On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Lafayette Ave (C)
Fulton St (G)
Atlantic Ave-Pacific St (2, 3, 4, 5, M, N, Q, W, R, B, D)
Loading...
My friend from the south claims that "something is missing" from this red velvet cake...but F that. To this naive northerner, the cake is sweet, fluffy and completely satisfying. It's also made by a man named "Cake Man Raven" who beat Bobby Flay on a Food Network Throwdown. Call me a frontrunner, but I think that's worth a whole lot.
As you probably know, the Cake Man is an in and out operation. The cake is pre-packaged in slices, but you can also get cupcakes. There is no place to sit down in the cold weather, though there is a little bench outside that would be nice in the warmer weather.
I do have one warning: If you're a morning person, the Cake Man is not. My mom went there bright and early (she's ummm... let's call it Type A) and waited over an hour and a half for the Cake man staff to arrive. What I'm saying is, they didn't open in time... so call ahead before you schlep over.
I went on a Saturday night to pick up cake around 7:30pm and their supply of red velvet was completely gone. I'm talking their whole counter empty. It was a sad sight to see, but I guess that only goes to show how much people like their cake and keep coming back for more. I was told they would have more cake ready in an hour so I went to The Smoke Joint for some BBQ while I was waiting(see review). I called ahead of time to see if the had re-stocked and when I got there.. they only 5 pieces behind their counter(I'm not really quite sure how many they intended on getting to begin with). I was a little bummed that for a place that closes at 10pm.. they didn't even have enough supply to get through the day.
However, the cake is amazing. It's a pretty huge slice..and the cake is moist and fluffy.. and the frosting is out of this world, sugary enough, it melts in your mouth, and well, it makes you want to eat the whole slice in one sitting. Yes, the cake is $6 a slice.. but it's a meal..so definitely worth it. I would go back again.
Indeed this is red velvet heaven.
I have been begging my fiance to pick me up a slice on his way home from work and he finally obliged (and/or got tired of my nagging).
It was quite the surprise dessert after stuffing my face with pizza. I couldn't eat the whole thing. It's huge. So I save half for later. Another fab surprise to myself.. it's even better the next day (okay, morning.. I couldn't wait for a decent "dessert time").
Worth every penny. I'm considering the red velvet as a bride/groom cake for our wedding...
I went on a HUNT for this place lol. I have seen Cake Man Raven on many Food Network shows, and have been wanting to try his cake since.
I did research on the Internet and saw nothing but good things about this cake. I also heard it's worth the $6-a-slice they charge.
After brunch, we asked the hostess where the cake shop was. She directed us, but we could NOT find it. We walked up and down the street. On cell phones calling and Googling the place. We finally found it....it's a tiny shop and we didn't notice it.
Definitely worth it to walk off those calories to make room for the cake!! Next time I hit NY, I'm def going again
I'm one of those salty people who only really want to eat salty things... I was told the Red Velvet cake here was good, but I just don't get excited about cake. I finally got around to trying it, and let me tell you, I totally freaked out. I went back three days in a row after the first time. I think about this stuff all the time. I'll run out while doing random things to grab a slice (I live close by!). This is pretty much the best cake I've ever had in my life. For everything else, I still prefer salty things. The Red Velvet Cake at Cake Man Raven is like one of those things in life that is so good, you wish you never knew about it.
It's too bad they're closed for the night. Writing this review makes me want to walk over to get a slice.
Delicious. My favorite red velvet cake, by far. Moist, luscious, velvety, not too sweet, icing that's JUST cream cheesey enough. Yum.
Unlike some other Yelpers, I had great service. The workers were very nice.
My one gripe is how hard it is to make a simple phone call (you're routed to some fancy schmancy answering service that makes this place to seem like it's a much bigger deal than it really is, and no matter what options you choose, you can't get to a real person).
$6 per slice, but the slices are HUGE, so I don't think it's too expensive.
