Baked Goods
The Wedding Cake Shoppe
On our way to the Wedding Cake Shoppe, Melissa muses, "imagine one of us was going to pick out our wedding cake right now?"
The thought is more jarring to me than it probably should be. I thought we were just going to get some cupcakes. But it does serve the purpose reminding me that our destination is actually wedding cakes first, cupcakes second, which would be evident to most people (though I have a very selective consciousness) in the moniker.
And what cakes they are! Many examples of these works of art dot the store, light up the window display and peek out from behind rows of the fresh-baked personal-size versions I am so fixated upon. Some impossibly ornate, some with modern patterns and colours that I have always wanted in my food, but nature wasn't kind enough to give me.
But it (nature) did allow this bright and lovely place to practically land on my doorstep a few months back, sneaking its way into my not infrequent moments of "weakness"- or, as I prefer "(in desperate need of) sweetness". The second I saw the signage go up, I knew that this was exactly what my neighbourhood and I needed.
The array of buttercreams is breathtaking; colourful and comprehensive, it's hard to narrow down a choice- even when taking home a half-dozen. I have done this more than once, and yes, I do share them with others; people like my roommate who literally exclaimed, "they're so light!" with his first bite. Mm-hmm.
The cake is miraculously moist, living up to the expectation that the purveyors truly know what they are doing and can work a brand of magic that is impossible in your mortal kitchen. This happens less often than you may think.
So this is why my coconut cupcake enjoyed on this Friday afternoon is the third- yes, third- that I have had this week. I lament my lack of imagination to Melissa, "I keep coming back to the coconut," as though it were out of my control. Melissa says, "if it ain't broke..."
Ms. Coelho, owner and cake artist extraordinaire, overhears and now knows that her establishment and I go way back. She seems pleased, and I seem sheepish, which seems right. The coconut proceeds to work its chewy voodoo on me, while Melissa (predictably) goes for the Chocolate Toffee, like a pro.
Melissa digs in, "wow, it's so light." Indeed they are; light like happiness.
Almost as if answering my subconscious toffee jealousy, we are suddenly presented with a sample of cookies and chocolates provided by Christina of Les Fetes Sweets, sold here as well.
Tiny toffee cookies melt in my mouth so divinely, that know I have to try the chocolate-chip specimen, the base of which is so perfect to me (chewy, nutty and oat-y), that I accidentally consume some of the chocolate and don't even mind (I have a life-long, uncorrectable aversion to chocolate, for which I am very sorry). Our Americanos from I Deal Coffee give our table of sweet things the balance it needs.
Somehow, my dietary concerns are serendipitously taken care of, as the chocolate treat I am given is of the white variety. This is good news.
By this time, I am convinced that a wedding is just an awesomely huge party with an awesomely huge cake. A cake more beautiful than any of my possessions and guarded by action figures. I could get into this.
Discussion
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Unless there are more than one location??
We got to taste test the different flavored cupcakes to decide on which filling we want. Cookies n' Cream it is!!
Couldnt agree more, they are so moist it was amazing.
Finally a reason to look forward to my wedding. hahaha.
I appreciated the cultural diversity in wedding cake toppers, as indicated in one of the photos above. In addition to traditional caucasian bride and groom, toppers included pregnant caucasian bride and groom, bride and groom with baby, groom and groom and non-white couple and more that were diverse and whimsical. The wedding cake toppers more accurately reflect the diversity of Toronto.
Next time I will try the cupcakes!
We had our wedding at the Drake last summer and ordered form the wedding cake shoppe.
We ordered Strawberry Butter Cream and Vanilla cake.
EVERYONE including the Drake staff that were lucky enough to try a slice loved it!
Would it be wrong to start the dinner with the cake, then move onto the main course?!!
As well, the cake designs are incredible, and I've seen everyone on the (extremely) lovely staff at the shoppe working with couples-to-be: Everything is honest, up front and appropriate to the occasion. Planning a wedding can be a major headache, but from what I've seen of the staff and they way they work with the clients, they keep the fun of it all at the fore, with professionalism.
