A Cake Lovers guide to Sydney

Cake has always been one of my passions. Life isn’t worth living without cake so subsequently diets aren’t really my thing. I have often joked though the perfect diet is salad and cake. Cake lifts the spirits, delights the taste buds and can be a work of art to admire and devour.

When travelling cake shops are always something I will research before going. Afternoon tea or a slice of cake to take back to the hotel or a park is a compulsory addition to my itinerary. I’m lucky to have enjoyed many fabulous cakes from around the world over the last 40 years.

So to celebrate my 40th birthday this June I thought I’d share some of my favourite cake shops in Sydney where I head for a sweet treat.

Flour and Stone

Ten years ago when I was working in the city it was to Flour and Stone that I would retreat on my lunch breaks to settle down at a table, drink tea or coffee and eat lunch. There would be a daily salad offering or a slice of quiche to start and then one of the multitude of delicious cakes to enjoy afterwards. I would take the time to pull out my travel set of watercolours and spend the precious break time painting and sketching. The panacotta lamingtons spoilt (almost) every other lamington I’ve eaten since. The rich vanilla bean custard soaked sponge and the vibrant deep berry jam, thick chocolate and proper flakes of coconut are unsurpassable. Other favourites included the Old Fashioned Vanilla cake and the raspberry and buttermilk chocolate flourless cakes.

Located at: 43 & 53 Riley Street, Woolloomooloo

Koi

Koi has been a favourite in our family since it first opened in Chippendale though it wasn’t until they moved to Ryde that we found it more convenient to visit for cake and started going more regularly. Reynold’s cakes are always beautiful works of art with an interesting array of flavours like bergamot, yuzu, lychee and umeshu. One of Koi’s original creations was the range of edible fruits, apples, pears, oranges etcetera that all looked incredibly lifelike and were filled with layers of flavours that played on that fruits flavour notes. We still love them, particularly the pear. Over the years I’ve also collected a few very useful glass jars that I use for water when painting that were originally filled with moussey layers, jelly cubes, fragments of airy sponges and crystallised fragments. Reynold is always inventing so there is often a new and interesting cake to try, my recent favourite was a purple concoction of cassis and umeshu.

Located at: 6 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale + Shop 3, 62-66 Blaxland Road, Ryde

Sandy Bakes

Back when I used to go to Flour and Stone it was the friendly face of Janelle who would usually greet me. She left before I did to start her family and we’ve stayed in touch since via insta. I was delighted to discover that she has embarked on a new an exciting project by opening her very own cake shop in Balmain. Tucked away in a back corner away from the busy bustle of Darling Street this is an oasis of quiet where you feel like you are stepping into her kitchen to sit down and share a pot of tea and a piece of cake. It’s the perfect spot to grab a spot on one of the large timber tables, pull out a book and sit and relax. My favourite of the cakes I’ve tried so far is the caramel apple cake, the rich caramel oozes out against the softness of the cream and warmth of the lightly spiced apple cake.

Located at: 7/332 Darling Street, Balmain

Black Star Pastry

Black Star Pastry doesn’t really need an introduction anymore. If you live in Sydney you must be living under a rock or seriously hate cake not to have set a cake fork into their famous watermelon cake by now. There is something magical about a cake with a layer of watermelon in the middle, the refreshing crunch of fresh fruit counterbalanced with the cream and the light sponge paired with more fresh fruit in the form of glazed strawberry segments and a little sprinkle of rose water, rose petals and pistachio slivers. If ever there was a cake to define the Sydney style of sweets then this one would be it. Black Star Pastry is no longer run by the original pastry chef, Christopher Thé who created the star exhibit but the new owners seem to be embracing a note of clever innovation as well. One of the newer additions to the range is a sesame cheesecake that is shaped like a perfect little zen garden. This one is super rich and dense though but cuts really well - a good choice for sharing with friends.

Located at: 1/325 King Street, Newtown; The Galeries, 500 George Street, CBD; 113 Dunning Avenue, Rosedale; Entertainment Quarter, 210 Bent Street, Moore Park

Tokyo Lamington

Occupying the original space that Black Star Pastry started in it’s rather a nice feeling to come back to this small little space just off the main corner of Newtown. It’s a perfect cosy little nook for this cake shop that is reminiscent of Tokyo and is dedicated to creative lamington renditions. After having eaten way too many of Nadine’s panacotta soaked lamingtons from Flour and Stone I’ve been unable to appreciate a regular lamington. Thankfully these ones are equally packed with flavour and interest. I love that the menu is simple in its offerings yet complex in its ability to surprise you with flavours. The Japanese inspired flavours would be my favourites as well, matcha green tea or yuzu meringue lamingtons.

Located at: 277 Australia Street, Newtown

Madame & Yves

Eclairs are the starting point for this patisserie just up the road from Clovelly Beach. There are plenty of other cakes on offer too and one of my favourites is the Yuzu Blanc. I was very pleased when I heard that the pastry chef Yves Scherrer was opening his own place. Many years ago now he was the head pastry chef working at Berowra Waters Inn when I was married and was responsible for delivering clouds of happiness in the form of 80 white peach soufflés for our dessert. It’s wonderful to see him fulfilling his own culinary dreams so a trip to the beach wouldn’t be complete now without an eclair or two.

