America's Best Places To Buy Birthday Cakes
We all know the drill: a birthday is approaching, you've been tasked with buying the cake, so you run through the familiar options. You can go to the grocery store and buy one off the rack (or they can inscribe it if you plan ahead), you can head to the local Carvel and buy an ice cream cake, or you can order one from your local bakery if they're trustworthy. But across the nation are some truly great places to buy birthday cakes, where they'll go the extra mile to make sure it's truly special. Here are five:
Amy's Bread, New York City
Amy's might be best known for their breads, but the cakes from this New York institution are also spectacular, and they even deliver. Your best bet is to go for the Devil's Food with Silk Chocolate Frosting.
Jamaica's Cakes, Los Angeles
Pastry chef Jamaica Crist makes cakes completely from scratch, with expert precision. While she's best known for her wedding cakes and, um, erotic cakes, they'll also customize birthday cakes to order, with varieties ranging from chocolate peanut butter to coconut cream.
Dream Cakes, Chicago
This appointment-only cake shop turns out some unbelievably eye-catching birthday cakes, all made to your specifications. Want a cake shaped like a Ferrari tire? No problem. How about one topped with a running shoe, football helmet, guitar, record player, or Mickey Mouse? Done. The only problem with these cakes? They look too good to eat.
Couture Cakes, Atlanta
This custom bakeshop specializes in cakes for every occasion, from weddings to birthday parties, showers, and holidays. Their cakes are fun and whimsical, full of colors and completely customizable; cakes advertised on their site come in every shape, from Thomas the Tank Engine to R2-D2. Eight cake flavors and 11 icing flavors are available.
Freed's Bakery, Las Vegas
Since 1959, this bakery has been turning out insanely fun and whimsical cakes in every available stripe. Cake shapes range from hot dogs to tennis rackets, from a prescription pill bottle to a Rubik's cube. Whatever the occasion or theme, you're sure to find a what you're looking for at Freed's.