Bakeries for Cakes & Cookies
Parent Q&A
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Questions
- Cake for baby shower
- Cafe for cake on the weekend
- Best chocolate cupcakes?
- Boston Cream Pie
- Cake that dogs can eat
- Gourmet, pretty cakes like Masse's
- Good & affordable cake for a shower
- Spice cake with cream cheese frosting
- Sugar-free cakes
- Tres leches cake
Cake for baby shower
Sept 2008
I am hosting a baby shower and looking to get an affordable but not full-of-buttercream-frosting cake to serve to my 25 guests. I'm not too picky about the kind of cake, just something a little different from your average safeway cake. dani
Diandas Bakery at 25th and Mission makes delicious tres leches cakes with whipped cream frosting (not buttercream). If you ask them to limit their decoration to strawberries or some other fruit (as opposed to buttercream flowers) it is a tasty affordable cake. Anonymous
Believe it or not, Costco makes pretty good cakes, and you can have them decorated. You can pick up whatever they have day of, or order in advance. $15 or so for a half-sheet, filled. janet
Cafe for cake on the weekend
April 2008
We're looking for a good cafe to go to in Berkeley for cake on weekend afternoons. The two primary criteria are (1) yummy cake and (2) outdoor seating with nice ambiance. We know about Crixa Cakes (yummy cakes, but expensive, and the outdoor seating doesn't have much ambiance) and Cafe Strada (great ambiance, but difficult parking, and they seem to have downgraded all their cakes to bars). Anyone know of a place that fits the bill? Hungry for cake
I'm looking forward to hearing others' suggestions, but we like Cafe Roma at College and Ashby, which offers both yummy cake and outdoor seating. Cake & Sunshine is a Great Life Philosophy
Oh boy did you ask the right person! Price-wise, Bakesale Betty's has great treats, mostly cookies. Katrina Rozelle on College has lovely cake with a little outdoor seating.
Down the street, Bittersweet has amazing brownies and cinnamon chocolate cake, not too crowded on weekdays. Some of the employees can be way too business-like (c'mon, it's cake!).
On Fourth St., Betty's has amazing lemon bars and fruit cobblers, and Market Hall has really lovely cake with lots of outdoor seating, good for people/dog watching. Oh, I don't eat a lot of cake or anything...
I don't know if the ambiance is nice enough for you, but Masse's has the *best* cakes. The mango mousse is especially delicious. It's on Shattuck near Vine. Parking can be a bit challenging, but not as bad as it is for Cafe Strada. Caaaaake
I highly recommend Masse's on Shattuck & Vine, a couple of stores down from Black Oak Books. They sell large and single-serving cakes as well as tea and coffee. This is one of the best (if not the best) bakery in Berkeley. There is a small number of tables inside and some outside. It's a delightful place for afternoon tea & treat, with or without kids. Parking can be a pain on weekends but, were in Berkeley is it not? Brenda
We just ate some delicious honey rolls and pie at Sweet Adeline's today. Yummy --we live closeby, the neighborhood isn't the greatest our real estate agent forecast is ''positive upside.'' It's simply a delicious bakery & worth the visit. There's a small outdoor spot which is pretty good, no great views (cross street MLK/view of parking LOT), oh yeah tonnes of free parking. They always ask me if I'd like that 'take-out.' Check it out if you're still hungry for CAKE. anon
masses in berkeley - http://www.massespastries.com/ i like cake too
Best chocolate cupcakes?
Oct 2006
where are the best chocolate cupcakes with delightful decorations for a science loving 6 year old boy? Bakery suggestions welcome, or persuade me to use a gorgeous cake.. 20 kids. Elaine
I don't know where you live, but you should try Virginia Bakery. I'm sure they can do great cupcakes; their sheet cakes are incredible. (And the frosting actually tastes really good- not like supermarket yucko). Happy Birthday! Dessert lover
For easy inexpensive uniform cupcakes, and you can do it at the last minute, Neldam's Bakery. I think they were a dollar a cupcake, and you can choose white or dark, and white or dark frosting. More important than the taste or quality of the cupcake is if you can put some sort of little flag or special object on each-- Bakery cupcakes work for me!
We love Love at First Bite or soomething like that..It's in the Vine Street square. At Vine and Walnut St. in N. Berkeley. They have amazing, beautiful, delicious and creative cupcakes..a whole store full! cupcake lover
The yummiest cupcakes I've found are from Teacake Bakeshop: www.teacakebakeshop.com. I like their cupcakies, which are shorter & flatter than traditional cupcakes
Now I'm Salivating
No contest - the very best cupcakes I have ever had in the East Bay come from Braxton Boxes. Moist, flavorful, just the right amount of sweet \x96 no cloying mass-produced treats here. Pam and Ron will work with you to ensure you get the flavor and design you want. They created pink lemonade for my friend\x92s daughter\x92s last birthday. Each cupcake had a little candy ladybug or flower perched on the frosting. When one of the kids at my daughter\x92s preschool moved back to China, they topped each cupcake at her going away party with a piece of chocolate with a character from the Chinese alphabet on it. Their cakes rock too but I am most partial to their cupcakes \x96 the ultimate comfort food! They are a home-based business so can keep their costs competitive with the cupcake bakeries. And Ron and Pam are truly wonderful. If I sound like I\x92m gushing, it\x92s because I am. Contact them at braxtonsboxes[at]sbcglobal.net.
