Hot Cakes: Customised creations bring aesthetic delight and originality to every celebration

Cakes and celebrations go hand in hand, and a beautiful bespoke confection is the cherry on top of a joyful occasion. A creative cake not only satisfies the sweet of tooth, it makes any event complete. Whether a birthday, wedding, baby shower, graduation or even a breakup, people want to celebrate – or commiserate – with a cake that is a gustatory as well as a visual treat.

A cake can be anything you want it to be, and when ordering bespoke, no two cakes are obviously ever the same. Deluxe cakeries offer a wide choice of shapes and sizes, styles and designs, not to mention flavours and toppings, so it is entirely possible to choose the perfect cake for all tastes and themes. Here, we gorge our eyes on the scintillating customised collections of some of Hong Kong’s most creative bakers. In a city known for its culinary prowess, bespoke cake shops in Hong Kong have carved a niche for themselves by creating standout pieces for every occasion. With their remarkable craftsmanship, attention to detail and dedication to customer satisfaction, they have elevated the art of cake making to new heights.These edible works of art not only delight the taste buds but also serve as a centrepiece that adds a touch of magic to any celebration. So the next time you’re planning a special event, consider indulging in the exquisite creations of a bespoke cake shop in Hong Kong for an unforgettable experience.

Cake of Stardust

A universe of delectable cakes is available at Cakes of Stardust, quite literally, as the collections are named after celestial wonders. Working from her Tai Hang cake shop, founder Nicky Chow makes everything from scratch using the freshest seasonal ingredients. The passionate self-taught baker launched her venture in 2018 and you can taste the dedication and loving care she puts into each personalised cake.

Among the array of bold flavours in the signature range, Sun mango lava cake is a fluffy sponge sandwiched together with layers of fresh fruit and cream. Other popular choices are a banana caramel chiffon cake called the Asteroid, and the Black Hole blueberry chocolate-drip chiffon cake. Prices range from HK$1,000 to HK$4,000 for bespoke creations. cakeofstardusthk.com

Sugar Me Kissery

Telling a story through each piece of edible art, Sugar Me Kissery is another great option for those seeking a unique and aesthetic celebration confectionery. The founder of this Tai Kok Tsui- based cakery, Shirley, was formally an architect who discovered baking was her true calling. She travelled to France, the UK, Australia, Taiwan and Korea to learn the delicate, deft art of cake decorating from master bakers.

The designs are not only Instagram- worthy, but the flavours are incredible too, with Guinness dark beer, lemon, vanilla and red velvet among Sugar Me’s popular picks. While there is a huge collection online to select from, bespoke cakes are where the baker’s skills are truly demonstrated. Customers can choose the level of sweetness and the amount of fondant they prefer. Prices start at HK$2,500 and rise to HK$5,000 for elaborate tiered creations. sugarmehk.com

The Cakery

For the fitness freaks out there, The Cakery is the perfect place. It offers nutrient-rich, health- conscious contemporary creations to satisfy guilt- free sugar cravings of plant-based, keto, gluten-, sugar- or dairy-free cake lovers. Each temptation can be adapted to cater to a range of different dietary needs, and ingredients are listed on the website so customers can consume mindfully.

The brainchild of banker-turned-baker Shirley Kwok, The Cakery has grown from a pop-up at The Landmark to five shopping mall outlets in the city. As well as using the healthiest ingredients, the bakers here have replaced refined sugar with natural sugars and increased the amount of good fats and proteins to boost the overall nutritional profile of their creations. Prices of bespoke cakes scale up from HK$3,000, reaching HK$8,000 for the grandest. thecakery.com

Baking Maniac

Run by Renuka Kripalani Gidwani and her son, Ankrish Gidwani, Baking Maniac is a family passion turned business. Cake-making has been a hobby of the mother for more than 25 years, while Ankrish has baked ever since he could hold a mixer. Every Friday after school, he would spend hours preparing cakes for the family to enjoy; he would also showcase this edible art on his blog, attracting a following. By the time he was 16, he was getting orders and mother and son set up their cakery, producing celebration cakes, cupcakes and cake pops.

