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527 reviews for Aki's Bakery
Review Highlights
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"the Guava cake is the most amazing cake I've ever had." In 330 reviews -
"hands down the best peach bavarian." In 12 reviews -
"I particularly like the light whipped cream frosting." In 9 reviews
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526 reviews in English
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Review from Miss P.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/5/2012
I love guava chiffon cake. Since I can't get my cake from Hawaii any time I want, this place fulfills that craving. The cakes sold off the shelves are not as fresh as the custom ordered ones.
Regardless, I'll be back. -
Review from Sonia S.
San Jose, CA
5/5/2012
I love this place! I get all my cakes here and they are always awesome! I also LOVE that they always try to accommodate and help with the decorations, they were worried about the size of the guava cake I wanted but I begged them to please just make it and so they did.
it's our son's 1st b-day next week so we wanted something special and although I changed my order a few times they were very accommodating.
The only reason I did not give them 5 stars is that I wish they had more staff up front, they are always pretty packed no matter what time of the day it is, and the whole parking situation can be really frustrating at times... the place is busy always and no parking, I am so scared to pick up 2 cakes next week, especially when I know one will be kind of heavy, I hope there is parking!
But the cake is DELICIOUS! moist and not too sweet.. just right... ever since we started getting all of our cakes there like 6 yrs. ago, we just wish we had some left over, doesn't happen very much... :) -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Jose, CA
4/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place isn't hard to find. They have a really big sign that sticks out like a sore thumb on the street. Be careful though, there's no such thing as parking here. Instead of creating parking right in front of the store, they created a yellow brick road kind of design to go with the bakery. Inside is a fairly good size and they had a lot of decorative cakes on display. They also had a nice selection of goodies inside the refrigerators. I came in right before closing, so they didn't have much left but I did get to grab a guava cake and a chocolate cake.
Their guava cake had a really nice smell, but bland. It wouldn't be something I would ever crave. I just wanted to try it because so many people on yelp said it was to die for, but I just didn't feel the same.
Their chocolate cake was good. Very moist and airy moose like. I liked it way better than the guava, but I still probably wouldn't come back just to pick up a slice.
Overall, maybe if I was in the area I would stop by for a slice, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. -
Review from Analisa S.
Berkeley, CA
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yup. Their Guava cake really is that good. A moist cake with a subtle, but obvious guava flavor.
They have a good assortment of cookies too, I really liked their butter cookies.
And I absolutely adored the long-haired guy behind the counter. He was so friendly and answered the millions of questions I kept throwing his way. -
Review from Sofia G.
San Jose, CA
5/15/2012
The mocha cake is the BEST !! The guava cake is good but I'd go with mocha anytime over guava ;) try it !
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Review from Atul N.
San Jose, CA
4/5/2012
I hated it when my friends opened the box of my birthday cake about 4 years back. The cake was a bright pink with 'Happy Birthday Atul' in blue written on it.
I was told it is the famous Guava cake that people drool about.
I ate a slice and this was the best piece of cake I have ever had in my lifetime. The guava flavor.. the sponginess... the sweetness.. nothing can match it.
I have been a huge fan ever since and visit them almost every month or two to try something new, or pick the Guava cake for one of my dear ones.. -
Review from Lynn T.
Cakes do not usually blow my mind but the guava cake at Aki's is AMAZING! It is very moist and not too sweet! Its super cute and very pink! They have different sizes for the guava cake but I believe the cheapest one is the single layer 9" cake for $27, which I estimate to feed about 8 people comfortably. I had to dock one star from the rating because I had to wait in-line too long to pick up my pre-ordered cake. I feel like that the cashiers/bakery should work more efficiently to accommodate the long line out the door.
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Review from Elise G.
4/30/2012 1 photo
The Guava cake is so good.
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Review from Jin S.
San Francisco, CA
3/31/2012
I've only tried 2 cakes from here.
Roasted almonds and their famous Guava cake.
loved both!
I do not like sweet cakes, and I found neither cakes too sweet. Too bad I don't live in the South bay anymore. -
Review from Chatty L.