I have tried and searched for red velvet, but the Cake Man Raven hands down can not be beat. I keep telling my BF about this cake and he can't believe me that it could be so good - considering that every other red velvet we've sampled, sucked. Ahh - if only Brooklyn were closer to this side of the Pacific Ocean. The cake is moist, the frosting not too sweet - I am able to nibble every single last delicious, savory bite! Most people won't pay the price for a slice of cake, but it's a big one and definitely worth every single bite.
I was very excited to go here after what I've heard about the red velvet cake. Yes! the red velvet was moist, not too sweet and comes in big slices. I liked it alot, but unfortunately can not have it often because I live in California... the place is small, the people are nice and they had an upstairs where you can sit and eat your desserts. cute setup with open windows. will be back next time i'm in brooooklyn.
Bad service, great cake. I always feel a bit weird coming in, like I'm bothering the people who work here but it's well worth the cake! So rich and dense, you can't go wrong! Their red velvet is the best--so much good frosting! P.S. dont bother calling to place an order, they won't even pick up!
this is only my third "update," mainly because if i dislike a place enough, i'm not going back.
HOWEVER, being that i was in the neighborhood and the cake man is known for his red velvet, i thought, let's give it another try and hopefully it doesn't disappoint like the coconut cake.
So i get my slice of red velvet with pecans and make my way back to queens. once i got home, i grabbed a spoon, sat on the couch and was at a loss for words - the red velvet cake was AMAZING!
it was moist, had a subtle hint of cocoa and butter and the cream cheese icing was right on point. the only thing i wish is that there was thicker layers of cream cheese icing.
seriously, i had my doubts but i'm glad i went back and tried the cake that put him on the map.
hands down, this is one of the best red velvet cakes i've ever eaten and it's definitely worth the trip regardless of where you live.
so i was told that Cake Man Raven had coconut cake that was better than my beloved Magnolia Bakery!… Read more »
I was slightly disappointed to see that they only have sliced cake in plastic boxes to go, but I didn't care after I had a bite of cake. It was the most delicious, moist, perfect red velvet cake I've ever had. The cream cheese and cake flavoring was not too sweet and I liked the ratio of frosting and cake. $6 may seem like a lot but this is a hefty chunk of cake. There wasn't a line when my friends and I checked out this place. We also sat upstairs to eat - nicely renovated and a water cooler is accessible. The walls are lined with "famous" people pictures. The service was great. I saw a ton of boxes of cake behind the counter ready for pick up.
4 stars: BEST red velvet cake EVER in LIFE!
-1 star: Incredibly slllloooow, and inefficient service. It just shouldn't take 20-30 minutes in a LINE to get cake. Have special orders move to a separate line!
This is where I'm going when I need a special cake for a special occasion!
IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO GO TO BROOKLYN NEW YORK. GO here and wait in a line that is a Mile Long and get you some of this delicious cake. The Red Velvet that is.
The day i went i was lucky to be number 28 in line. The funny thing was that it started raining really hard and the line literally stretched to like a mile long. They came out and was like we don't have anymore cake with peanuts, just cake without peanuts, if you want cake with peanuts, you have to wait an hour. I got out the line got the cake without the peanuts, them other fools waited for the cake with peanuts in pouring rain and most did not have umbrellas
i have to say that this place has the best red velvet cake i've ever had. no, seriously.. it's that good. & i never say anything is the BEST.
i got this with the pecan crumbs, but i'd opt for no pecans next time.
my roommate still has hers in the fridge and it seems to be calling my name... $6 a slice, but worth it!
I will honestly admit I've passed this tiny shop in Ft. Greene a hundred times and only noticed it after it was mentioned on the Food Network. At $6 a slice, I wasn't sure if the red velvet cake would be worth it. But after one little nibble, I didn't care how much I paid for it. It was delicious. The portion was huge, the cake itself was moist, and the frosting was sweet, but not overpoweringly so. I now regret having stopped in because I may have to come back more often on my way back from the gym.
moist. delicious. frosting is just right. this is what red velvet is supposed to be like. HOM NOM HOM NOM.
$6. if you don't want a refridgerated one, just ask for room temperature slices of cake, they have them in boxes behind the register.
