Best East Bay Birthday Cakes & Desserts

It’s not a real party unless there’s a special birthday dessert, or so believe my own children. If you’re not a baking sort of parent, you’ll want to keep this list of birthday cake bakeries and dessert shops taped inside your cabinet. Or just order a tower of donuts!

Happy Birthday to your kid! Where to get a birthday cake in the East Bay

Prices are all over the place. A quarter sheet cake (layered or not) will probably work best for your standard kid party; 8″ is the standard round size (layered or not, you’ll want to be sure before paying your $50). Then again, the cupcake-cake might be the most genius idea around, or perhaps a pile-of-donuts-as-cake if you’re feeling crazy! We put ballpark prices in to give you an idea of where to start.

Bakeries we love in Oakland & Alameda for cakes & cupcakes

Angel Cakes (Oakland)

They specialize in cupcakes but also prepare small cakes, too. Order cupcakes – mini or regular-size  – in so many flavors. Also offering larger cakes, $95 for an 8”. Order from Angel Cakes >
Location: 745 5th Street, Oakland

Cupcakin’ Bake Shop (Oakland, Berkeley, & Walnut Creek)

Female Black Owned Business. Baking a crazy good assortment of mini and standard-size cupcakes in glorious flavors with pickup or delivery available. They also have cakes available starting at $45. Order from Cupcakin’ >
Oakland Location: Swans Market 907 E Washington Street, Oakland

Feel Good Bakery (Alameda)

Find cookies, cakes, and tarts here. Custom cakes available 8″ cakes starting at $49. Order from Feel Good >
Alameda Locations: Alameda Marketplace, 1650 Park Street, Alameda and Encinal Shopping Center, 3215 Encinal Avenue, Alameda

James and the Giant Cupcake (Oakland)

Order minis, regular-size, cupcake decorating kits, or giant cupcakes along with round layer cakes. The 8″ 3-layer cake starts at $65. Flavors change monthly. Online ordering is available for pickup or delivery.  Order from James and the Giant Cupcake >
Oakland Location: 6326 San Pablo Ave, N. Oakland

La Farine Bakery (3 Oakland locations)

French pastry shop with many treats to nibble. Classic cakes made with top-notch ingredients and creamy fillings. Order from La Farine >
Oakland Locations: 6323 College Ave., Rockridge, 4094 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, 3411 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland

Miette Cakes (Oakland in Montclair Village)

Fancy, round layer cakes available in 8″ for around $85. Smaller sizes and cupcakes are available.  Order from Miette >
Location: 2220 Mountain Blvd., Oakland

Sugarsweet (Oakland)

Black-owned business. With gorgeous and delicious cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, you can’t go wrong with a custom or standard order. 8″ round cake starts at $65. Order from Sugarsweet >
Location: 5855 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland

Whisk Cake Creations (Alameda)

Custom cake bakery with crazy delicious flavors in 6″ or 8″ round. 6″ cakes start at $34, but you’ll totally wish you had more! 8″ cakes start at $56. Order from Whisk >
Location: 1930 Main Street, #2, Alameda

See the whole East Bay Kids Birthday Party Guide >>

Bakeries we love in Berkeley & Other East Bay

Cupcakin’ Bake Shop (Oakland, Berkeley, & Walnut Creek)

Female Black Owned Business. Baking a crazy good assortment of mini and standard cupcakes in glorious flavors with pickup or delivery available. $85 for 9″ cake. Order from Cupcakin’ >
Berkeley Locations: 2391 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley and 1690 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94709

Love at First Bite Cupcakery (North Berkeley)

Cakes start with a 6″ two-layer cake for $40 and go up from there, a quarter-sheet cake is $84. Many flavors of cakes and cupcakes on the menu. Yum. Order from Love at First Bite >
Location: 2122 Vine St, Berkeley, CA

PennDel’s Bakehouse (El Cerrito)

PennDel’s Bakehouse offers cakes, cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, and puppy treats. Order from PennDel’s >
Location: 6491 Portola Drive, El Cerrito

Sweet Adeline Bakeshop (South Berkeley)

Offers special order cakes with 72 hours’ notice (custom artwork may require 2 weeks notice). 8″ rounds cake run about $48. I’m in love with their pies and tarts. Order from Sweet Adeline >
Location: 3350 Adeline Street, Berkeley

Grocery stores that do cakes just right, many 510 locations

1. Whole Foods is my personal go-to for quarter sheet cakes for about $60 (serves 20). Order here>
2. Berkeley Bowl offers a variety of cakes, but no custom option. Add your own lettering? Order here>
3. Costco has a bakery that will personalize your sheet cake with classic designs. The price is right at about $0.40+ per serving. Must order in person.
4. Safeway has sheet cakes and brilliant cupcake cakes (cupcakes frosted to look like a cake!). Pro tip: buy a smaller cake and then more cupcakes by the dozen to fill in for quantity. $33 for an 8″ round cake. Order here>
5. Lucky Supermarkets offers custom cakes starting at $29.99 for a quarter, $16.99 for an 8″ round. Photo printing options are available. Order here>

Ice cream birthday cake

1. Ben and Jerry’s has small, pretty ice cream cakes in the cold case ready to go. They also allow you to customize and pre-order online.
2. Lexie’s Frozen Custard Delivery will make a custom ice cream cake or pie and deliver it to your door, pre-sliced and with a special message. See the gallery of choices > Then send a note to order your special cake>
3. Fentons Creamery, Oakland ice cream cakes are colorful with seasonal designs. Visit Fentons website for options >
4. Tuckers, Alameda has custom and standard choices for ice cream cakes. 8″ house cake for $65 Find options >
5. Baskin Robbins makes delicious, albeit sugary, ice cream cakes. “Always a crowd-pleaser,” says Anne Marie, the owner of Grove Street Kids. Custom cakes in 24 hours. Find options >

Fruit as Cake

I have a funny kid who doesn’t like cake or really any sweets. But he does like fruit! Edible Arrangements offers some beautiful watermelon cakes that are stunning and still hit that sweet spot without too much sweet. Locations in Berkeley and Walnut Creek. Order here>

Donuts and Doughnuts

Maybe you feel like stepping outside the birthday cake paradigm and want to try something different. How about ordering a few dozen donuts and arranging them in a cake-like structure? It’s like the cool-kid version of the cupcake-cake trend. Try one of these shops>

Pie as Cake

Many of our readers suggest that pie is the new cake. Fat Apples and Sweet Adeline are great options, as is Masse’s in North Berkeley. East Bay Pie Co. is another great Berkeley option. Where’s your favorite pie shop?

We inquired on the 510Families Facebook page (which you should like, if you don’t already) about favorite birthday cake makers in the East Bay. The responses, together with a few other sources of intel, resulted in this list. For more birthday party ideas, check out our birthday party guide.

Any other local favorites? Tell us your favorites in the comments below.