14 Incredible Statement Cakes From 10 of Orlando’s Best Bakeries
The sugary masterpieces from these Orlando bakers are something to celebrate.
Every celebration calls for cake. Thanks to some of Orlando’s most beloved bakeries, Central Floridians can find something sweet for any occasion, even a regular Tuesday. From cakes with hand-made lavender buttercream frosting to 23-karat gold flakes, these confectionary delights are almost too pretty to eat. But you will.
Dark Chocolate Stout Cake, Se7enbites
Se7enBites
At Se7enBites, it’s not all about chocolate, but it could be. From the Dark Chocolate Stout Cake to their Guinness Stout Cake with salted dark chocolate pudding and a dark chocolate American buttercream, there is something for every chocolate lover. Other cake flavors such as Key Lime and Coconut, Earl Gray and Rose Water prove equally tempting. For an added touch, chef Trina M. Gregory incorporates her experience as a florist to add fresh florals and greenery. Regarding weddings, Gregory jokes that her signature White Wedding cake has a punch-you-in-the-face flavor of rich vanilla bean and almond.
She also recommends Lemon Lavender, a lemon cake with lemon curd filling and lavender buttercream, for a sweet marriage between sour and sweet. But for Gregory, choosing a flavor is just as important as making the cake itself. “We like to offer flavor profiles that someone may not have considered or making the layers different flavors to make everyone happy,” she says. And Gregory wants to ensure her couples stay happy long after the vows are said—365 days to be exact. She gifts them a six-inch replica of their wedding cake for their one-year anniversary. “You should never celebrate a year’s worth of new love with a year-old cake. No ma’am,” she says.
Amaretto Cake With Pineapple Filling; Cake Designers.
Cake Designers
Patty Ames was in her high school home economics class when she found her passion. “I was hooked,” she says. Since then, the self-taught cake baker has studied under the cake decorators behind Princess Diana’s wedding cake, won multiple awards and built a business that has been going strong for 30 years. When asked what makes her cakes unique, Ames credits Terry Ames, her late husband and the man behind some of her favorite recipes. Together they created one of their most popular wedding cakes: Amaretto Cake with pineapple filling and Raspberry Irish Cream Cake with berry filling. So, it was definitely made with love. For the bedazzled decorations Ames is known for, she credits a bride who suggested she use a rhinestone trim. “It changed the trajectory of my decorating style,” Ames recalls. “From that cake, my tagline became ‘If bling is your thing, give Cake Designers a ring!’”
Lemon Raspberry Classic Cake and Raspberry Rose Petite Cakes, The Glass Knife
The Glass Knife
“No mixes” is the mantra at The Glass Knife, located in Winter Park. Brand manager Lance A. Koenig treats the flavor profiles of their elegant delicacies like an artist, working each masterpiece into an experience that evokes indulgence. The shop reminds one of an elegant tearoom with a modern pink-and-black motif and glass cases of pastries, cream puffs and tarts. But the cake selection offers guests a true sense of indulgence. Traditional cakes embrace their signature flavors, leave a lasting impression on the taste buds and entertain the eyes with floral crowns, gilded sprinkles and edible 23-karat gold flakes. Signature cakes include their Lemon Lavender Cake’s light and bright profiles with blueberry buttercream filling or the Vanilla Cake with strawberry jam and custard fillings. For special events, Koenig leans toward textures, monochromatic colors and meticulously handcrafted finishes. He enjoys adding fresh florals for a touch of whimsy or going dramatic by painting frosting in black, deep navy or moody gray. But for Koenig, what makes a good cake is not the batter, frosting or even the gold; it’s how a cake makes someone feel. “It’s that ‘kiss goodnight’ that lingers on their lips. It’s not just a dessert, it’s a memory,” he says.
Original Red Velvet Cake, Gideon’s Bakehouse
Gideon’s Bakehouse
This bakery, with locations in East End Market and Disney Springs, is shrouded in mystery, confesses owner Steve Lewis, who admits to not being a big fan of sweets. One secret: Lewis uses as little sugar as possible, which might come as a surprise since his cakes are hefty. Slices weigh around a pound. They are generous with the frosting, too. “It’s not uncommon to see a 1:1 ration of cake and frosting in a Gideon’s cake,” Lewis says. Fun flavors include the Pineapple Dream Cake, layered with pineapple, caramel and brown butter crumbs, and the Steve Hates Sprinkles cake, a banana split cake with candied peanuts, sprinkles and a cherry on top. Other items on the menu such as the Carrot and Red Velvet cakes took years to perfect. (Lewis’s Carrot cake took seven years; his Red Velvet took 10.) However, for Lewis, inspiration comes from people. “There is a Gideon’s cake for every emotion, and people are wonderfully emotional,” he says.
From left to right: Birthday Bombs4R Bakery & Specialty cakes; Chocolate Birthday Cake, Buttermilk Bakery.
Buttermilk Bakery
The ever-changing menu at Buttermilk Bakery is a mix of sweet and savory, with scents that range from fresh-baked muffins to bacon cheddar pull-apart croissants, granola or brownies. Located in Winter Park, co-owner Taissa Rebroff says her favorite part of the job is when customers give her the freedom to play. Rebroff recalls her Coconut Ginger Lime, a brown-butter coconut cake layered with lime curd and candied ginger and covered in a toasted meringue. “It was the perfect cake for Florida!” she says. Other favorites include Passion Fruit Chocolate, Blueberry Lemon, Hazelnut Caramel and Tiramisu, with simple decorations so the flavors shine. And shine they do. Rebroff makes every cake, jam, filling, frosting and topping in-house and from scratch. But it is not all about weddings—Rebroff offers fun flavors year-round, especially during the holidays, with seasonal items such as the Chocolate Hazelnut and Eggnog cakes. “It’s always so special and rewarding that folks choose our cakes to celebrate the holidays,” she says.