OK I didnt go for the red velvet but the carrot cake with nuts instead. it was nice and moist but the cream cheese icing for me is too darn sweet. I Probably wont go back soon since I have many more to try. Bless
This is a tale of sweet, sweet tragedy in the making.
It was a mild Thursday evening. The sun was just beginning to set, emitting a dim amber onto my weary eyes. I had been wandering around Fulton for a while doing some soul searching with no direction...or so I thought. Something was calling...something euphoric...something addictive...something delicious...
Could it have been the guys slinging crack rocks on Lafayette? Maybe, but something else was leading me away from this otherwise interesting scene. I ended up in front of Cake Man Raven, inhaling a very familiar scent. If happiness had a scent, it would have smelled like this.
I had no idea where I was or what I was doing, but when I was asked "How can I help you?", I somehow knew I had to order a slice of the many red velvet cakes gratuitously displayed in their glass counter. They were uniformly packaged and ready to go... like a regiment of soldiers suited up and ready to go wreak havoc and ravage my belly, that is.
I blindly ordered a slice for myself and another for the hubby thinking, "If I am getting fat, I'm taking all of you down with me!" The employees were as sweet as the cake I was about to enjoy. Luckily they weren't for sale or I would have sunk my teeth into them as well. The transaction was quick, but it was probably the maniacal twinkle in my eyes that made the employees work double-time. Or maybe it was the drool on the side of my mouth.
I ran as fast as I could to my flat and plumped myself onto the couch with the hubby. I force-fed him a taste of this cake, as he is my royal taster/food safety inspector. He went from confused and angry to drug-calm. He didn't need to say anything. His beady eyes said it all. I took a bite and it was nothing like any red velvet I ever tasted. I never even liked red velvet that much til that moment. The icing was a very sweet cheesecake flavor and the cake was perfectly moist (impossible for many NY bakeries to pull off). The slice was a generous size (it had better be for $6). This place gets me.
I returned for a second round the following day to test its consistency. Same. I was knocked into a conscious state of euphoria, and I was no longer chasing the dragon. I was riding it.
I bought a whole cake to bring upstate with me for a Cornell graduation the following week. I turned my head away for a few and WOOOF! It disappeared. I never got to taste that cake. I heard there was none left over. That was when I started to twitch...
"Hi. My name is G, and I am an addict."
"Hi, G," everyone responds. So now I am trying my hardest to stay away from some things that are very bad for me. That includes red velvet cake. I can go to so many programs to overcome this affliction, but the question will always remain in secret: how can something that makes you feel so good be bad for you? This is a cruel cruel world.
See you at the meetings.
My friends and I had a red velvet cake taste off between Cake Man Raven and Sylvia's (up in Harlem). The cakes are quite different, but both are absolutely divine. Both run around $5.50-$6.00 a slice. And both only sell by the slice unless you pre-order. Man, if you bought a whole cake, I'm sure the cake would weigh 40 pounds.
The red in cake man raven's red velvet cake is a brighter red. The frosting is creamier than Sylvias, it's obviously been whipped longer. Syvia's has a smattering of toasted pecans on the side, while Cake Man has the sides crusted with toasted walnuts.
The actual red velvet cake part is lighter, a more delicated crumb. The cake tastes more cake-like, with hints of real cocoa. Syvia's is more like a pound cake. One can probably eat a whole lot more of Cake Man Raven's red velvet cake than Sylvia's before feeling sick from the sweetness.
Overall, a big thumbs up!
After making my way over to Fulton Street in Brooklyn in anticipation of a unique bakery and yummy cake, having been tempted by the Throwdown with Bobby Flay episode, we were surely disappointed to find the bakery basically a vending machine style operation with your chioce being a slice of red velvet cake or a slice of red velvet cake. All ready and prepackaged in plastic boxes $6.00 a slice.
Seeing the operation I almost left with out even buying a slice as my intuition told me this was to be no gourmet delight. However curiosity and the eager anticipation of a delicious piece of cake won over.