Located at: 343-345 Clovelly Road, Clovelly

La Renaissance Patisserie

Originally this was one of the few places in Sydney to go to experience fancy French style Patisserie. It’s been here for years and has barely changed since I was a little girl coming into the city, picking out a cake and taking it out the back into the courtyard to eat it whilst watching the sparrows, pigeons and rainbow lorikeets scamper around searching for crumbs. The artistic side of me loved that many of the cakes were named after artists as well. The Goya, the Monet, the Vincent. It’s still a favourite spot to come and enjoy a slice of cake and escape the busy city for a moment of sweet respite.

Located at: 47 Argyle Street, The Rocks

La Banette

This Northern Beaches favourite is found in Avalon and Mona Vale and is the place to head for some nostalgic French style patisserie. Strawberry mousse cakes, fruit tarts, eclairs and opera cake. Their Petit Fours remind me of my childhood, little nibble sized choux pieces filled with custard and drizzled with icing and chocolate swirls. The bite sized cakes are also a great choice for little ones so this is a place I head to for a little afternoon treat for the kids if I’ve been in the area.

Located at: 26 Avalon Parade, Avalon + 16 Bungan Street, Mona Vale

Dolcettini

Dolcettini specialise in Italian style cakes so expect tray loads of cannoli and Nutella filled donuts lining their bakery offerings. On the savoury side I love their focaccia breads. They do a pretty neat line in fancy cakes too though and one of my favourites would have to the be Carrot Cake. Normally I don’t eat carrot cake as well as I’m allergic to walnuts so most of them are off the cards for me. This one has hazelnuts instead so I’m able to enjoy it. It’s appeal also lies in its layers of cream, chocolate mousse and tender sponge scented with shredded carrot making it not your regular carrot cake anyway. Dolcettini is also a good choice if you are having a party as they have a good range of mini canapé sized treats for entertaining. For Aurelia’s post lockdown bakery picnic we enjoyed an array of delicious nibbles from here.

Located at: Shop 10, 829 Old Northern Road, Dural + Level 1, Castle Towers, Castle Hill

Crumbs and Memories

Sadly not all cake shops are still with us. It would be remiss of me not to make mention of two in particular that are no longer with us.

Zumbo

The creativity of Adriano Zumbo was something Sydney hadn’t really experienced until he opened his patisserie in Balmain. A long narrow tiny space crammed full of creative layered cakes and macarons of every imaginable and even unimaginable flavours. I would often make pilgrimages over to Balmain to check out the latest crazy offering or unique flavour pairing. Zumbo ended up being a victim of his increasing popularity, as he opened more stores around Sydney the fad for zumbarons grew until everything collapsed. He is still missed, however his legacy lives on in the creativity of todays current patisserie’s.

Petal met Sugar

If I had to choose one cake shop to bestow with the title of “My Favourite” it would have to be Petal met Sugar. From the moment it opened it combined my two favourite things, flowers and cakes. I was familiar with the team who ran it having been a regular lunchtime lurker at John Montague. Flour and Stone was the bakery I went to during my time working in Woolloomooloo but Petal met Sugar opened just after I left the area to go on maternity leave so it became the place that I would bring my baby. I could park the pram easily here and eat cake and sip on an iced chocolate scented with early grey tea before heading up to the art gallery. Aiden grew up at Petal met Sugar learning to enjoy finely constructed cakes, his favourite, and mine too, was the Peach Oolong Cake. I rarely got to eat the tiny meringues perched on top as he would swipe them from my piece also. The layers of peach jelly, tea scented cream and sponge were perfectly balanced and delicate. Angela and Elsa closed the business recently to focus on their growing families. Hopefully one day after their little ones have grown and spread their wings they’ll be back creating beautiful things for us to enjoy.

Honourable Mentions + Coming Soon Additions

Embarking on this project I forgot just quite how many cake shops there are scattered around the expanse that is Sydney and it’s suburbs. Some of the following listings are places I need to revisit and add into this guide at a later date along with other new or even old rediscoveries along the way.

Hearthe

The founder of Black Star Pastry is back with a new venture. I’m excited to check this one out next time I’m over Stanmore way.

Located: 16 Douglas Street, Stanmore

Banksia Bakehouse

The CBD is now home to a new patisserie at the base of Grosvenor Place near Circular Quay. Come at lunch time and you’ll join the line up to fight for the leftovers as hungry officeworkers descend for their lunch break.

Located: Grosvenor Place, 225 George Street, CBD

Andy Bowdy / Saga

This ones for all the fans of rich indulgent extravagance and lots of layers and sprinkles of fun. Located towards the end of the Enmore Road Strip.

Located: 178 Enmore Road, Enmore

The Grounds of Alexandria

A visit to the Grounds of Alexandria is a dedicated excursion. After battling to find a parking spot its time to weave in through the crowds and wend through narrow spaces overplanted with a massive array of botanicals and at certain times of the year - themed displays. Weekends are even more chaotic with carts set up selling lemonade and donuts but come midweek when things are less chaotic but no less busy and you can choose from one of a number of cakes on display to sit and enjoy.

Located: 7a/2 Huntley Street Alexandria

As for bakeries like Flour Shop and Bourke Street Bakery that do cakes as well they aren’t forgotten as they’ll make an appearance later on in a separate blog post dedicated to croissant style goodies. As for the plethora of delicious ice cream and gelato places like Gelato Messina, they’ll be reviewed closer to Summertime. Chocolate is another category worthy of a blog post in itself as we have a number of great chocolate makers in Sydney…. So stay tuned for more guides to come.