Campbell, CA
3/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I give 3 stars with much hesitation.
My family, like so many others here, have been customers of Aki's forever. My dear uncle died in 1994, and while terminally ill, he was barely able to stomach any food. It seems the only thing he wanted to eat were their Dream Cakes. Because of this fondness we have for the cake & bakery, paired with the memories it provides, this place has been our go-to for birthdays and events.
That said, I've bought their cakes for birthdays, wedding showers, just because, and even for my friend's baby shower. I also have stopped in periodically over the years for goodies. My sister had them do her wedding cake here too... you get the picture.
Their products are awesome. Guava cake=to die for, and perfectly pink. The mango is my favorite. Future Hub and I were very excited to agree on a cake flavor and eagerly scheduled a tasting for OUR wedding cake only to find they don't offer it in wedding cakes. Maybe it has something to do with the weight? I don't know. Either way, I was fine with ordering a small cake and cutting up a larger sheet cake in the back kitchen at my venue.
The cake from the samples were awful. Dense and dry. How is that even possible? The buttercream icing was so sticky sweet that it was barely palatable. I would be willing to overlook all of this if we weren't basically handed a plate of samples and pointed to a table.... then ignored. And ignored. And ignored. When I asked the girl at the counter a question about flavor combination (not rocket science, people), she looked at me like a deer in headlights. I then asked another employee 4 feet from her who gave me an answer.
The service we got that day was SO POOR and the samples the COMPLETE opposite of what I've grown to love that I won't even consider using them at all.
In short, I'd recommend for a party/celebration, but look around to other vendors for a wedding or big cake.Listed in: I do!
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Review from Johnell L.
Campbell, CA
2/22/2012
I am so disappointed with Aki Bakery! My family has been a customer for over 20 years. Yesterday, I went to pick up the King Cake (which BTW is a traditional Fat Tuesday dessert), I was told they did not have my order. I told the girl that I had ordered this cake OVER a week ago ESPECIALLY for a Mardi Gras party that night. When I told them I even had a confirmation voicemail from their boss and gave them the time & date of the call, the response was "sorry, can't help you". Seriously!?!?!?! The WORST customer service EVER!!!
Unfortunately, they have lost a long time customer and MANY MORE!!!!!!!
Lunardi's in Los Gatos was VERY helpful and saved the day!!! It was just as good as the one from Aki and a lot cheaper too!!!! -
Review from Allie D.
San Jose, CA
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very friendly and had exactly what I wanted, which was the guava cake. It was super moist and not too sweet. I normally don't even like frosting, but there's was delish! I gave it 4 stars only because of their super cramped parking lot.
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Review from Malyssa C.
San Jose, CA
3/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ordered my mom a guava cake from here for her birthday, and it was a hit with the whole family! (: Not too sweet, light, moist, and just perfect in my opinion! The guava taste isn't very strong, but this didn't really bother me. I'm not a fan of cakes in general because they're typically overdone (too sweet, overpowering flavors, really thick icing, etc.) but this cake was just right for my taste!
The service was meh. But I was only in this place for about 2 minutes to pick up my order and pay, so it's whatever. Guava cake here is definitely a must try! I would order it again. -
Review from Elaine N.
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yes yes yes, finally got to tried the Guava cake and the red velvet cake from Aki's Bakery!
I have to say at first calling to ordered was not a pleasant experience from this bakery because they were rude. The lady who was taking my order must had a bad day or just plain moody. I did not let that get to me and pick up my order the next day. Upon arriving at the bakery, the service was much better so it made up for the rudeness on the phone.
I liked the red velvet cake texture better than the guava cake. I expected more out of the guava cake due to the hype. I personally think it taste like a typical cake that I would have got at some Asian bakery in San Jose. I would come back here to get their red velvet cake though since it is to my liking. -
Review from Liz N.
Hayward, CA
3/15/2012
Aki's used to be our go to place for cakes on special occasions, that is before it changed ownership. I know it was years ago that this happened, but it was just recently that I tasted their cake since the new ownership.
