray the sides with no stick spray or grease with butter. Heat the oven to 160 C.
Beat the sugar into the eggs. Add the oil and the yogurt and beat well. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and the cocoa powder and add, mixing well. Beat in the boiling water and the vanilla essence. The mixture will be thick and smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
If you are baking in a humid and sticky climate, you will need to adjust the ingredients slightly by adding 1 additional Tablespoon (15 ml) of flour to the mixture. This is to combat the extra moisture the sugar and flour will have absorbed in muggy, moist climates.
This is my Youtube video of Mom’s birthday cake:
This recipe is out of Michael and my cookbook for children, Sir Chocolate and the Baby Cookie Monster story and cookbook which is available from TSL Publications here:
The ebook is available from Lulu.com and you will find the link on the TSL Publications page.
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog https://wordpress.com/home/robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyFo_OJLPqFa9ZhHnCfHUA
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
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This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Dark Fiction Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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I have seen the film but never read the book Robbie.
That cake looks amazing.
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Thank you, Maggie. As always, the book is much better than the film which misses some of the important thematic points.
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My pleasure Robbie
Ah okay 😉 the two rarely match do they.
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I love Bridget Jones Diary and have read it more than once. I recall the first time I read it, it was my 50th birthday and Paul took me away for the weekend to a lovely island off the coast of Vancouver. I was depressed because I didn’t like the idea of turning 50. I read the book (a gift from a friend) on the ferry and in the car waiting for ferries etc. It was so funny I laughed out loud and reread the funny bits to Paul. We were both laughing so hard I forgot about being depressed! The birthday cake you made for your mom is fabulous. I just showed it to Paul and I may have to make one for him as Terry’s Chocolates are his favourite! A super pairing.
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I cannot think of a better combo than the blending of the saucy Bridget Jones and your Mom’s orange and chocolate birthday cake–the orange for a “kick” and chocolate for sweetness. Lovely!
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I’m pleased you enjoyed this post, Marian. I thought this book was very amusing and it was a nice change of pace.
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The Terry’s chocolate orange is something of an institution in Britain, and much loved by many. The cake looks perfect! I have seen the film adaptation of Bridget Jones’ Diary, but never read the book. I liked the film a lot, but I have heard is is more lightweight than the novel. Shared on Twitter, Robbie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hi Pete, I am sure the serious themes are missing from the movie based on the analysis I read. My mom enjoyed the chocolates and the cake. I ordered them especially for her.
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Terrific review of “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” Robbie! I also found the novel to be hilarious while wrestling with some serious questions, as you note.
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Yes, I thought of you when I wrote this review because we discussed this book 💞
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I can’t comment on the book or movie since I haven’t read or seen them, but I know they were very popular. Your mom’s cake is beautiful, Robbie! As a chocolate fan, I highly approve.
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I’m delighted to know that 🍫🎂
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I’ve seen the movie but never read the book. The cake looks delicious!
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The cake was amazing. Tastes as important as looks to me.
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I don’t usually read “relationship” books, Robbie, but the humor in Bridget Jones does intrigue me. I can always use a smile. Which your cake provided today. How beautiful! You’re a wizard. Happy Birthday to your mom. ❤
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Thank you, Diana. Mom turned 87. This is a very amusing book. I enjoyed it a lot.
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A lovely review, Robbie. The cake looks delicious. Orange and chocolate are such good partners. Thanks for sharing.
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I agree that chocolate and orange are great together 💜
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😊
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I think the book started as as a daily diary in a newspaper or magazine. I read the book years ago, so I must read it again, I certainly remeber laughing a lot. I have also seen the film.
I smile every time I see a picture of that cake. It is fatal to have a chocolate orange in my house as I would say to myself ‘just one more segment.’ Last year my youngest grandson had a chocolate orange in his stocking and ate it all on Xmas Day!
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I have never actually had one before this cake. I ordered them especially for Mom’s celebration. Very nice – chocolate and orange. I didn’t know this book started life in installments. It does fit on reflection of how the chapters end.
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I think I need to read the book, I’ve only seen the movie. This cake looks delicious. Do you have your orange cake recipe published somewhere, Robbie?
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Not yet, Carla. It will be in one of the baking books next year.
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It’s fantastic to have you here, Robbie! I love Bridget Jones Diary – both the book and the movie … equally but differently. I don’t eat much chocolate, but look forward to Santa leaving me a Terry’s chocolate orange in my stocking each year. A lovely way to say I love you to your mother.
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Thank you, Jo. I appreciate your comment. Mom is getting on, she turned 87. I ordered those chocolates especially for her 🍊🍫
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I saw the movie which I liked but never read the book. If anything, I think expectations for both men and women are more unrealistic than ever, due to curated images online. Nobody wins. (K)
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Yes, I agree about unrealistic expectations of people 🙏💙
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The book review was interesting (I haven’t read it or seen the movie), but I was totally distracted by that cake.
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It was really tasty, Liz. A great cake. The book is hilarious. It’s good to laugh.
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😃
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loved the movie and book, both and the cake!
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Thanks, Beth. That’s great to know 💓
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I’ve seen the movie, but I’ve never read the book. Now I want to, Robbie. 🙂 Happy belated birthday to your mom, and that cake is amazing! 🥰
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I am the opposite. I’ve read the book but only seen bits of the movie 💓
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I’ve only seen the movie. Happy birthday to your mom!
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Thank you, Jennie 💝🌈🙏
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You’re welcome, Robbie.
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I am in awe of your chocolate and orange cake, and what a beautiful thing to do for your Mum’s birthday. I’ll try and follow your blog and writings from now on. The librarian is always coming out in me:) Cheers, Pauline
Happy Retirees Kitchen (https://happyretireeskitchen.blogspot.com)
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Hi Pauline, I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post. Thank you 💙
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Wow! What a beautiful cake!!!
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Thank you 💗
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I do love chocolate and orange together – so delicious! I am always surprised that some people don’t! THis looks great.
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
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Thank you, I’m pleased you enjoyed this post
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