There’s no better feeling than biting into a freshly baked cake, cookie or pastry. Fortunately, the west coast is filled with hundreds of bakeries that bake our day, from mom & pop places to neighborhood favorites to high end bakeries.
There are nearly 22,500 bakers in California with Los Angeles having some of the most superlative bakeries. We have sampled the best baked goods to bring you the best bakeries in LA. From classic homemade treats to Instagramable eats to celeb-obsessed cakes, take a bite out of Los Angeles’ most iconic bakeries.
The entertainment capital of the U.S. is home to Angelenos from 140 countries, who inspire the food scene in this bustling 472-square-mile city of 3.9 million. The city’s bakeries are whipping up the most divine desserts, cakes, and treats in the City of Angels, and they are shipping them nationwide.
Image Credit: bhofack2/Istockphoto.
Sweet Laurel Bakery
Best for Artisanal Paleo & Gluten-free Sweets
When Laurel Gallucci was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, she didn’t let her new strict diet stand in her way of indulging in cake. She whipped up paleo treats with a handful of ingredients and Sweet Laurel Bakery was born in 2015.
What makes Sweet Laurel Bakery so special is its focus on artisanal paleo treats. Whether you’re on a specific diet or intentionally looking for healthier baked goods, Sweet Laurel Bakery has you covered. Each cake is made with organic, whole ingredients. The LA bakery specializes in grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free baked goods like their Paleo Carrot Layer Cake.
Image Credit: Sweet Laurel Bakery.
Porto’s Bakery
Best for Cuban Pastries
Founded by Rosa Porto, Porto’s Bakery is a Cuban bakery that first opened on Sunset Boulevard in 1976 and has since expanded to 6 locations in LA. The family-run bakery specializes in savory and sweet Cuban pastries.
What sets Porto’s Bakery apart is its authentic Cuban pastries, which Porto learned to make from her family when living in Cuba. Some of Porto’s signature Cuban pastries include:
- Cheese Rolls: Traditional puff pastry filled with Porto’s signature cream cheese and topped with sugar.
- Refugiados: Guava & cheese strudel made with puff pastry, cream cheese filling and guava jam.
- Potato Ball: Potato purée filled with Rosa’s original picadillo (Cuban-style ground beef with onion, bell pepper, olive, and Spanish seasonings) with a crispy panko crust.
The Sweet & Savory Cuban Pastries includes your choice of 48 sweet and savory pastries.
Image Credit: Porto’s Bakery.
Cake Monkey
Best for Nostalgic Treats
There’s no monkey business going on at Cake Monkey — just wholesome, nostalgic fun. All your favorite childhood treats like Li’l Merri Cream Pie Sandwiches, Cakewiches, and Pop Pies are elevated at Cake Monkey, which has been baking childhood favorites since 2015.
Craving a childhood sweet? Look no further than Cake Monkey. One of our favorite childhood treats was — and still is — Oreos. No matter how you like to eat these chocolate sandwich cookies — dunk’ em, twist ‘em or eat ‘em whole — Cake Monkey’s Big O Cookies are Oh-so-irresistible.
Each set of rich chocolate cookies are rolled in sugar and filled with buttercream frosting. All you need is your favorite milk for the perfect nostalgic snack pairing.
Image Credit: Cake Monkey.
East Side Cheesecakes
Best for Creative Cheesecakes
Tokarz and Gregory Lay launched East Side Cheesecakes. The duo combined their talents – Julia used her mom’s Christmas cheesecake recipe and Greg contributed the fresh cream cheese that he was making at an LA bagel shop and the rest is sweet history.
You should seek out East Side Cheesecake if you’re in search of cheesecake with a little something extra like the “Fairy Godmother” Confetti Birthday Cheesecake.
This colorful cheesecake is a 9-in. birthday cheesecake made with a Funfetti cookie crust and cake-flavored cheesecake that is topped with mermaid buttercream and loads of sprinkles. This 6 lb. cheesecake is all your birthday wishes come true.
Image Credit: East Side Cheesecakes.
Southern Girl Desserts
Best for Homestyle Southern Sweets
Floridians Catarah Coleman and Shoneji Robison have brought a taste of the Sunshine State to LA. Founded in 2007, Southern Girl Desserts whips up nostalgic Southern desserts based on recipes baked up by their grandmothers.
If you want a taste of the South without traveling there, come see why celebs like Denzel Washington, Mariah Carey, and Samuel L. Jackson are obsessed with Southern Girl Desserts’ pound cakes and pies.
One of our faves is the 10-in. Tequila Lime Bundt Cake with hints of lime and tequila in the cake. It’s topped with delicious cream cheese frosting. Go ahead and order one…you dessert the best!
Image Credit: Southern Girl Desserts.
Homeboy Bakery
Best for Baked Goods with a Purpose
Founded by Father Gregory Boyle, this nonprofit bakery has been baking cakes for a cause since 1988. Homeboy Bakery‘s employees are previously incarcerated and former gang-involved aspiring bakers and trainers who bake life-changing cakes and cookies.
Help others by helping yourself to a slice of Homeboy Bakery’s delicious cakes. This 8-in. Double Chocolate Ring Cake is a moist double chocolate cake made with two unique cocoas and semi-sweet chocolate chips that is perfect for any chocolate lover.
Image Credit: Homeboy Bakery.
Doan’s Bakery
Best for Celeb-obsessed Cakes
Karen Doan opened her eponymous bakery Doan’s Bakery in 1984 in Woodland Hills, California, and we and Hollywood celebrities have been fans ever since. The White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake is their most famous creation.
For years, actor Tom Cruise has been gifting his celebrity friends a Doan’s White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake during the holidays. You don’t have to be on Tom’s Cruise’s nice list to get your very own Doan’s White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake.
The craveworthy cake is a ring of moist coconut Bundt cake with chunks of sweet white chocolate. It is generously frosted with cream cheese frosting and dusted with toasted coconut flakes.
Image Credit: Doan’s Bakery.
Brique French Toastery
Best for Cheat Day Treats
Make a toast to better brunches. As the name suggests, Brique French Toastery specializes in French toast. The breakfast staple is elevated with brick-size French toast created by Racquel “Chef Rocky” Rockquemore-Breiz, personal chef for wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Johnson posted the colossal, Rock-size French toast on his Instagram in 2020 and Brique French Toastery was born soon after.
Brique French Toastery is our go-to place for brunch. The World Famous Brique French Toast Kit comes with everything you need to recreate their famous French toast at home.
Each slab of French toast is made from hand-braided brioche bread that is dunked in cinnamon-spiced custard. Once it’s reheated, pile on the toppings like peanut butter coconut maple syrup, vanilla bean whipped cream, and toasted coconut chips for your own picture-perfect breakfast feast.
Image Credit: Brique French Toastery.
Cookie Good
Best Fun Flavor Treats
Cookie Good is a family affair. The LA cookie joint is run by Melanie & Ross Canter and their children Mia & Gabe. Cookie Good uses the best ingredients like Callebaut & Van Leer chocolates and Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla to make their legendary cookies.
Cookie Good makes OG brownies and cookies like the Goldbelly Sugar Cookie. The beautiful, golden cookie is a classic sugar cookie adorned with a light vanilla glaze, gold sprinkles, and sparkly, gold sanding sugar. One bite and you’ll see why Cookie Good and Goldbelly are a batch made in heaven.
This article originally appeared on Goldbelly.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: Cookie Good.
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