any recommendations for a good birthday cake?

[somer-villains.livejournal.com]

we need to pick up a birthday cake on short notice (tomorrow).  we usually like the cakes from party favors in brookline, but they tend to be on the costly side, and this is just for a toddler's birthday.  but we do like wholesome ingredients nonetheless.  are there any good local bakeries that make a decent cake (i.e., not your typical shaw's cake with 10 times the sugar and all sorts of artificial ingredients)?  reasonably priced would be a big plus, as we don't want to spend $50-100 on a cake... were thinking more along the lines of $25.  we were thinking possibly some of the portuguese hole-in-the-wall hidden gems in east cambridge, but we don't want to take a blind gamble.

thanks in advance!

Comments

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

Bella Moto in Arlington is fantastic--very good, wholesome ingredients, extremely reasonably priced, and the owner will really work with you to get what you want. She did a fabulous non-dairy chocolate cherry cake for a kosher friend's birthday dinner recently.

[ron_newman]

when this subject has come up in the past, people have mentioned Lyndell's in Ball Square, and Danish Pastry House in Medford.

[wallacestreet.livejournal.com]

Lots of options here (http://www.chowhound.com/topics/449545), but I'd suggest Lyndell's as your best local choice. Rosie's (Inman or Porter) is quite good too.

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

I love Lyndells. Their cakes and frostings are delish and they make really adorable kids' cakes.

[lac.livejournal.com]

I've never had a cake from Lyndell's that I didn't like. We just ordered a small b-day cake for my boyfriend...$25 total.

[lac.livejournal.com]

Nope...I wouldn't say wholesome either...I was just chiming in that I liked their cakes. And for me...I do not feel they overfrost but I think that's a pretty subjective thing. I really like frosting so for me..it's not an issue. But, that's simply my personal feeling on the frosting matter.

[komos.livejournal.com]

You know, since the reviewer row that happened when Kickass opened, I keep hearing about Lyndell's unwholesome ingredients but have yet to see any sort of documentation...

[komos.livejournal.com]

I wasn't aware that "old fashioned" was synonymous with "made poorly."

Now, I don't think that Lyndell's cakes taste as though they were made with hand-milled organic flour, farm-fresh local milk from specially bred Jersey cows, and eggs harvested at the dark of the moon from blue-eared mountain hens who are only permitted to walk upon a lush carpet of ornamental ivy, but I also think it's unfair to suggest that they use sub-standard ingredients without some sort of evidence to back the claim.

[ron_newman]

some old posts on this subject:

http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/939146.html
http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/748563.html
http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/642520.html (vegan)
http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/235477.html
http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/170669.html

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

lol...the mojito cupcakes are soaked in rum, not exactly what one wants for a toddler birthday party ;)

[komos.livejournal.com]

Leaving the booze aside, $25 will get you all of 7 cupcakes at Kickass. It could just be me, but 7 seems like a far cry from a "tower."

[komos.livejournal.com]

Eldo Cake House on Harrison Ave in Chinatown... They're light, delicious, and filled with real fruit.

[booxntea.livejournal.com]

My friends got their wedding cake from the Whole Foods at fresh pond. Their bakery section is apparently run by a pastry chef from Chicago or San Fran. Not local in any way except their employees but wholesome and apparently, much cheaper than anyone else that makes wedding cakes.

[aki.livejournal.com]

I've been pretty happy with Whole Foods cakes too

[heliopsis.livejournal.com]

I will also chime in for Lyndell's. Their cakes are delicious, and the frosting is yummy. Whenever we have an event at my church, we get a cake from Lyndell's and everyone raves about it. Their bread is delicious, too, and their doughnuts--oh, their doughnuts!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Petsi Pies sometimes has cakes, but you'd have to call first.

[ron_newman]

what's up with all the deleted comments here?