On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Loading...
Ever wondered what a gourmet ham-and-cheese hot pocket would be like? Seems Celeste did too, leading to some extremely graphic cheese-on-chin-ham-in-teeth-crumbs-on-nose moments this morning on the way to the Farmers' Market. Good lord, YES. Please don't eat this if you have a heart condition.
I actually have not tried any of the cupcakes. But I can vouch for the turnovers, scones, and pies. MAIS OUI.
I was completely unimpressed with the cakes that the Cake Ladies made for my daughter's birthday party yesterday. My SIL ordered a strawberry cake and the chocolate cake with the salted caramel filling. The cakes were dense and heavy. The guests preferred the chocolate cake over the strawberry. The filling/frosting on the strawberry cake was a heavy buttercream that looked pink and had bits of strawberry in it. The buttercream should have been a little bit sweeter with more strawberry flavor. I did like the fresh strawberries on the strawberry cake and I did appreciate that the cakes were organic.
I also tried the coconut lime cupcake. I love coconut but was not a fan of the lime curd. It would have been too tart for the young children. I'm glad we didn't order that cake.
People thought this was:
Sometimes you just need a lot of cake. Maybe you have a reason, maybe you have a few, but there's nothing that isn't better with cake. At least nothing I can think of right now.
Celeste was professional, easy to work with, able to transform my ideas into cakes, and delivered on time. The chocolate cake was "nice," but could have been more moist and intense. The citrus cake was a standout and my personal favorite. And the allergy-free cake? The one sans wheat, egg whites, soy, peanuts? Outstanding. *And* pretty. The leftovers of all three cakes were gone much too quickly.
My only complaint is that the final bill didn't match the prices I was given initally. I expected them to shift after our design discussion, but thought I'd be notified if they did. I had some sticker shock when I got the final invoice (although prices were still very reasonable). Just confirm your total with Celeste as you're placing your order and it should be fine.
People thought this was:
The Cake Ladies now have a cupcake stand around the corner from the Temescal farmers' market (near the corner of Miles and Avon) on Sunday mornings, which has fast become a new weekly indulgence for me.
They have six-ish cupcake flavors each week (standbys seem to be chocolate with salted caramel, lemon, coconut-lime, and strawberry; other rotating flavors have included vanilla, chocolate-peanut butter, banana-pecan, and bacon-chocolate!), as well as delicious scones (strawberries and cream) and French-press coffee from Ritual (a local roaster that is as good as but slightly less trendy than Blue Bottle).
The cupcakes are amazing, really. I have never been a big fan of cake in any form, and never understood some people's love of cupcakes, but thought I would check out the Cake Ladies in the spirit of supporting a small business in my neighborhood (very small, in fact: much of the time Celeste is the singlehanded "cake lady"). When I tasted my first of their cupcakes, my reaction was something like: "Oh, so this is what I have been missing!" The cupcakes here are what other cupcakes aspire to: flavorful, moist, and just the right size to linger over with a morning coffee but still have room for lunch afterward.
And, if the baked goods were not enough to win you over, the stand is set up in a little garden patio with benches which is a nice place to hang out and chat with the folks here, or make some new friends from the neighborhood.
People thought this was:
Local cake does good for my soul! Ever since I discovered Celeste's stand near the Temescal farmer's market, I have returned again and again to find sweet and delightful surprises. She offers innovative flavors that range from lime coconut, cherry vanilla to salted caramel cupcakes. The coffee from Ritual is not bad either. I look forward to returning and watch her stand grow in the coming year. yummy!
Get your cakes from The Cake Ladies. Supurbly delicious traditional cakes and majorly top-notch gluten free and vegan cakes. I had Celeste bake a special batch of vegan chocolate cupcakes for my wedding (so I could have an alternative for my guests) and they got snatched up instantly by everyone at the party.
I just love the simple and organic style of her cake decorating - using fruits and flowers and fluffy frostings - why the photos alone are making me drool.
I recommend the Cake Ladies to everyone of all diet types, and as a bonus, you will be supporting a truly organic, small, local business.
People thought this was:
The Cake Ladies are awesome! I was looking for a vegan baker to make my wedding cake and stumbled across their name. My soon-to-be husband was less than thrilled that I wanted a vegan wedding cake however once he tasted their vegan chocolate chip carrot cake, he was sold.
