The Slice Is Right: NYC’s Best Birthday Cakes For Kids

For an Among Us Cake From a Serious Pastry Pro: SOMA Cakes NYC

Hiroyo Kuramata brings a serious pastry pedigree to her cake creations. She's worked alongside Iron Chef Morimoto at Nobu and pastry chef Eric Bedoucha, as well at FiDi's Financier Patisserie. Her East Village studio opened last year and she gets raves for design, taste and customer service. Popular flavors for kids' cakes are chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream, and as the gallery on her site suggests, she'll create pretty much anything you can come up with. Pricing starts at $65 for a six-inch cake, which serves six to eight people. Place orders at least two weeks in advance. 

380 E. 10th St. 
East Village 
212-388-1801
Online: somacakesnyc.com

For the Same Cake Jay-Z Eats: BCakeNy

Yes, this Prospect Heights, Brooklyn shop creates cakes for the stars, but they'll make one for your kid, too! BCakeNy's 6x6-inch round cakes feed eight to 15 people in any theme requested, including a completely custom concept. Popular flavors for kids are vanilla, strawberry, blue velvet and chocolate, but you can choose from a wide variety of options. Pickup from the shop or have it delivered for an additional charge, starting at $25. Cakes are $199. 

702 Washington Ave. 
Prospect Heights
347-787-7199
Online: bcakeny.com

For the Cookie Cake & More: Gracie Baked

Gracie Bensimon specializes in "nostalgic 90s-themed treats and completely customizable cakes with endless flavor combinations." Her most popular cake for kids is 'The Cake', a funfetti cake with cookie dough filling and funfetti frosting. All cakes are eight inches and cost $60. You can also truly create the cake of your kid's dreams, choosing from cake flavor, frosting flavor (you can do a different one on the inside and outside), fillings, spreads (hot fudge, caramel, etc.) and crunchies for added texture. Want to keep it simple? Order up a couple of Cookie Cakes (six-inch gooey chocolate chip cookies, pictured above) and call it a day. Gracie Baked will deliver throughout NYC for $20, and they also ship nationwide. 

Online: graciebaked.com

For Harlem Homemade Goodness: Make My Cake

Started as a home-business more than two decades ago, Make My Cake has gained legions of fans for its confections. The heart of the business is the family recipes of Josephine “Ma” Smith, said to combine the baking traditions of Mississippi and Alabama with Harlem soul. Must-haves here include the red velvet cake, German chocolate cake, sweet potato cheesecake and strawberry cupcakes. Need a cake delivered? Call 212-932-0833. 

2380 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
212-234-2344
Harlem
Online: makemycake.com

139 St. Nicholas Ave.
212-932-0833
Harlem

For Deliciousness on Demand in Queens & Brooklyn: Martha's Country Bakery

Martha's Country Bakery is a destination for both coffee- and dessert-lovers alike. Founded in 1972, it's now a mini empire, with five locations throughout Brooklyn and Queens. (You can find them in Forest Hills, Astoria and Bayside—and in two spots in Williamsburg.) Shops are stocked with full cakes made daily, and staffers are happy to customize with a birthday message or sign. Martha's makes cakes in almost 20 flavors, but ones especially popular for kids' birthdays are strawberry shortcake, strawberry/banana, and Oreo mousse. (We are wild for the berry napoleon.) You can get a seven-inch cake for $40, or an eight-inch for $43; larger sizes and sheet cakes are available, too, and you can even order online for cakes from the Williamsburg store at 263 Bedford. 

Martha's Country Bakery
Numerous locations
Online: marthascountrybakery.com

For Inspired Creations in Queens: Silk Cakes

This Forest Hills, Queens bakery describes itself as an "Asian American Cake Boutique", and makes both inspired cupcakes and cakes for celebrations and every day treats. Styles include chiffon cakes, buttercream cakes, as well as vegan and gluten-free. Go classic with your flavors (chocolate, vanilla, red velvet), or less common and Asia-inspired with strawberry chantilly, green tea, purple yam, and black sesame-flavored cakes and fillings. (See all the options here.) Pre-made cakes are available, and they will make a custom cake to your design as well. Can't make it to Forest Hills? Silk Cakes delivers to Manhattan—just make sure you order at least two days in advance. 

