ISO to die for cakes in Los Angeles

[qsamel]

Hello there,

I love cake and can live off it.

I am looking to try some really awesome cakes from any type of bakery--as long as it is awesome. I am familiar with Sweet Lady Jane in West Hollywood and Portos in Glendale. I have also found the opera cake at Ralph's to be pretty good. But I need to venture out and explore new horizons! Where to?

[rednyellow]

Check out Lark on Sunset in Silverlake. Great cakes and the best cream puffs ever.

[poggibonzzi]

A rich purple cake made of taro and macapuno (a type of coconut) from Filipino bakeries such as Goldilocks or Red Ribbon (Sunset and Gower, Vermont near 6th St.)

[smonkey]

I second Susina, but my favorite cake I've had in the last few years was from a new bakery on Sunset in Silver Lake - Lark. The strawberry shortcake was amazing. They have a lot of their cakes available to sample as cupcakes as well, and good coffee. Alcove on Hillhurst in Los Feliz has a very good selection - they get their cakes from all over town but they do get some from Susina (i know they have berry blossom and a few others for example - watch out they are more expensive than just going to Susina itself).

[Jet]

Two suggestions; Try the French Bakery at Chez Nous in Toluca Lake. The Baklava Factory on Ventura Blvd. in Encino also has some delicious choices. --JET

[maudies5]

The six layer chocolate fudge cake from SusieCakes is the most delicious chocolate cake I have ever tasted.

[Das Ubergeek]

Tres leches cake ($1.75 per HUGE slice) from Vallarta Supermarket.

Mango cheesecake and carrot cake from Porto's Bakery.

[ReelMike84]

I can second the carrot cake from Porto's. I bought one for my mom's birthday a year ago because she loves carrot cake. I've never liked carrot cake before but even I thought it was wonderful.

[JeetJet]

Jongewaard's Bake 'n Broil (The moist Red Velvet is actually a sexy naughty crimson and the chocolate is also moist and good)
3697 Atlantic Ave (At 37th st.)
Long Beach, CA 90807
[phone]

Milk (Very moist Blue Velvet)
7290 Beverly Boulevard (at Poinsettia)
Los Angeles 90036
[phone]

[Oh Robin]

B&B Red Velvet... to die for.

[cocoamilo]

Babalu in Brentwood has some really good cakes, especially the german chocolate cake. They also have an assortment of pies, but it sounds like you're more of a cake person. If you like cupcakes, I would recommend crumbs in Beverly Hills. I've also heard that SusieCakes in Brentwood is good and affordable, though I haven't tried it myself.

[mr. O]

SusieCakes Red Velvet is my favorite cake in town...and I've done a thorough amount of testing!

[KDEatsOut]

Definitely Susina in Los Angeles. A fantastic variety of cakes, each one more moist and tasty than the next. If I'm not mistaken Susina's cakes are less than Jane's but far better.

[compucook]

Ralph's isn't bad at all for cakes. BUT my proviso is when buying out of their "cold case" i.e. FROZEN, allow enough time to defrost. Also check the sell by dates. Yesterday I saw sell dates that were two weeks old! The clerk assured me that they were frozen so they were okay. If so, why the sell by date? I made him find me one that was fresher. BTW we were looking for a carrot cake which wasn't an easy task, I visited and called 3 stores until I found what I needed. Someone in corporate needs to do a better job here!

[gaylenwaydelich]

Kings Hawaiian Bakery in Torrance -
1. Paradise cake, fresh whipped cream, chiffon cake, mango, guava/pasion fruit and lime puree. When sliced the purees drizzles down each slice. You can also order in sigular purees. I prefer the mango.

2. Chocolate Dobash; multi-layered chocolate chiffon with chocolate bavarian custard.

3. Huapia cake - delicate creme de coconut whipped cream.

4. Fresh Coconut cake - real fresh coconut, not that yucky "Baker's" brand stuff

5. any cake they serve there

6. Ramona Bakery fresh strawberry cake & choclat whipped cream cake - great bakery that has been there since the '30 and still has original neon signs and interiors.

7. Alpine Village Bakery Princess cake

[hungryhyena]

Have you tried Jin Patisserie in Venice (www.jinpatisserie.com) for their excellent pastries & also afternoon tea? I also like the hot chocolate flavored cupcake with marshmallow buttercream at Violet's Cakes in Pasadena www.violetscakes.com

[jazzdude]

Since I was staying nearby on a trip I had to try Jin. I think they take themselves rather seriously. The cakes (individual) were dainty and fussy, but well-made. Would have liked more intense flavors in something this carefully crafted (and not cheap).

Was not impressed with the chocolates. Very expensive, small, and not really satisfying. Again, not enough flavor intensity. Unfortunately no match for my current favorites (Candinas from Wisconsin, Kee's in NYC, and L.A. Burdick from Boston). But I'm a tough cookie (!) when it comes to chocolate!

[tannazie]

the tres leches cake from the bakery at the jon's market place in van nuys is amazing. it's so moist (with all the leches) that it's juicy. *so* good.

[Mando]

Phoenix Bakery in China Town -- Not sure what its called ( I call it Asian Cake cuz every asian bakery makes this) but the White cake with the strawberries and Almonds I guess its a take on strawberry shortcake? Anyways the one at Pheonix Bakery is my fav cake.

[Dommy]

Yes! That is my favorite cake too! It's so simple it's art! :)

--Dommy!

