Cakes are the actual best. Be it big or small, topped with outrageous goodies or simply iced (we don’t discriminate), cake is always a good time. If you’re on the same cake buzz as us, you’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve made finding Auckland’s best cakes our personal mission.
The best cakes in Auckland can be found in all corners of our city. Auckland’s best cakes live out North, South, East and West. Heck, some of Auckland’s best cakes are even whipped up in people’s home kitchens and sold through the interwebs.
Auckland City
Bluebells Cakery, Commercial Bay, Hillsborough & Kingsland
Miann, Britomart, Fort St & Morningside
This dedicated dessert eatery is the perfect spot for indulging in a little cake therapy, however don't expect a simple sponge and buttercream job. What you can expect are show stopping single-serve gateaux (some of them, for example, even come with a monogrammed Miann chocolate). They also have larger cakes available should you wish to grab one for a birthday or other special event, including those made from their famously delish gelato. Sign us up.
The Three Words, Auckland CBD
Cakes that look amazing just taste better, right (or so experience tells us). Case in point: The Three Words. Based in the CBD, this boutique cakery/florist knows all about making treats that are both easy on the eye, and pleasing on the palate. From sky-high drip cakes in flavours like lemon curd, mint chocolate and banana and nutella, through to pretty-as-a-picture cupcakes and cheesecakes, you can't go past this spot for some seriously amazing cake. Oh, and did we mention they also have a super selection of vegan options?
Ponsonby
Amy's Secret Kitchen
Cake & Co
Cake & Co cater to all those niggly dietary restrictions, making them your go-to if you need a cake for that ingredient-specific loved one/client/friend/fellow cake-lover. Our pick is the chocolate caramel cake topped with popcorn—it’s one of the best cakes in Auckland, fo sho. If you’re looking for something to please the more mature taste buds, plum and pistachio would be the go-to. The plum adds tartness which balances out the sweetness of the sponge cake and buttercream and the pistachio adds that extra crunch that nobody could complain about.
Foxtrot Parlour
Foxtrot Parlour is one of those places that excels at everything it does, from injectable doughnuts and mouthwatering pies, to a changing selection of mind-blowing cakes, sold by the slice or made-to-order. Over the years we've been treated to everything from sponge cakes, mousse cakes, cheesecakes and triple-layer drip cakes in flavours like s'mores, peanut butter and jam, and even—mouthdrop—Toblerone. If we didn't know better, we'd think Willy Wonka himself was working out the back...
Little Bird Kitchen
Cake purists might disagree with the idea of a raw cake, but shove one of Little Bird's moreish creations under their nose and see just how quickly they change their mind. In fact, these beautifully executed treats are one of the main reasons why this Ponsonby café is so popular, and come in a range of incredibly delish offerings like triple-layer cacao, carrot cake and more. Lesson: you don't always need an oven to create a cake (and a damn tasty one at that), okay?
K’ Road
THE CAKER
Jordan Rondel, founder and creator of The Caker and her team of girls aren’t only talented in baking but also coming up with innovative flavours every single month. They have their classics that are here to stay like their double layer almond butter and raspberry which literally tastes like an almond butter and jelly sandwich on crack, flourless dark chocolate and fig and raspberry just to name a few. But some of their monthly cakes are not to be missed as they are truly one-of-a-kind. We’re talking hot cross bun cakes for the Easter month, rum and eggnog cake for the festive season, golden oat cookie crumble for Anzac Day and miso and white chocolate, just because they can.
The Pie Piper, K' Rd and Eastridge
What's a birthday cake without a bit of colour? And why stop at one, when you can have the whole rainbow—as is the case with The Pie Piper's celebratory Rainbow Cake. Cut into this sprinkle-covered spectacle and find five layers of vibrant vanilla sponge, sandwiched together with a creamy meringue frosting—the perfect treat for the big kid in your life (or, let's be honest, yourself). However if you can't quite commit to a whole cake—of which there are a number of other seriously good options available, including cheesecakes and mousse cakes, all with the option of nationwide delivery—they also serve cakes by the slice. The chocolate sponge is particularly delish and in true American style, comes in a rather generous (read: humongous) slab.
Newmarket
Little & Friday
Best known for their original digs in Belmont, Little & Friday are now down to just the one store in Newmarket. Their mini cakes in the cabinet are all equally delicious, however they also do whole cakes, made to custom order as they know that one lil' cake isn't always enough. Try their hazelnut baci offering and try tell us otherwise. The cake itself is flourless which means it’s dense and the hazelnut ganache tastes just like Nutella. To make it even better, chopped hazelnuts coat the sides of the cake to add more texture to this epic creation.
