Best made cakes in North Jersey

[nizza]

Rich -well your latest answer is the one you should have posted to me and not the one telling me that he sold the place when you knew he was at Papillon.

You did not say that you spoke to him last year about a specialty cake. That's all you would have had to say and I would have said Oh, Ok.

Good Luck in your search!

P.S. My next suggestion would Calandra's in Fairfield. I also agree with the Gencarelli suggestion.

[richl2214]

This "vast" confusion is due to the severely limited ability of the internet to convey human conversation appropriately. :) If we were talking face to face there would be no such confusion. Thanks for all your advice!

[jhlurie]

Why don't we have a DROOLING emoticon?!? 

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I don't know about a drooling "smiley", but the acknowledged text "emoticon" for drooling is:

:-)...

[Cook456]

Gencarelli's is a must for italian Cake...

Another great french pastry shop is La Petite Patisserie in Dumont...

[ghostrider]

I've gotten what I consider to be good cakes, pies & cookies from Varrelmann's in Rutherford. (60 Park Ave, 201-939-0462)

I don't consider self to be a conoisseur of these things, nor do I eat them often, so I'm probably the last person on this thread to trust in these matters.

Varrelmann's does have the virtue of being nearer to Nutley than any of the above, I think you can trust me on that.

[menton1]

Menton, is that place a kosher bakery? Or is it coincidentally just in Teaneck?

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No, it is not a kosher place. It is surrounded by several kosher stores, but this fellow is from Normandy, France. You should try it as well, Jason-- pretty close to you, I believe.

This place is really worth a trip. It's fairly unacclaimed, but it's been there 25 years serving loyal customers, and the cakes and pastries are just a touch under Payard. (NY)

[Rachel Perlow]

We stopped by Patisserie St. Michel this afternoon and were quite impressed. The shop itself looks threadbare, even worn down. But the pastries we sampled were amazing. We had a nice chat with Andre and he offered us samples of the Lemon Meringue and Pistachio Creme Brulee tarts (offered for sale as individual slices). Unfortunately, we didn't have the camera with us, so we didn't get pictures of those, but we bought a few other individual tarts and eclairs ($3 each), so pictures of those follow (we haven't tasted them yet). What most impressed me was the pastry shell on the tarts, even more than the filling (and the fillings were delicious). The crust was quite browned, very flaky and crunchy, with a good taste all its own. There were only a few whole cakes and tarts available, mostly everything was cut into portions. However, what they had looked very good, and the tart was a seasonal Plum Frangipan, available round with a butter crust ($19) or long with a puff pastry crust ($15). He also had coffee cake, chocolate cake, and opera cake available whole. The coffee cake looked very good, but I think we'll be stopping by again for a plum tart to bring to the Yom Kippur Break Fast at my mom's.

Apricot Tart

Mixed Fruit Tart

Plum Frangipan Tart

Chocolate (with Chocolate Pastry Cream) and Coffee (with Coffee Mousseline) Eclairs

[Rachel Perlow]

I just realized that that post was kind of OT for this thread, as it is all about the pastries. However, they were really good, so I'll bet his cakes (some of which are listed above) are just as fab. You should probably call to discuss what kind of cakes he does, or stop by. He's open until 5 during the week, 6 PM on Fri & Sat.

[tommy]

Back Street Bakers in Glen Rock has been quite good in my experience. and you'll pay a premium. worth every penny.

Back Street Bakers

(201) 652-7259

358 S Maple Ave

Glen Rock, NJ

[richl2214]

Thanks Rachel for the great post!

tommy what type of cakes have you had from Back Street?

[tommy]

Thanks Rachel for the great post!

tommy what type of cakes have you had from Back Street?

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i don't much about cake (except what's good, of course). they did my wedding cake. friends and family no longer remark on anything about my wedding except for the cake. give them a call and see if they do what you want.

[Jason Perlow]

I've added a new thread on Patisserie St. Michel here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=52178

[legendarystarbolt]

Your call, but I've read and heard that although the ownership changed, the staff hadn't. 

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From what I know they've used an outside company for years to make most of their desserts, a place called Elegant Desserts, I see the trucks there all the time. Mazur owns it I believe though so I guess technically he still makes the cakes at Mazurs.

[scott123]

Speaking of the best cakes in North Jersey...

Is there a chance that ANY of the aforementioned bakeries is anti shortening/pro butter? I've searched far and wide for all butter icings and cakes (and pies for that matter).

[Jason Perlow]

Speaking of the best cakes in North Jersey...

Is there a chance that ANY of the aforementioned bakeries is anti shortening/pro butter? I've searched far and wide for all butter icings and cakes (and pies for that matter).

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I can assure you, Patisserie St. Michel does not use shortening. Boatloads of butter.

[zeman]

I like the Steuyertown Bakery off Bloomfiedld Ave in the strip mall where Romance Emporium used to be, which is now a Dress Barn.

They make a crumb cake as good as B & W in Hackensack.