The Guava cake is incredibly sweet....YUCK and to make it worse the bread was very spongy and a little on the dry side. -
Review from Johnny J.
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I did ordered Sugar Free cake for St. Patrick day (8" dia $25)!
This is the only place in a Bay Area who makes SF cakes! -
Review from Judy S.
San Jose, CA
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was my first time trying their guava cakes and it was alright. Not the best, so I just got the red velvet cake, which is my all time fav. lol. I HATE HATE HATE how their parking lot is. The street is so narrow, rude drivers, and the fact the bakery is facing on-coming traffic, how the heck do they expect customers to park their cars?!
I wouldn't mind coming back if only there was something else good besides the red velvet cake. -
Review from Jimmy L.
San Jose, CA
2/12/2012
My brother and I would frequent this bakery from the mid-80s to the 90s, and for good reason. They had a lot of history here in the valley, and they were good. The cakes were always light, airy, and not too densely sweet. I remember the original Japanese owners, who were super friendly, and always about customer service.
I recently moved close to their bakery, and have frequented a couple of times within the last two months.
Recently, I have ordered Aki's Special, which is two layers of chocolate chiffon cake, and one layer of white chiffon, sandwiched custard, and covered with "vanilla fluff". I have purchased 7" rounds both times, at 23.95.
I like getting the 7" rounds because the 8" is too much for my family, and the 7" is sized just right for leftovers, or to freeze for one more helping for the three of us. The cake, as always, is fairly spongy and soft. The custard is smooth, with a slight vanilla flavor, and is one of the best that I have tasted.
The first time, the cake was great; the second time, the "vanilla fluff" exterior tasted too sugar-sweet - more so than the first time. I didn't like it as much the second time around, though it was still fairly good.
Note that they are no longer the original owners. Seriously, the workers don't seem like they care much, and they are not customer-facing people. I have called on two different occasions to get a custom order in before they close (they require 24-hour notice for special-order cakes), and more often than not, they let their voice mail answer the phone. Not sure why this seems so difficult, since I have seen at least 2 people at the front counter (not counting the backend workers) at any given time.
Additionally, I went in there once, and one of the clerks was coughing and sniffling as if she was sick. I have dealt with a couple of their other clerks, and they just don't seem like they want to be there.
This has the trickle-down effect on me, cuz it really makes me not want to go in there anymore - esp since the parking situation sucks.
Lastly, it just doesn't feel the same without the original owners. Even though their cakes are still fairly good, for the overall reasons that I have stated, I'm not sure if I would come back. -
Review from Sancho P.
San Jose, CA
Last year, I came to Aki's Bakery to try out the 4-star reviewed guava cake. I liked it. Then I began further expanding my cake palate and discovered burnt almond cakes, princess cakes, different mousse cakes, etc...
I came back here today, with upgraded cake tastebuds and a new cake snob confidence, to give the guava cake another shot!
It wasn't as fantastic as I remembered. The first slice was OK. The flavor became boring after the second slice, but I continued chewing until I had 5 cake-slices or so.
The smallest sized guava cake cost $26, 10 bucks more than a burnt almond cake(best cake EVER) from Dick's bakery. Honestly, I'd rather have Dick's in my mouth over anything in Aki's bakery. -
Review from Leanne P.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm going to start this review with the pros: THE GUAVA CAKE. I know every review has mentioned this, but dizzamn! There are few cakes in the world that can top this cake!
Now comes the sad part. This place sucks. Trying to get here sucks, parking sucks, the employees suck.
I say getting here sucks because I live in Milpitas and this is like 20-30 minutes away from me. Its in a not-so-good neighborhood and I just didn't feel safe while there. The parking is behind the building and next to the building... but if you park on the side of the building, you would have a REALLY hard time trying to get out.
If you park in the back, make sure you watch for oncoming traffic because its just one lane. I went here on a Thursday afternoon around 4pm, and it wasn't bad... but I can imagine how it can become a nightmare on a weekend or holiday! I'd suggest parking down the street (at the supermarket, I think its Safeway?) and just walking... it's probably safer for your car.