As for the cake, there was hardly and frosting. The frosting between the large layers was like chalk line thin and the frosting on the top and sides was so thin that you could see through to the cake in spots. Now I am not onewho wants to be chocked on frosting and hardly taste the cake but a cake of this type does need a correct balance of frosting. Especially since the cake itself was a bit on the dry side.Also there was no taste of cocoa, just the taste of artificial coloring.
Back in December the bf brought me home a slice of red velvet from Cake Man Raven. I was impressed with the size of the cake wedge and was ready to dive in. Upon the first bite, I was a bit disappointed, because I thought it was rather dry and the icing was too sweet.
Well, now that I'm on vacay in NY, I had to go to the place to try a fresh slice and take a look at the establishment. It's a very homey place with local regalia decorating the store. There were 3 flavors in the glass counter: red = red velvet, yellow = cream cheese frosting (?), and green = coconut. There were 2 ladies there and they took orders very efficiently. I ordered the red velvet ($6) and since it was such a fabulous day, we ate it outside where two benches were stationed right in front.
The cake was okay...I thought it could be more moist and I still found the icing sweet. We did order it with nuts which meant finely ground up almonds (?) were added to the icing which was nice. Would I come back, yeah...but I think Magnolia's red velvet is a bit better (but let me confirm this).
Best red velvet. Ever.
The end.
Red velvet cake has been done and done poorly in Manhattan. With the exception of two places (Two Little Red Hens, Carrot Top) I have found the red velvets of Manhattan to be dry, bland, and generally crumby in more ways than one.
Cake Man Raven.. he knows what's good. As does the line of people that never seem to disappear in his store. You can choose from red velvet with or without pecans, green cake (coconut) or green cake with vanilla in the middle.
Naturally I stuck with the red velvet and oh my. Light but intense enough of a flavor to make my head reel. The red isn't as intense as I wanted it to be, but maybe that is better than being full of preservatives. All in all an excellent slice, although a little expensive. But for $6, you GET what you pay for--that slice is huge.
The velvet cake there is AMAZING! Personally, I thought it was so much better than crumbs!
After walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and a warm sunny day at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, my friends and I ventured to this infamous cake shop (he threw it down with Bobby Flay). My friend got a slice of the red velvet cake and it was yummmy! It was sheer perfection, flavorful, moist and just the prettiest red! Our visit to this place was quick but it was so memorable. As a soon to be New Yorker, I am looking forward to frequenting this place!
I never understood the appeal of red velvet cake. Ok, I understood the appeal, it's red and everything, like really red, but it never tasted like much. This man's cake is fucking delicious. It's really goddamn good.
Plus one extra star for being next door to that shop that has live "mannequins" in the window. I didn't know and when I walked by and she winked at me I almost shit my pants.
My best friend told me about this place when she first moved to Fort Greene. She said, "All they say is 'nuts or no nuts' and they give you a piece of heaven."
I bought a piece to-go with me on the plane back to CA. With blisters on my feet, my funds severely dwindling, and that strange nausea from NY subway stank (though I loves me some Metro, y'all), my eyes filled with tears on the AirTrain because I knew that going back home meant going far far away from Cake Man Raven. Now THAT'S some tasty cake, folks!
thee absolute best red velvet cake i've ever had!
Best red velvet cake in the city! Awesome
I had no damn business getting a piece of cake from the Cake Man Raven...the ish is like crack fo real!!! I am going to have to work out an extra hour this week at the gym..why o why did i do this to myself...I purchased a $6 slice of heaven saturday afternoon....its alll I have been thinking about since my last bite....DAMN DAMN!!!!!
I always see people going in and out all the time..and I have heard great reviews...so i said what the heck go for it!!
IT WAS FREAKING OFF DA CHAIN.....so moist and red!!!..lol... the frosting was not all uber sweet..it was just right.
nothing here to rave about... I agree, it was moist. Paid $6 for a slice and not dying to finish it. There just was nothing unique about it to me.
Great cake, not so great service. It's not the workers are rude or unpleasant, because that isn't the case at all, it's all just very slow and the wait it ridiculous. Some days there's a line forming outside of the very small shop and it's just...a hassel.
The cake is damn good, though, but a bit pricey. Not my cup of tea (or slice of cake) but...eh.