shari
I just read your post and wanted to mention that I have recently seen a cupcake cake that was really neat. It was made up of about 20-30 cupcakes all set upclose to one another with frosting decorating them all as one big picture. Super easy to serve and lots of fun looking. Here's an example I found on the web (not nearly as cute as the one I saw though). Endless possibilities... http://cakefun.blogspot.com/2005/06/have-your-cake-and-your-cupcake-too.html Good luck!
Fellow Mom
I get birthday cupcakes at the Pak N Save in Emeryville, at 40th St. and San Pablo Ave. The store has a big onsite bakery, the cupcakes have gooey frosting, lots of decorations, come in vanilla and chocolate so kids have a choice, and are reasonably priced. They are not gourmet but I think that is wasted on kids. Pak N Save is actually a Safeway store, I guess they call it that because it's bigger than the usual Safeway. rami
Tres leches cake
Feb 2007
Can anyone recommend a good place to get Tres Leches cake? I'd like to be able to buy a slice, and if I like it, then I'll go ahead and order a whole cake. However, I don't know where to go! Thanks! craving tres leches
Try Sugar Bowl Bakery in the 4th St. neighborhood in Berkeley. 524-3906. I don't remember if they sell tres leche by the slice but I got a tres leches cake there last year and it was good! anon
I just bought a slice at Neldam's Danish Bakery - Oakland, on Telegraph at the mid-thirties (cross-street). It was yummy! pregnant & sampling LOTS of sweets ...
Feb 2006
My birthday is coming up in February and I'm trying to give my husband some ideas for bakers. I am in love with tres leches (3 milk) cake that I tasted in Cabo. Does anyone have a good baker that makes cakes? Thanks. loretta
Merritt Bakery in Oakland has a Tres Leches cake. I haven't tasted that particular cake, but I have been happy with other cakes I have purchased there.
Tina
Market Hall in Rockridge makes a Tres Leches cake, and it is available on the catering menu, too. Market Hall Caterers number is 547-4066. Happy birthday!
Dessert Fan
My family loves the tres leches cake at the Cactus Taqueria on College Ave.! You could also try chowhound.com
Someone asked about getting Tres Leches Cake in the East Bay for her birthday. I saw a friend tonight, she owns a bakery in Mexico and lives part of the year here. She told me that The Pasta Shop (Market Hall in Rockridge, or Pasta Shop on 4th Street) recently started making this cake. If you get it, she advises to order it fresh for your party.
Cake Lover
Sugar-free cakes
March 2005
I am trying to prepare for my son's first birthday party as a sugar-free kid. Can any of you recommend a bakery that makes sugar-free cakes? Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Lena
Hi, The Nabolom Bakery on Russell street at College Avenue makes some goodies with maple syrup or sucanat instead of sugar. You might want to make them a special request.
Try Barbara Llewellyn Catering--they did a fructose sweetened chocolate cake for our wedding and it was delicious. http://www.barbarallewellyn.com/
See also: NON or LOW sugar Birthday Cake for 2-y-o
Gourmet, pretty cakes like Masse's
May 2005
Interested in recommendations for Bay area bakeries that do gourmet, pretty cakes like Masse's. Especially interested in a bakery that can do great quality with a large, event cake. Thanks. Cake Connoisseur
Hi, Looking for a beautiful and yummy cake for a big event function. I know about Masse's and Katrina Rozelle and am looking for other recommenations in the Bay area along the lines of the sort of cake that Masse's makes.
Crixa Cakes on Adeline in Berkeley makes wonderful cakes. I have also had good luck with Virginia Bakery in Berkeley for larger sheet cakes. S.
Here's the website for a well-known Sonoma County Baker: http://www.fleurdelisacakes.com/
A friend is using her for a summer wedding and say the cakes taste awesome. They are certainly beautiful. I believe she travels with her cakes. I want cake now!