The employees suck. They obviously do not want to be there and are very good at showing it. While I was there, there was a mother/daughter group and they were waiting for their sheet cake. Apparently they had ordered it in advance and they were supposed to have a photo printed onto the cake. First the employee lied and said they just had to "fix" it.... and then she finally admitted that they had never scanned the image. I think it sucks in general when your stuff isn't ready when you're supposed to pick it up... but don't lie about it! These 2 ladies were expecting to wait like 10 minutes, but then ended up having to wait like 30.
So five stars for the guava cake, 0 stars for the experience. We'll average it out to 3 stars. If I could just figure out how to make this cake, life would be perfect :) -
Review from True P.
San Jose, CA
4/2/2012
What a joke of a bakery. This place deserves - star not even worth a single star. We have been buying cakes and pastries from Aki's for decades. But NEVER again.
I ordered a "Mario Bros." cake for my son's birthday. They told me they do not make this particular cake but if we brought in the figures they will make the cake with all the features (mushrooms, coin box, green pipe, etc.) the gal told me they will use their smart phone and replicate one online and make it spectacular.
We bought a $20 Mario Bros action figure set and dropped it off 3 days before the party. The cake cost us $94 for half sheet +$20 figures. My mom picked up the cake while I was setting up the party. When I looked at it, the cake had borders, a few patches of grass and the action figures stuck on top, NOTHING else but the writing happy birthday with my son's name. Top that off, the characters were placed all crooked! By the time I saw the cake it was too late to do anything about it since all of our guests had already arrived.
EEEEEEEKKK!!!!! A grocery store could have made this cake 100% better!!
Don't waste your money people! This place SUCKS! -
Review from Lillian M.
Soquel, CA
5/13/2012
While the cakes are delicious......they really need to work on their "customer service" which was nil!! Long line out the door and employees who move like snails! Why would a bakery that had great cakes not develop a better system for serving their customers!!!
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Review from Anna S.
Campbell, CA
1/14/2012
Came here with a recommendation from my friend. She said that their famous guava cake was good. It was amazing!! My mom asked me to pick up a cake for my dad, preferably a "Chinese" cake because they're generally not as sweet. Personally I'm not a fan of the typical "Chinese" cake because they normally have canned fruit and canned fruit is just gross.
I decided to stop in to see what they had. The store front isn't all that impressive and neither was the inside. I've definitely seen more impressive (ie prettier and more modern) bakeries, but I needed a cake! There were 2 people working in the front and both were with customers. The girl who eventually helped me was nice and prompt. Despite having a line inside the store, she was patient with me as I asked a bunch of questions. I decided on the guava cake and it was ready within 5 minutes complete with the writing on the cake.
They had a pretty impressive display with all kinds of decoration options. I know I'm definitely coming back here for all my future cake needs!
The cake was Ah-mazing! The guava flavor was present but not overwheming. Neither the cake nor the frosting were overly sweet, and the guava puree on the top completed the whole package. It was perfection and even BF, who hates cakes, liked it! The cake was big enough for 10 people and came out to around $28.
I am definitely coming back to try more (though I want that guava cake again!) and I wouldn't be surprised if I up my rating to 5 stars after another visit! -
Review from Lee L.
Palo Alto, CA
2/20/2012
Haven't tried the cakes here, but some of their other items are good. Their chocolate croissant is my favorite - buttery, flaky crust, generous chunks of chocolate inside, with a light dusting of cocoa powder. Their mini-brioche is just okay, and their apple turnover is good, but sometimes inconsistent.
This isn't a "service with a smile" place. They're efficient, but not the warm and fuzzy types.
Gotta love the retro astroturf out front! -
Review from Christopher C.
San Ramon, CA
4/16/2012
Used to love this place back in the day, but things have gone done significantly since the new owners took over.
I still occasionally make the trip down to SJ to pick up a guava cake, but it is not nearly as good as it used to be. They have also seemed to switch to a different frosting that is heavier and sweeter than what used to be used.