From left to right: Coconut Cake, 4R Bakery & specialty cakes; Key Lime Cake; Se7enbites; Eggnog Cake, Buttermilk Bakery.
4R Bakery & Specialty Cakes
Mouth-watering barbecue might be why locals come to one of 4Rivers’s 15 locations, but after the plates clear, they mosey on over to 4R Bakery & Specialty Cakes for something sweet. Favorites include the Blueberry Cobbler Cake and the Birthday Bombs. Or, be in the know and order something off the secret menu: the Junk Food Cake, Nehi Grape Soda cupcakes covered in Nerds, or Cheerwine cupcakes. Dorito cupcakes with bright green Mountain Dew frosting (also on the secret menu) are a crowd favorite, especially for a groom’s cake. “It’s always a hot topic!” says Jenny Deutsch, executive pastry chef. For traditional wedding cakes, the Almond Cake provides the perfect pairing with house made blueberry or raspberry jam. With a demand for vintage styles, Deutsch incorporates heart-shaped layers, textured frosting and ruffled edges reminiscent of a wedding gown. For a more Bohemian look, she paints her confections with bold oranges, pinks and reds. But no matter the style, Deutsch says the key ingredient is care. “As silly as it sounds, I believe that pouring your heart into something is what makes it so good, which is what each one of us does every day in the bakery,” says Deutsch.
Sister Honey’s
As a little girl, Evette Rahman, the owner of Sister Honey’s, was mesmerized by watching her mother in the kitchen. In 2012, Rahman opened Sister Honey’s as an ode to her mother, affectionately nicknamed “Honey” as a child for her sweet demeanor. Rahman ensures each of her cakes dazzles with touches like drizzled ganache, sprinkled gold flakes or frosted homemade buttercream until they make her say “Wow.” Favorite flavors include the Coconut, Pistachio, Brown Sugar and Hummingbird cakes. The cheesecakes, pies and pound cakes are also in high demand, made fresh daily. For Rahman, it’s about reconnecting with her mother’s memory. “Every day, I honor my mother, Sister Honey, by continuing the legacy of great baking.”
From left to right: Coconut Bomb 4R Bakery & Specialty cakes; Key Lime Cake, Se7enbite; Lemon Raspberry Delight
Charlie’s Bakery & Creamery
Charlie’s Bakery & Creamery
The first thing one notices when walking into Charlie’s Bakery & Creamery is the scent of waffle cones in the air. They’re made fresh with each order. Open since 1971, anyone who grew up near the Conway area most likely had a birthday cake from the beloved bakery. Today, it is under new ownership with a fresh remodel, an expansive seating area, a wall of sprinkles and a creamery with scoops of ice cream ranging from their award-winning Strawberry to French Toast with Bacon. Owner Tricia Hage, who grew up in the area, has preserved all of Charlie’s favorites, including the beloved Checkerboard Cake and house made Parker House rolls. The labor-intensive puffs of warm bread take up to eight hours to make and run out fast. When it comes to cakes, Hage says her most popular wedding cake flavor is Almond Buttercream, baked to just the right degree for the perfect first bite. For multi-tiered creations, she plays with fun flavors like Mocha Dream, a chocolate cake with a cappuccino mousse, or Lemon Raspberry Delight, a lemon cake with a raspberry mousse. And for Floridians who long for something sweet at the end of the day, Charlie’s keeps its doors open late (8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends), ensuring everyone can end their day with something sweet. Waffle scents free of charge.
Sweet Miss V’s
As some of today’s brides lean more toward vintage cakes and fancy piping, cake designer Vanessa Negron, aka Miss V, is ahead of her game. She began her career teaching buttercream piping techniques. “We are here for it,” she says. Miss V notes that while they serve the tried-and-true favorites, her popular cake flavors tend to be non-traditional, with Killin’ Me Smalls (dark chocolate cake with marshmallows and graham crackers), Spiced Banana (spiced banana cake with caramel) and Amaretto & Cream (almond with vanilla custard). But for Miss V, it is all about digging into the couple’s story and incorporating details into the design. “Sometimes those symbols are obvious, and sometimes they are hidden,” Miss V says, recalling a couple who debated over who would win a fight: Batman or Superman. To make them both happy and to keep the design from looking like a birthday cake, Miss V placed a white and gold symbol in a discreet place that only the couple would see, proving when it comes to Sweet Miss V, not all superheroes wear capes.
Strawberry Cloud Cake, Tous les jours
Tous les Jours
At Tous les Jours, with three locations in Central Florida, special occasions and weddings call for a Cloud Cake. “Our Cloud Cakes are known for being sweet but not too sweet,” says the owner, Joseph Kim. Inside each carefully constructed concoction are layers of fluffy sponge cake, with flavors ranging from white and chocolate to green tea and strawberry. Cloud cream accompanies each scrumptious bite, paired with slatherings of homemade jam. Tous les Jours uses the same concept when making its buttercream cakes. The Piggy Cake is a party favorite with red velvet sponge cake and raspberry jam, while the Heart Choco Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream with chocolate buttercream and chocolate shavings. For a little bit of everything, the Vanilla Chocolate Heart Mousse cake features layers of white and chocolate sponge cake layered with mousse, making each bite something to make the heart happy.