Sweet Adeline at Adeline and 63rd in Oakland has great cakes. They mostly take orders, but occasionally have some pre-made. I assume that they do event cakes. La Farine: west side of College avenue between Alcatraz and Clairmont also has yummy special cakes. bakery addict
Walnut Creek Baking Company has the very best cakes in the East Bay. I frequently purchase cakes for business luncheons and office functions. The location is very convenient w/ ample parking, the cake deocorators there are superb, the cakes are absolutly delicious and beautiful! I highly recommend Walnut Creek Baking Company! Their phone number is 925.988.9222 and their website is www.walnutcreekbakingcompany.com Carin
Good & affordable cake for a shower
July 2004
I am looking for a recommendation on a good and affordable cake for a shower for 20-40 people in the east bay. I am open to suggestions from Costco to bakeries. Thanks WSP
My extended family agrees that you can't do better than Costco. They sell half sheet cakes (serve about 50) for about $12-14. They are delicious and very pretty, with about a dozen designs to choose from, and they will add writing or customize colors to your specifications. You can either just choose a pre-made one from the case or order in advance. We just used one of their cakes for my son's third birthday, and it was far better than the Toot Sweets cake we paid $40 for the year before. Catherine
I recently had the caramel delight cake from Adronico's. It's a moist chocolate cake with caramel filling and buttercream frosting. If you like chocolate and caramel, it doesn't get much better than this. And the price is decent. Kerry
Boston Cream Pie
June 2004
Hi there, Can anyone recommend a bakery, or grocery store that has a good boston cream pie? thanks, cris
Crixa Bakery on Adeline, near where it hits Shattuck (Berkeley Bowl area). Call to see if available before you go, but all their stuff is great. Ellen I've never tried it, but my favorite bakery, Crixa Cakes, has a beautiful Boston Cream Pie. Their other cakes, which I've had, are absolutely delicious, old-fashioned, simple and uncomplicated. This bakery is on Adeline Street in Berkeley and was just written up in San Francisco magazine. Berkeley cake lover
Cake that dogs can eat
June 2004
I didn't see anything about this on the web site. Does anyone know where I can purchase a cake that dogs can eat? My dog's half-sister is having her 1 year old birthday party.
My sister thought I lost my mind, but I have purchased a birthday cake for my dog. We got it at the Three Dog Bakery. I don't believe there are any in this area, but you can order it online and have it shipped. The dog seemed to enjoy it. www.threedog.com
I don't know if they have any cakes, but there's a store on Chestnut St. in SF called Catnip + Bones. They have really cute and fancy (& expensive) dog treats. Kindof like a fancy pastry shop for dogs. anon
Three Dog Bakery is a great place to purchase a doggie birthday cake. They do not use sugar or any chemicals. All the ingredients are natural. The ''chocolate'' cakes are really not chocolate since chocolate can make a dog sick. The chocolate cakes are really make from carob. Here is their website. http://www.threedog.com/ Click on ''Shop the Dogalong'' and then Click on ''Celebration Cakes''. Joy joy.randel [at] kp.org
I don't have a dog, but I know you can buy a dog *cake* at Bella and Daisys on Union Street in SF (http://www.bellaanddaisys.com) Kim
Check out City Dogs Boutique and Barkery in Pleasant Hill. 925/685-4688 Rachel
Spice cake with cream cheese frosting
June 2003
I need to find a bakery in the Oakland area that makes a good spice cake with cream cheese frosting (with no nuts in either). Any suggestions? This is for a special birthday, and he does not like carrot cake as a substitution. Thanks! Ellen
I would recommend Crixa Cakes at 2748 Adeline. Phone # is 510- 548-0421. I believe they make a spice cake and all of their cakes are delicious. Cake Lover
I seem to recall that one of Virginia Bakery's cake options is spice cake and I think they'll do a cream cheese frosting. It's been a while since I got that info., so definitely call them and ask.
The Virginia Bakery (Shattuck and Virginia) makes an applesauce cake that I can only describe as a spice cake. They generally make it with a caramel frosting, but I'd be shocked if they wouldn't make it with cream cheese if you preordered it. They're really nice there -- I'm sure they'd give you a small sample to see if it fits the bill. Tamar
Check out Kady Rachlin. Instagram @kadybake. I've seen some of her specialized birthday cakes for kids and they are out of this world.
https://www.barikabakes.com/
You could try @cakesbykarl on Instagram. He’s based in Vallejo and was a 2x Food Network Baking Champion so can probably do some interesting things, for the right price I’m sure. Hope this helps and that your child enjoys their birthday!
I recommend Cakes by Karl located in Vallejo. He actually competed and won a couple of those TV baking shows so perhaps he can construct what you are looking for. His cakes taste pretty good too. Examples of his work can be found on Instagram (@cakesbykarl).
Hi,
We ordered a Raspberry Royale as a birthday cake from La Farine on College Ave., and it was lovely even though it wasn't very custom apart from "Happy Birthday" written on it. My giftee ate the cake in 2 days, and asked for a bigger one next year :) They used to do cake customizations but temporarily discontinued them; I hope the option will be back soon. My friend and I also enjoy La Farine's Princess Torte. If you're interested, here's the link:
http://www.lafarine.com/cakes/
I'm also partial to Mother McDowell's Bakery,too.
Hi,
Before it ended, Ace of Cakes was one of our family's favorite shows on Food Network many years ago. Just now, I realized that the show's host, Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes, has very recently partnered with GoldBerry to offer nationwide shipping for some of his cakes.Here's the link:
https://duffgoldman.goldbelly.com/