Wish there was another bakery that made a good guava cake, but for now, this seems to be the only game in town. -
Review from Lisi b.
San Jose, CA
2/23/2012
CHEEESSE AND SPRINKLES this place is dangerous!!!
Love the burnt almond cake...
Kids love the iced cookies...
They go great customer work too...
Word of advise GO IN... Don't call - to hard to place orders over the phone ... There are bakers, designers managers and sales girls... They all need to ask each other and It's gets chaotic with all the return calls!!! -
Review from Andrew W.
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have heard a lot about the guava cake. But, unfortunately, I did not have the chance to try it. Instead, we tried the banana cake. I think it is more of a chocolate banana cake. It had chocolate syrup and the cake was a chocolate chiffon.
The cake itself did not have much flavor. it was a light chiffon cake. I do not like chiffon cakes. They taste like flavorless sponges to me. The flavor was completely overwhelmed by the banana. I think I would have been happier with Safeway cake.
The frosting was equally flavorless. There was a bitter component to it. It was ok. I would have preferred more banana flavor in the cake itself instead of just having big chunks of banana inserted into the filling. I also think that the chocolate syrup was weird.
I have heard that they used to be better and that the guava cake is the way to go. But, I was pretty disappointed. It definitely did not live up to the hype. -
Review from Jenna L.
1/11/2012
I first heard about this place from a co-worker and got to try a piece of their guava cake. It was super delicious, and even though my mom baked tons of cakes when I was growing up, this one was different. It's super airy and light, and the frosting is awesome.
Guava cake is SUPER good, and they even wrote me a birthday message :) If you're anywhere in the area, you've got to try it, because it is DELICIOUS. Believe me, I don't even really like cake and I love this... the cake is SUPER pink though - like hot pink. Pink frosting, pink cake, pink gel on top. Awesome. -
Review from Maggie Y.
Fremont, CA
1/19/2012
Aki's is my go to place for cakes! I love their Passion Orange Guava (POG) cake. It's Guava cake, with orange cream frosting (tastes like a creamsicle), with a layer of Passion glaze on top! DELICIOUS!!
Their guava cake on its own is amazing as well!
I've also ordered a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting that was a huge hit!!
Their cakes are super moist and fluffy and not too sweet.
The only reason I took a star off is for the service. Once I ordered a half sheet cake and the lady who took my order misquoted the price and told me a cheaper price. The lady who rang me up gave me such a hard time about it, even though it wasn't my fault. I have no idea what their prices are! Although she reluctantly gave me the cheaper price she was extremely rude and unprofessional.
Despite their unfriendly service, I would still come back for their delicious cakes! -
Review from Louisa T.
2/23/2012 1 photo
Since everyone raved about the Guava cake, I figured I had to give it a try. My friend bought one whole cake back for me once and I have to say I was fairly impressed. I was initially totally thrown off at how pink the cake was, but I love how refreshing the flavor of the guava was, and how moist the cake was. For that, I'm giving this cake alone, 3 stars. =)
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Review from Michael G.
Santa Clara, CA
3/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
My wife found this place after we had tried the guava cake elsewhere. The first think I really liked is that they had a automatic door which would be great for someone getting a cake and didn't want to drop it. As soon as I walked in I knew I liked this place based of the great smells. If I didn't know what I wanted already I really could of tried almost everything. I didn't see the prices but we got a slice of the guava and mango cakes. The portion is perfect and the cake was great. Looks like I have a new bakery to come back to and yes it is worth the drive. Parking is rather tough I just parked on a side street. Just follow your nose and you will find your way there if you are within a few blocks.
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Review from Marialinh L.
San Jose, CA
3/10/2012
5 stars for Guava Cake and Mango Cake. I always stop in for a cake at the last minute, they always have guava cakes on hand. I have grabbed some sugar iced cookies for the kiddies and they are tasty.
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Review from Paula G.
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Believe all the other yelpers because The GUAVA cake is to die for.
Men, don't be intimidated by the pink interior and exterior. It's not as sweet as it looks.