The Gidwanis practise quality and attention to detail throughout the baking process, from
design and preparation to delivery. Everything is freshly baked in their kitchen in Wong Chuk Hang using fine organic ingredients sourced from all over the world. Their joint experimentation has led to an exciting variety of flavours. There are common choices like chocolate, strawberry and red velvet and unique picks like green tea, chilli bomb and bubble tea. Cake categories are also diverse, from funky child-centric creations for parties to elegant concoctions for corporate celebrations. Prices range from HK$1,000 to HK$5,000. bakingmaniachk.com

Bespoke cake shops are renowned for their ability to turn dreams into reality. Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, anniversary or any other special event, these artists work closely with their clients to understand their vision.

Top spots for French pastries in Hong Kong

From freshly-baked, crunchy, buttery croissants to creamy macarons and airy, melt-in-your mouth cakes, Hong Kong is a goldmine when it comes to desserts. Team Gafencu did the delicious task of sifting through the dough (quite literally!) to list out the top places to get your French pastries fix.

If this doesn’t cover your cravings, we doubt nothing else will! 

gafencu french pastry patisserie paul lafayet

Paul Lafayet
Various Locations
One of the most celebrated French patisseries in Hong Kong, Paul Lafayet offers the most discerning of dessert lovers a slew of freshly made French cakes (mille-feuille, anyone?), macrons, cookies and even crème brûlée. 

Keeping with French traditions while elevating its creations to cater to the Asian palate, Frenchman and long time Hong Kong resident Toni Younes, bring together fine French pastries across the city. With more flavours than the colours in a rainbow, macaron fans are sure to return after having tried its crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth creations. 

Must-try: Macaron and crème brûlée
For more info, click here.

gafencu french pastry patisserie plumcot

Plumcot
Tai Hang
A marriage of luxury and heart-warming French pastries comes in the form of Plumcot. It’s the love-child of husband-and-wife duo, Camille Moenne-Loccoz and Dominique Yau, both having helmed the top bakeries in establishments like Pierre Hermé, The Peninsula, as well as other Parisian Michelin-starred eateries.

At this modestly tucked away bakery-patisserie, you will be spoilt for choice.  Wide offerings of artisanal and home-made breads, cakes, classic French pastries, and a selection of homemade ice cream awaits you. 

Must-try: Almond croissant and canelé (weekend special)
For more info, click here.

See Also: Luxury picnic baskets to order in Hong Kong

gafencu french pastry patisserie gontran cherrier

Gontran Cherrier, TST (K11 Musea)
K11 Musea, Tsim Sha Tsui
A more recent arrival to Hong Kong, Gontran Cherrier brings his professional Parisian background and speciality in bread and pastry to the city in the form of a bistro-style restaurant-slash-bakery.

Their offerings come in a range of artisan breads, viennoiseries, pastries and sandwhiches. You’ll often find long queues of patrons eagerly awaiting to get their hands on fresh-out-the-oven buttery croissants and breads! Just follow your nose, the glorious smell of warm bread in the second basement of K11 Musea will guide you to them. 

Must-try: Fresh baked croissant
For more info, click here.

See Also: Six unusual and delicious shaved ice desserts to try

gafencu french pastry patisserie passion by Gérard Dubois

Passion by Gérard Dubois
Various Locations
Baked in-house in a traditional stone oven and made from exclusively imported French flour of the highest quality, Passion, by patisserie-expert Gérard Dubois offers patrons an array of cafe staples and French classics.

Highlighting their crusty sour dough bread and signature Passion Baguette, their front counter greets every customer with a warm welcoming of their large selections, from sandwiches and breads to cakes, like mille feuilles and macarons. 

Must-try: Sour dough bread and Passion Baguette
For more info, click here.

 

gafencu french pastry patisserie poem patisserie by tate dining roomDate by Tate
Sheung Wan
If you are looking for a special celebration cake or an elegant gift box of confectionery and sweet pastries, Date by Tate, might be just the ticket. The mastermind behind the artistic creations found in this French-Chinese patisserie is celebrated chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room — the two Michelin-starred contemporary hotspot on Hollywood Road.

With a unique and modern approach to traditional pastries, this Parisian-inspired bakery offers a flair of French delights with Oriental combinations — think fermented tofu cheesecake, black sesame and yuzu mousse cake — all designed and decorated with a touch of class and finesse you expect from a Michelin-started chef. 

Must try: Fermented tofu cheesecake
For more info, click here.

See Also: Five guilt-free desserts to add to your diet

Feature image from Passion by Gérard Dubois.