No, I'm not a shill for the shoppe. I just live in the neighbourhood and stop in a lot. And I'm glad they're here.
Best cupcakes in the city! There icing isn't too sweet and just melts in your mouth. I ordered some custom cupcakes for my brothers birthday from the Wedding Cake Shoppe and the cupcakes were so cute we didn't want to eat them. Finally when we did eat them, we couldn't get enough... so yummy!
I just took a course in cake making and was wondering if I could work for you, even on a part-time basis!
I'm happy to see that from her tiny beginnings Cindy now has a storefront. Thankfully for my waistline I don't live near, or I'd be eating a cupcake everyday - but I do pop in for one when we venture her way.
That's the craziest thing I have ever heard! I'm at the Shoppe every weekend for my weekly dose of cupcakes, I have tried all of their flavors and they have never had a maple bacon. I know they make special flavors on the weekends but this is new to me. Their cakes are always fresh and I don't believe you.
Thanks Cindy! Can't wait to share your beautiful and delicious cupcakes with all our family and friends on our big day.
Lucy and Jeff
I was there last week, although I didn't have a lot to choose from as it was close to closing hour when I got there but me and my friends were all very pleased with the purchase.
Chocolate Truffle and Dulce de Leche are by far my personal favourites!
The girl there was extremely nice and friendly, I would defintely go back and recommend the shoppe to all my friends and family!
If you haven't try this place yet, you're totally missing out!
On the day of our wedding, our wedding cake arrived safely and professionally to the wedding venue and looked fantastic! Our guests loved the flavours and the design! The cake was DELICIOUS, beautiful and elegant - exactly what we wanted. The presentation was perfect and we could not have asked for anything better!
The Wedding Cake Shoppe made our vision come true and we thank them for that!
Elad Dvash and Andrew Banks' wedding
Anyway keep it up girls! Some of the best cupcakes in town!
Its Cindy from the cake shop,
We didn't have any orders this weekend that fit that description or any orders placed by a haley since October 2011.
Can you call me to figure out what happened. I have been here for the past three days (open to close) for something to pass the point of being a mistake to you having a bad customer experience means you actually had to bring up the issue to someone here.. which did not happen. I take customer service very seriously and deal with things head on. If you ordered vanilla and got chocolate then you were not in the wrong, Just want to make sure you are writing this post about the right place. We have a post on blog about having gross maple bacon cupcakes when we have never even made a maple bacon cupcake... I don't need any bad posts about things that never even happened. Thats just frustrating. We work our butts off here to make people happy following through to the ever important customer service aspect.
Looking forward to hearing from you in person Haley.
Keep up the good work ladies!
The fact that Wedding Cake Shoppe has good reviews and uses real butter is intriguing me. Their cakes are absolutely beautiful. I am going to call and see if they will make a small cake and surround it with mini cupcakes for my daughters bday or perhaps make a cupcake pull apart cake like we had in Vancouver and I heard some places do in TO. If the cakes are truly relish and the cupcakes are a no go, then my daughter wants a princess themed cake like a castle or a cake with princess toppers and a scene of some sort like a carriage or crowns and jewels. Will have to be creative.
I will be back to share my experience and opinion. I have to go here, no other bakery has such raves.
As for service, she and her sister are nice to deal with. The counter staff and email confusion (good old cyber space), were my only service issues.
Get there early for best selection or before they're sold out for the day. That's all I've got to say.
I tried one vanilla and one Peanut Butter. They tasted EXACTLY the same. The frosting on top is far too light (has the consistency of whipped cream rather than icing) and the bread is not sweet enough.
When you're a gourmet specialty outfit in a city of this size and I leave wishing I'd gone and had a muffin from Tim Hortons, you know you're doing something wrong.
Not worth the calories.
Cupcakes for days and days, I die in the icings.