Mt Eden
Frasers
Frasers is a fave amongst Mt Eden locals for late night dessert and for very good reason. The freshly made cakes are always shining brightly in their glass fridges and it’s impossible to resist. Most famous for their New York baked cheesecake, Frasers also do some other flavours that are not to be missed. The black forest gateaux is the perfect in-between of chocolatey richness and fruity freshness as the cake itself is moist and decadent and the whipped cream filling and fresh berries really lighten things up and balance everything to perfection.
North Shore
ADELA CAKE, FORREST HILL
Adela Cake is a home business that takes custom orders and it’s worth it as these cakes are so damn tasty. The recipe they use at Adela has a way of creating some of the spongiest, softest cakes and the cream is light and airy which makes you just want another slice. The earl grey chiffon cake is so fragrant but we also suggest going for the selection of Swiss roll cakes as they’re 10/10. Some of the most popular ones being soybean flour, strawberry matcha, cherry tiramisu and pumpkin, don’t knock it till you try it.
Corelli's, Devonport
Do you sit on the fence when it comes to carrot cake? Then let us introduce you to Corelli’s. They do a version of the dish that's so delish, it could make you a life-long convert—and it's the very reason why we've added them to this list. Loaded with sultanas and nuts so you get a mix of textures with every single bite, and with cream cheese frosting that they pile not only on top but also in between the layers, this Devonport gem defintiely knows what's up when it comes to carrot cakery. Plus, their cake comes in a very generous serve with your choice of cream or yoghurt on the side. Perfection.
House of Chocolate Dessert Cafe, Takapuna
As the name suggests, Takapuna’s House of Chocolate Dessert Cafe is a sweet time. While they have all sorts of chocolatey, sugary treats, their cakes deserve a shout-out. You can either enjoy a slice in-store or put in an order. The in-house mini-cakes are seriously not to be missed. The Oreo cake is a rich chocolate cake with a cream cheese vanilla frosting, topped with an Oreo cookie. And it doesn’t stop there, with another whole Oreo cookie hiding in the frosting between the two layers of cake. As for their whole cakes to order, just commit to a four layered tiered lemon curd cake—it's out of this world.
East Auckland
Deputy Donuts, Beachlands
This is not a drill—Deputy Donuts now make customised double-layer meringue cakes filled with lush mascarpone cream and loaded with chocolates, fresh flowers, candy and other goodies. These are just the ticket for a birthday or other celebration, as you can pick from any combination of letters or numbers that you want and you can also choose the colour theme. We'd certainly love to receive one.
Khaos Cakery (Formerly Bang Bang Meringue), Howick
Mint Cakery, Ellerslie
Sugarcoated, Mt Wellington
Tina, the lovely lady behind Sugarcoated claims she makes ‘art you can eat’. One look at her cakes and you can’t help but agree. Her marble fondant cakes are totally hypnotic and basically too pretty to even consider eating.
South Auckland
Miss B Cakery, Manurewa
Some people don’t actually like cakes that much. We know, we know, it’s shocking but it’s true. This is where Miss B Cakery steps in. She is responsible for introducing Auckland to the famous French mille cake. Meaning 'thousand crepe cake', Miss B takes crepes and delicately places them on top of each other to create a pancake-meets-cake masterpiece. And yes, it’s one of Auckland’s best cakes.
Scrumptious Cakes, Manukau
Joanne Tan of Scrumptious Cakes knows her stuff. Her cake creativity knows no bounds and sees her whipping up Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, mermaid and princess cakes on the reg. Check out her cakes and prepare to be amazed.
Sugar & Spice Cakes, Manukau
Mel Hurst aka Sugar Mama of Sugar & Spice Cakes can turn anything, we repeat, ANYTHING into a cake. Her custom-made 3D cakes are nothing short of mind-boggling. Thus far she’s brought Moana, the Holy Bible, Pooh Bear and Noah’s Ark, amongst many, many more, to life. Her XXX Adult Novelty cakes are also a hoot.
West Auckland
Jenna-Maree Cakes, Hobsonville
Drizzle cakes never get old, and Jenna Maree has the drizzle down pat. Her cakes are a thing of beauty and are clearly made with a heck of a lot of love. She even made a dog cake for a vet once. Yip, Jenna-Maree Cakes definitely have some of the sweetest cakes in Auckland.
Just Jess Cake Co, Hobsonville
If we could climb inside the Just Jess Instagram page and live there, we would. As with the store you'll find cakes and other creations decked out in white and pink, with sprinkles, flowers and gold leaf also thrown into the mix. We're particularly fond of their unicorn and swan cakes (so classy, they'd be acceptable for even an adult's birthday).
Sweet Bites Cakes, Henderson
Sweet Bites Cakes is a reminder that cakes don’t have to be round. From lighthouses to Pokemon, there’s nothing they can’t make edible. If crazy cakes ain’t your thing, Sweet Bites Cakes also make stunning, more simplistic cakes for any occasion.