98-14 Metropolitan Ave. 
Forest Hills
718-830-3838
Online: silkcakes.com

For a Last-Minute Cake That Doesn't Look it: Butterfly Bakeshop

Birthday party planning can be overwhelming, and sometimes figuring out the cake goes by the wayside. If you need a boffo cake with quick turnaround, consider one of the Xtreme Cakes from Butterfly Bakeshop's 48 hour Collection, created with procrastinators everywhere in mind. If you've got more time, they are also happy to make a custom cake in the form of pretty much anything you can come up with, as evidenced by the Minecraft-themed cake shown here. 

Butterfly Bakeshop
4709 30th St. #406
212-686-2253
Online: butterflybakeshop.com

For An Exploding Cake: Flour shop

If you follow social media, you’ve seen these cakes taking NYC by storm, and yes, they are indeed "exploding"! Cut into them and an explosion of sprinkles and colorful confections comes pouring out. Then there’s the various colors of layers, the sweet icing, and the sprinkles on the outside that make this cake a favorite with young kids, tweens, and grown-ups alike. But beware: this cake might become the hit of the party, no matter who is booked for the entertainment!

177 Lafayette St.
No Phone
Soho
Online: Flourshop.com

For Fans of Magnolia Bakery: Buttercup Bake Shop

After helping to open Magnolia Bakery (the spot made famous by the gals on “Sex and the City”)  Jennifer Appel was up for a solo venture. She started Buttercup Bake Shop, and this store’s classic American desserts have been wowing customers for years. The layer cakes are as delicious as her cupcakes, and will please grown up guests as much as the kids. There are many flavors to choose from, and it’s worth a trip to the midtown location to also sample the  many puddings or bars...and pies, and cookies and bundt cakes!

973 2nd Ave.
212-350-4144
Upper East Side
Online: buttercupbakeshop.com

For The Best In Buttercream: Billy’s Bakery

If you prefer the look and taste of a fluffy, buttery frosting, Billy’s Bakery is the place for you. Like most of these bakeries, custom cakes require just 48 hours notice, but Billy’s Tribeca location will even host your party.

Billy's Bakery
75 Franklin St.
TriBeCa
212-647-9958
Online: billysbakerynyc.com

For Classic Cakes from a European Pastry Chef: Der Pioneer

A relative newcomer to the scene (it opened in early 2017) Der Pioneer has quickly gained a devoted following. Björn Böttcher and Greg Barbiero are behind this Kensington cafe, where Böttcher, a classically-trained pastry chef who has worked in European luxury hotel kitchens and beyond, creates delicious and refined—but still kid-approved—desserts both big and small. Flavors and fillings include dark chocolate, milk chocolate mousse, and white sponge cake with passionfruit mousse, and cakes come in 6-inch ($28), 10-inch ($52), and half-sheet cake ($110) sizes. We're still thinking about the birthday cake we ate at a kid's bash a few months ago. Amazing. 

737 Church Ave.
347-435-0132
Kensington 
Online: derpioneer.com

For a Great Cake on the Go: Veniero’s

The Strawberry Shortcake from 120 year-old Italian bakery Veniero’s probably isn't the first thing to come to mind when you think of a kid's birthday cake, but we’re here to tell you this cake is a crowd pleaser. And the shop sells so many every day, you can just walk in a buy a fresh one — and you can ask them to dedicate it. (A fridge stocked with other flavors like Oreo Cheesecake and Tiramisu cake, is there for your perusal, too.)

Veniero's Pastry
342 E. 11th St.
East Village
212-674-7070
Online: venierospastry.com

For Cake in All Forms: Mia’s Bakery

Mia's does cake any which way you like it: classic cake, cupcake, cake pops — all in traditional and more exotic flavors. The bakery will decorate something from its extensive menu of cakes with a simple "Happy Birthday", or create an elaborate custom confection. (The shop routinely displays impressive cakes in its windowed storefront.) Sampling here is easy — a bit too easy. Slices are displayed in the massive illuminated case, along with the other sweets, which also include tarts, cookies, etc. The roomy cafe and a menu of coffee, teas and more will get you to stay a while. Good news: Mia's Bakery is now also in Manhattan, near Times Square. 

