Cakes By The Lake

Don was kind enough to make a cake on a day they were closed for a family birthday. The carrot cake was moist and delicious. The name was spelled correctly and beautifully (which is always a plus). The rainbow sprinkles on the side were a fun and happy surprise. Everyone was happy and full. Thanks, Don!

What an amazing "treat" it was to be introduced to this little gem on the south side of Lake Tahoe. While on a weekend getaway with friends another resort guest recommended Don's Cakes by the Lakes. Unfortunately, we missed out on getting by there before they closed on Monday after our hike. We were able to reach out to Don and he was so very kind and thoughtful to prepare us a "box of pastries" for our coto the airport the next morning. They were absolutely to die for and provided us some much needed laughter!!

When in Lake Tahoe, this is a MUST visit!!

This place is absolutely amazing! They are brand muffins are beyond life-changing. I just wish they were open more often!

Definitely leaving a good review for Don because of his friendly service and upbeat small talk.

We came in about an hour before the given closing time and he didn't have much left. We were last minute shopping for my mom so she can have sweets for Mother's Day/birthday and Don definitely made our trip worthwhile.


His bakery is a small shop located next to a Mexican restaurant. Small parking lot so don't drive too fast or you may miss it.

Don sold us on two lemon cupcakes he had left. The frosting was delicious and light, and the cake was moist and yummy. My mom is a great fan of lemon so she loved it even more.


Although there wasn't much to choose from when we came, if I'm ever in the area again, I'll definitely come back and give this mom and pop shop another try.

Came here after eating at a restaurant in the same parking lot. My friend and I each got a cupcake and the gentleman gave it to us for free because he said it was the end of the day. Totally made our day!! We took the cupcakes to go and they were delicious!!! They're decorated so cutely too! Will definitely go back whenever I'm in the area.

Omg, the pineapple bran muffins are the shizzzz! Also, shout out to Don.. he's not half bad ;)

... those cream puffs and eclairs

Can't wait to stop here again on my next South Lake Tahoe adventure!

I had don make me some
Last min sugar cookies so I could decorate them! So perfect and he was so nice. Thanks don!

Don is the best baker! He makes the best homemade bagels and his bran muffins are amazing! He's a down to earth good guy that puts heart into everything he bakes! He's reasonably priced and always welcoming! Everything I have tried has been outstanding! No matter what you order you won't be disappointed! Definitely a must try!

I highly recommend you stop in and visit Don the Baker at Cakes by the Lake.

Wedding cupcakes: I could not believe how beautiful the cake turned out but what really surprised me was how delicious the cupcakes were while being so beautiful. We had a mixture of chocolate cupcakes and marble cupcakes with chocolate ganache filling. The cake was super moist and tasty. The filling was smooth and yummy as well. He delivered the cake to the Heavenly village venue with plenty of time before guests arrived.

He was nice enough to take on my cake order less than a week to the date and even set up an ad hoc tasting so I could pick my flavors only 2 days before the wedding. This guy is flexible for his customers not to mention funny and cool to talk to.

The bonus- come back a year after your wedding and an anniversary cake is free!

Croissants: omg the ham and cheese croissant blew my mind. It's delicious cold or heated up but don't wait too long to eat it! The almond croissant was also yummy but my favorite was definitely the ham and cheese!

Bagels: we had the pesto and asiago cheese bagel. The bagel was 2 days old before we ate it but even then toasted it was so tasty! Definitely stop in if you like bagels.

Overall the looks of the place doesn't do justice to just how good Don the baker is at what he does. Give it a try and I swear you'll be hooked.

We ALWAYS stop here when camping at nearby Fallen Leaf Lake. The folks that run it are so fun to chat with. The sheer variety of cakes, tarts, and pastries is so unexpected at this tiny spot. When you walk into this little "cottage" there's barely standing room but the smells hit you and you know you're going to walk out with more than you intended because everything looks so good. We tried the Carrot cake, eclairs, and fruit tarts. Everything was so good! Next time you pass through check them out ;)