Hibiscus Coast
Coast Cakes, Whangaparaoa
Magnolia Kitchen Sweet Cafe, Silverdale
You Coasties sure are a lucky bunch, because the cakes at Magnolia Kitchen Sweet Cafe are some of the best in the bizz. People travel from all over Auckland to sample their amazing creations, a fact that their debut cookbook and Instagram following will more than back up (it's currently sitting at about 213k). Owner Bernadette 'Bets' Gee is one talented lady, bringing us jaw-dropping multi-tiered cakes decked out with chocolate shards, perfectly piped icing and chocolate drizzle, as well as mini cakes and even cake pops (a treat, quite frankly, we'd like to see more of). And while cakes are definitely their calling, we challenge you to check out some of Magnolia Kitchen's other sugar-filled creations (doughnuts, macarons and fudge to name a few). It doesn't hurt that the café itself is super cool, with tables made from old doors, and crate-style shelving filled with vintage teacups, cookie tins and other charming wares. Yip, that's what we call having your cake and eating it, too.
Mangawhai
The Cakery at Tea & Tartè
Some might think it's a bit of a stretch to mention a cakery from Mangawhai, but take a quick glance at this one's Insta, and you'll soon see why we had to include them. Yip, we'd happily make the pilgrimage north to experience The Cakery at Tea & Tartè's particular brand of magic, which can best be described with just one word: epic. We're talking multi-tiered creations oozing cream and/or ganache, seriously loaded cupcakes, and some of the cutest celebration cakes in all of Auckland.
Online
Caco Cakes and Cupcakes
The epic Auckland cakes continue. Caco Cakes and Cupcakes have created a range of beautiful cakes and show no signs of slowing down. We’re obsessed with the oh-so funky rainbow drip cake. Head to their Facebook page for all the deets—you might find your new favourite cake in Auckland.
Cakes by Joni
It hasn't been too long since Joni started up her online cake shop but she's sure one to keep an eye out for. Cakes by Joni are versatile and can be enjoyed by anyone. Whether you're wanting something extra and epic or something simple and classic, Joni has got you covered. Also, wait till you see what she tops her cakes with—whole chocolate bars, macarons, cookies and more.
Courtney Lee Cakery
No matter what occasion you need your cake for, Courtney Lee Cakery has got you covered. The owner is one clever chick who's constantly pushing the boundaries, and therefore produces some of Auckland’s best cakes. We especially love her obsession with gold painted ganache and monochrome icing.
Hello Delicious
After setting up a little dessert stall at the weekend La Cigale French Markets Hello Delicious gained a reputation for baking the best banana salted caramel cake in Auckland. After getting a wave of customers, the cake shop has hit the digi-world and they're taking orders to make as many Aucklanders happy as possible.
The Ku Cakery
The KU Cakery's custom cakes are gorgeous but it’s the floral work that really caught our attention. Delicate fondant flowers adorn their creations and tbh, we still can’t believe they’re not real. Brides, get in touch, you might have found your wedding cake.
MegR Cakes
Meg has made a cake for the one and only Richie McCaw, so she automatically gets a spot on this list. Even so, Meg is a genius cake maker in her own right, making some of the best bespoke cakes in Auckland. Be it a wedding cake to remember or something cray cray (our pick is a dragon), MegR Cakes won’t let you down.
Melie's Kitchen
She’s only 22 but Amelia Ferrier is already winning at life. Not only does she make some of Auckland’s best cakes, she’s published a cookbook. Her cakes became Auckland-famous for her use of fresh flowers, rustic shards and pretty piping, and flavours such as crème brûlée and s’mores. We love Melie's Kitchen.
Our Little Kitchen Co
You follow Our Little Kitchen Co on Instagram at your own risk. As soon as one of Briar’s cakes pops up on your feed, you’ll want it in your mouth. Think Nutella cakes, doughnut cakes, rainbow cakes and candy cakes that continue to keep Our Little Kitchen Co in Auckland’s best cake ranks.
Sweet Cheeks
Forner pastry chef and dessert master Claudia Long from Gemmayze St is now putting her business on Instagram and is accepting orders via DM. Just scroll through Claudia's feed and mesmerize at the beautiful creations. The torched meringue not only makes Sweet Cheeks' creations stunning but also adds a sophisticated element.
Not keen on dairy? Do yourself a favour and check out Auckland's best vegan treats.
Image credit: Supplied, Bluebells Cakery, Amy's Secret Kitchen, The Caker, House of Chocolate Dessert Cafe, Khaos Cakery, Jenna-Maree Cakes, Magnolia Kitchen Sweet Cafe, Hello Delicious