Yummy! This is the best red velvet cake I have ever had and I have tried quite a few. Love the frosting SO YUMMY.. and the cake is so moist it just melts in your mouth.
This year my birthday cake was from Cake Man and it was soooo pretty. I wasn't even expecting such a beautifully decorated cake. Only downside was the frosting was different which I wasn't expecting. It was super sweet and not cream cheesy at all. Don't get me wrong though. It was still a big hit!! And the $50 +tax price tag wasn't bad either.
I had a subscription to BAM last season that I only bought because of Patrick Stewart's Macbeth, so I had a bunch of tickets that I was ambiguous about using. Well, it was Cake Man Raven that tipped the scales in favor of trekking out to Brooklyn.
I love this cake, so much so that I would have pouted for weeks had my husband not gotten me a birthday cake from here for my 30th. Even though I don't think the sheet cake is as good as the slices they sell in the store, it was still fabulous.
I had friends raving (literally, like mad men) about how great the cake was, and how they hoarded the last piece in their fridge, and how they even ate it while it was cold and it was still delicious, weeks after my party was over.
Oh sweet happiness! I tried to come here before, prior to a BAM event, but the line was 45 minutes… Read more »
alright. the cake is AMAZING. AMAZING.
BUT - i went three days in a row trying to buy some effin cake while here on a trip from SF and everyday they were sold out. and there were plenty of others wanting to buy some cake too - supply and demand, people. TAKE NOTE! you could be making some serious extra $$.
on the third try the woman offered to sell us an entire 9" cake for $60. are you kidding? i do not have $60 to throw down on some cake, let alone the appetite to consume that much frosting. in hindsight, i should have bought that $60 cake, eaten my slice, then sold the other slices on the street. I could have easily made back my $60.
Mmmmm, red velvet cake. Delicious!
The location was a bit hard to find because of the way the numbers went up and down for that area of Fulton, but I found it! It was worth the search! After I went in, it felt like about 6 others followed me to get a slice of goodness! The service was quick and painless and the cake was great. I felt not one ounce of guilt after having that slice by myself! (that day...ahem...)
Best Red Velvet cake I have ever had!! Can't wait to go back and get more.
Cake Man Raven is quite an experience.
Yes, 6 bucks is a bit steep, but a) the whole food-rationing-lining-up-outside-with-the-high-cha nce-that-they-will-run-out-of-cake b) how they take themselves so seriously (um, this is cake, not religion!) combined with c) the ridiculously colored and teeth rottingly sweet frosting makes stopping by highly worthwhile.
By the way, if you are so inclined, they have the recipe posted on their website -- Not that I have made it yet, but the idea of baking it without such cloyingly sweet frosting sounds kinda good to me.
I just received one of these delicious Red Velvet cake for my Birthday.
It was beautifully decorated with their cream cheese frosting and yellow flowers!
I must say I love the cake version better than the cupcake version.
I think I have to go to Brooklyn soon...
Okay I haven't gone here personally but I seriously would truck it all the way to the place that I… Read more »
The only thing I have when I come to Cake Man Raven is a slice of red velvet cake with nuts of course. It is delicious to me. The cake is moist and full of flavor. The icing is good also however, since I dont like a lot of icing on my cake, I feel that they put too much on.
Down side is that I have too went in there before and had to wait an hour for some more red velvet cake to come back in. $6 for a slice of cake is too much, even though the slice is big and I can never eat it in one day.
With that stated cant wait til I go back home. Gotta get me a fix before I leave ny again
Don't Forget the Holiday…
Hoboken, NJ
10% online discount for Yelp…
Neighborhood: Meatpacking District
Neighborhood: Kips Bay
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Fort Greene
Category: Bakeries
Hoboken, NJ
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Candy Stores
The fast track to Type II Diabetes in NYC. Come…
Rich, red, sultry and oh sooooo good. And…
Apparently, I'm a liar and Battle Red Velvet will…
Just moved into town.. Here is what I've got so…
The best places to nurse a headache without all…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
If the world was perfect and there was no such…
Living in Manhattan is so cliche. Proud to live…