The wedding cake was not only delicious but beautiful too. I'm still getting compliments! We enjoyed working with the Cake Ladies so much that we asked them to make a smaller version of our wedding cake for our 1 year anniversary party. We also ordered their chocolate stout cake that again was..........amazing! No one could decide which cake they preferred and needless to say, there were NO leftovers.
I highly recommend the Cake Ladies. They do fantastic work, provide amazing customer service, and really take the time to give you what you want.
People thought this was:
No doubt, I'm calling the Cake Ladies again for the next special occasion. My partner's a dj, so she made a record out of marzipan as the cake decoration...superfresh?! Other vegan cakes have been dry and dense... hers was moist and yummy. Some of our omnivore friends didn't even know it was vegan! We had the chocolate with cookies and cream frosting -- the Cake Ladies are winning!
People thought this was:
The Cake Ladies rule! Not only for the amazing taste and creativity, but Celeste will really listen to your needs. I have a lot of food allergies that usually end up in sweet things. She made me a cake that I could eat. It was amazing and it was all the flavors that I told her I loved. It was even decorated in a way she knew I would like by just talking to me a couple of times. And best of all she did with a smile. I highly recommend The Cake Ladies. You'll be pleased.
People thought this was:
This woman is amazing. She can do anything, especially if it takes place in the kitchen and involves sweet tooth intuition. I can say this because of numerous years of being treated to Celeste's baking brilliance. She has baked birthday cakes that are out of this world, delicate orange cupcakes to help me celebrate my engagement and then my decadent and gorgeous chocolate orange wedding cake. Not only were all of these baked goods delicious and beautiful, they were also made with care and detail that you would never get from a commercial bakery. Go with Cake Lady Celeste, she's undoubtedly the best!
People thought this was:
I would strongly recommend The Cake Ladies for any and all of you cake/sweets needs. Celeste is amazing, easy to work with, and can deliver a great product! She has even taught me to make better sweets for myself. I have had many of her products and have never been disappointed. Having a custom cake made for you is such a special treat, and Celeste does it so well.
People thought this was:
Over the years I have had the pleasure of consuming many a delicious baked good made by the Cake Lady-Celeste. Cakes, Pies, Cupcakes, Pots-au-Creme. Vegan, Gluten-Free and full on dairy, it's all good. Be a good consumer, keep your dollars in the Bay Area and support this great local baker and mom!!
People thought this was:
I heart the Cake Ladies so much that I was compelled to write my first Yelp review. I have samplde a variety of Celeste's cakes. There were pretty cupcakes with edible flowers, the AMAZING skeleton cake (see picture) that I got to eat at a friend's wedding celebration, and numerous other creations. These cakes are always delicious, and taste homemade (in a good way :-) even if they look too pretty to touch.
The best thing about working with Celeste is that she is not only incredibly talented, but a great person all around. She will make your tummy seriously happy!!
People thought this was:
I've yet to consume a baked good from Celeste's kitchen that didn't leave me salivating for more. Whether it be the wide variety, Celeste's unique style, or the quality of the finished product, I know I can't go wrong. Definitely think of The Cake Ladies for any upcoming cake needs or personal cravings.
People thought this was:
I first saw the reviews of the Cake Ladies when doing a search for Gluten Free. But then a little while later, I needed a cake and went back. I talked with Celeste on the phone and we talked thru what I was looking for. A few days later I picked up a delicious and beautiful chocolate cake with flower petals on top. Everyone loved it!!
People thought this was:
it was my birthday and i was faced with the impossible decision of what kind of cake to have. you see, my insatiable sweet tooth prevents me from picking any 1 thing out. i talked to Celeste about a couple of things that i wasn't into and gave her a rather long list of both sweet and savory items that would be sure to please. she surprised me with a most splendid spice cake. for reals! it was perfect in presentation and tasted JUST like my gramma's -- a memory my taste buds were delighted to bring back. in fact, my taste buds have never been disappointed by Celeste's creations. i can't sing enough praises for The Cake Ladies.
People thought this was:
Neighborhood: Lower Hills
Category: Desserts
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Temescal
Category: Bakeries
Oakland, CA
Category: Bakeries
A few places are so awesome and perfect that they…