It's so light enough for those who want to have their cake and eat it too and sweet enough for those that have the biggest sweet tooth. The guava isn't overpowering at all, just a slight after taste that makes you want to get another bite.
The service is excellent! Everyone is super friendly and not fake at all. They get packed their parking sucks but other than that I'd come here to pick up a cake from now on! -
Review from jazzy l.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2012 1 photo
Somehow the Guava cake is always really popular here.
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Review from Sabrina C.
San Jose, CA
8/28/2011
I came here for the guava cake that I heard so much hype about it that I decided to order it for a friend's birthday party. The cake was delicious! However, it looked like it came straight out of the '80s from the color and the looks of it. Luckily, the taste of the cake made up for it's looks. It was delicious!
I've also gotten a slice of the princess cake too and that was also mouth-watering. As for other items, I have yet to try but I'd like to make another trip back since it was so good. -
Review from Samsudin K.
Santa Clara, CA
11/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have to agree with everyone that the Guava cake is great and highly recommended.
I just don't understand that you need to have minimum order of 24 for cupcakes. It is such as waste when you have party for 6 kids and plenty of left over of cupcakes. Their cup cakes are nicely decorated but too sweet for kids.
Parking is rather challenging at Aki's bakery and you have to make sure you did hit other customer cars. -
Review from Betty O.
Santa Clara, CA
8/15/2011
I am so disappointed to have to write this review but I can't let this happen to anyone else. A little history, all our family wedding cakes have been ordered from this bakery (5 total) from 1982-1999. So when my parents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary it was a no brainer that we were going to order the cake here as well.
Since we had so much history with the bakery with absolutely beautiful cakes that tasted wonderful we didn't even worry about the cake until it was delivered. It was not decorated in the correct colors. Since it was a 50th anniversary we had requested (in writing on receipt) for all the scrolled piping to be in gold. The entire cake was white. It looked like a wedding cake which is exactly what were didn't want. I immediate called the bakery to see if there was anything that could be done since there was still 3 hours until the reception. Not a small reception either this was a 3 tier cake for 200 people.
The bakery was open & I reached a live person, but was transferred to the manager's voicemail after explaining the problem. This was on saturday, I did not receive a call back until tuesday. While the manager was very nice his excuse was not acceptable. He explained that the bakery is under new management and that their primary cake decorator was sick all week, our cake had been sent out to another bakery to be decorated and the mix up must have been at the other bakery.
While I explained that my major upset was that it took 4 days to get a call back on such a large order. When I originally called I was hoping that maybe someone could come out & add some gold piping before the reception. But not to get a call back for days. So not acceptable. The manager did not have an explanation and kept trying to change the subject by asking my opinion on different kind of cookies he wanted to introduce to the bakery.
Yup that was it. No sorry, let me credit you the decorating charge, or your next birthday cake is on us. Extremely disappointing. While I wish the "new management" the best of luck. I will be taking my business elsewhere. -
Review from Katherine C.
San Jose, CA
10/3/2011
Does this bakery ever pick up their phone calls or return voicemails? Oh my God! I've been trying to get a hold of them for the past 2-3 days and no answer!
I'll take my business elsewhere, thanks Aki. -
Review from Ss S.
San Jose, CA
2/7/2012
Firt off, I love the guava cake! Ordered it for my dad's birthday. All my relatives LOVED it. It truly tastes like real guava is in it. The only complaint is the price - so expensive for even just a small sheet. Good things do cost more. Just wish I can order it more often. Secondy, I tried their Canoli and their oatmeal cookie, which surpised me on what a downgrade that was. Oatmeal cookie was stale and tasted like a regular cookie I can buy at Safeway(even better at the grocery store). Unimpressed with the Canoli; aftertaste tasted like the smell of sneeze on a spring day. Nothing to go back to.
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Review from Ashlee M.
San Jose, CA
2/24/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The guava cakes are the best!! I had two of them for my birtdhay during my birthday week. The cakes are super moist and flavorful. They remind me of Hawaii. I will continue to order the guava cakes for up coming birthdays this year. :)
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