[Bite Me]

My parents are absolutely nuts about that cake from Pheonix Bakery and, once in a while, they'll pick one up. It's great to see that someone else enjoys it so much too!!!

[Raedia]

You can get fantastic cakes by the (ample) slice at Alcove in Los Feliz, along with some nice strong coffee, and they have a great patio to enjoy them. I had a white chocolate raspberry cake last time I was there that was at least 6 inches high. Awesome.

[Food Good]

I think Alcove gets their cakes from Susina. Not sure.

[stollingrone007]

the sheet cake from Costco is surprisingly amazing.

[Bite Me]

We love the chocolate cake from Ralphs. What is "opera cake"?

[jsl]

Another question for "what is Ralph's Opera Cake"?

[Emme]

I think the poster meant cakes at Ralph's market, and particularly an opera cake, which is the following according to the splendid table: The classic Opera Cake is a work in six acts. There are three thin layers of almond cake, each soaked in a potent coffee syrup; a layer of espresso-flavored buttercream; one layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache; and a topping of chocolate glaze. Traditionally, the cake is decorated with its name written in glaze across the top and finished with a piece of shimmering gold leaf.

Recipe on Epicurious: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230481

Great Photo:
http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm7-8/images...

[jsl]

Thanks for the explanation Emme and I will check with Ralph's market to see if they have it at the store where I shop. Sounds divine!

[qsamel]

The one at Ralphs is yellow cake layered with chocolate mousse and vanilla custard topped off with chocolate ganache. It is also topped off with a couple of strawberries and whipped cream. You can buy it whole or a single serving at the bakery counter.

I get mine at Ralph's in the Westwood Village on Le Conte. I am not sure if they have it at other Ralph's but I don't see why not.

[bulavinaka]

Susina is one of those bakeries with the midas touch. I recently had their molten chocolate cake, which I brought home, heated in the oven, and laid a generous scoop of mascarpone cheese on top... It was so good that I'm still trying to uncross my eyes...

[poptisserie]

I love everything they've got a Patisserie Chantilly in Lomita. It's a Japanese-French bakery meaning you get all of the classic French pastries, but with a more delicate Japanese touch.

http://poptisserie.blogspot.com/2007/...

[Diana]

I love the cakes at Victor Benes', found in any Gelson's (except Santa Barbara, who uses Jeannine's). Great Princess Cakes, Fabulous chocolate ribbon cakes-and more!

I also love the cakes from Bea's Bakery in Tarzana, Edie's bakery in Canoga Park, and I second Leda's.

[Emme]

Love the Chocolate Parisian at Victor Benes'

Also love the white cake w/ white chocolate buttercream w/ or w/o berries from Hansen's

Recently, I had a cake at a party from Plusko's in the valley... it was a white cake w/ some sort of custard filling that was really quite tasty... wish I'd gotten the info from the party host!

[Emme]

Only ever go to Encino for sweets or the old Century City locale (haven't been since).

[budlit]

I like the one in the Palisades, but not the VB inthe Calabasas Gelson's

[CynD]

And avoid the Benes in the Northridge Gelson's. Had a completely inedible experience there a week or so ago. ZParents ordered some kind of chocolate chiffon thing and a blueberry double-crust tart. Blech! Definitely not the Benes I grew up with. They overcharged for one of the cakes, but were kind enough to refund the overcharge amount.

[dinami]

Susina Bakery! http://www.susinabakery.com/ Their Berry Blossom cake is light and delicious. If you're looking for something richer, try their chocolate raspberry cake!

[Dommy]

Second!! :) I love their carrot cake! :)

--Dommy!

[Food Good]

Third! But I like the Bear Cake, and the Cheesecake...and the bread pudding....and the banana cream pie....and the blueberry cream brule tart...

[AquaW]

Fourthed! Berry Blossom is insanely good - as is their individual molten chocolate cakes & their tarts (OK, they're not cakes, but still very worth trying!)

I also like the cake offerings at Jin Patisserie, particularly Spring Bouquet (light custard with fresh fruit rolled in macaron cookie crumbs).

Perfectly Sweet out in Alhambra makes an awesome tres leches & have a delicious mousse cake selection too.

~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com

[Faulkner99]

Fifth'd on Susina. I really do enjoy their cakes.

I have to give a major thumbs up to Ralph's. We've ordered our son's birthday cake from there each of the last 3 years of his life, and it has always been excellent.

I also recommend Paris Pastry in Westwood. Really cute shop, and great pastries.
1448 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
[phone]
www.parispastry.com

[Local]

Delilah's Bakery on Echo Park Blvd. has a wonderful german chocolate cake and a coconut white cake. Cakes, as well as other goods, have a truly homemade quality, in the most desirable way.

http://www.delilahbakery.com/Delilah_...

[ipsedixit]

If you like chocolate, try the Devil's Food Cake at Boule. www.boulela.com

Van's Bakery in San Gabriel (and Westminster) also makes a tarot sponge cake.

[Bon Vivant]

Green Tea Chiffon Cake at Paris Bakery.

http://myculinaryadventures.blogspot.com

[sku]

Have you ever been to Leda's Bake Shops on Ventura in Sherman Oaks. They specialize in cupcakes but they also do cakes. I'm not sure, however, if the cakes are only to order. They are magnificent.

[Diana]

You have to call and order, but they are sooooooo good.