139 Smith
Cobble Hill
347-987-3194
Online: miasbrooklyn.com

716 7th Ave. 
Midtown
917-261-4437
Online: miasbrooklyn.com

To Have Your Singular Cake Concept Realized: Sweet Amanda Leigh

Got an idea you need executed? (Or want some help coming up with a birthday cake that will blow your kid's — and everyone else's — mind?) Check out Sweet Amanda Leigh. Owner Amanda Leigh Maffucci specializes in custom-made cakes, and will talk with you about what you want, and the little guest of honor, to make a one-of-a-kind confection for the big day. Flavors run from the tried and true — deep chocolate and classic vanilla — to the festive and uncommon, such as "funfetti" and "almond gossamer," although Maffucci is happy to create any flavor she does not offer. Frostings and fillings range from chocolate and vanilla buttercream to fresh strawberries and "toasted marshmallow." Our sources tell us the cakes taste as good as they look! Custom cakes start at $150.

Sweet Amanda Leigh
646-770-2066
Online: sweetamandaleigh.com

For The Naked Cake, made by you!: Milk Bar

If you’ve seen a naked cake it was either from this place, or inspired by it.  While there are many imitators, this is original, created by sweet master Milk Bar owner Christina Tosi. (She's also the genius behind cereal milk ice cream, compost cookies and crack pie birthday cake.) The newest take on this now classic is that you can customize the naked cake to suit your celebrant's tastes, picking everything from the filling layers to the crumbs. Milk Bar has eight locations throughout NYC.

Online: milkbarstore.com

For a Fun-Fetti Confection: Butter & Scotch

Sadly, Butter & Scotch's brick-and-mortar location (a bar) is no longer. But you can still get one of its amazing birthday cakes!  With rich vanilla cake, pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles, the cake  both looks and tastes really good, making it a crowd pleaser revelers of all ages. This cake was named New York magazine’s “Absolute Best Birthday in NYC”, and so yes, their cake is their best seller.

347-350-8899
Online: butterandscotch.com

For Design Awards: Empire Cake

This storefront bakery on 8th Ave. in Chelsea became well-known for its many homemade versions of a Twinkie, but any neighborhood mom will tell you, their cakes are what’s celebrated on the kids birthday party circuit. Delectable creations are made-to-order, and no design challenge is too great, as evidenced by the Elsa/Spiderman combo above.

Empire Cake
112 8th Ave.
Chelsea
212-242-5858
Online: empirecake.com

For a Gluten- and Nut-Free, Vegan, or Dairy-Free Cake: Everybody Eats

This Gowanus Brooklyn bakery swears you can't tell the difference between its gluten-free cake and the alternative. (Its gluten-free baguette is served at the River Cafe, so they must be doing something right.) And, you can even get one on the same day as long as you call before 11 a.m. (Procrastinators, rejoice!) Plan ahead and choose from flavors including yellow, chocolate, and red velvet cake; frostings of Italian buttercream, or whipped cream, and fillings of fresh fruit, pudding, and chocolate ganache. Cakes start at $85 for a seven-inch round, which serves six to 10 people. 

294 Third Ave. 
718-369-7444
Gowanus
Online: everybodyeats-inc.com

For Vegan, Organic and Gluten-Free: Clementine Bakery

Proudly declaring on their web site, “we’re vegan and organic all the time, and gluten-free when you request it,” this bakery in Brooklyn makes great looking cakes and they avoid soy, too. They obviously have a way with custom creations as well, as evidenced by this Peppa Pig tour de force. (If you can make it to the mothership in Clinton Hill, their cakes, pies and other treats are also sold at cafes and other establishments throughout the city; click here to find Clementine near you.)

Clementine Bakery
395 Classon Ave. 
Clinton Hill
718-483-8788
Online: clementinebakery.com