Whether it’s a special day for a family member, friend or colleague, celebrating a birthday is all about making them feel loved and special. The best way to do that is with a delicious cake, and Sydney has no shortage of amazing bakeries and shops for you to choose from.
Flour and Stone are a true local fave, with their Woolloomooloo-based bakery featuring ingredients from small growers and producers including Pepe Saya butter, Country Valley milk, Sample coffee and Rabbit Hole tea. Their range includes everything from old-fashioned fluffy sponges to decadent show stoppers like a Valrhona Manjari chocolate cake topped with gold leaf. There are two venues to choose from; The Annexe, which is perfect for takeaway treats or the bright and airy eat-in cafe, The Pantry, designed for a more leisurely morning tea affair.
There’s a good chance you’ve tried a Brickfields croissant or pastry without even knowing it, as the bakery distributes to cafes all over town. This inner-city favourite is all about delivering big flavours in small packages, with their pannacotta lamingtons and melt-in-your-mouth meringues taking centre stage. But they also offer a fantastic range of cakes, including their flourless chocolate, white chocolate and raspberry and carrot varieties.
You might know this patisserie for its elaborate flower-topped cakes that have become a social media phenomenon, but you’ll be equally impressed by their classic French and English creations. Their rose and lemon drizzle, and chocolate praline are especially delicious.
Penelope Ransley is the former pastry chef at Tetsuya’s and Sepia, so it goes without saying that her cakes are some of the best in the city. Her sourdoughs, danishes and tarts are also to die for.
What started as a rustic corner store bakery has become a Sydney institution with 12 locations and a devoted following of cake lovers. Bourke Street Bakery combines great produce with artisanal skills to create delectable handcrafted pastries and cakes that are sure to wow your guests at any celebration. Their cakes (flourless lemon and Belgian chocolate cakes, carrot and walnut cake) often steal the spotlight, but their savoury selection of sandwiches, pies and quiches are equally amazing.
The team at Mrs Jones the Baker are all about enjoyment, so make sure you get there early if you want to secure one of their famed cakes. They have a wide range of sizes, including their DD flourless chocolate cake (gluten-free), pear and raspberry frangipane, Victoria sponge and cheesecake assortments. birthday cake sydney