Best Cake in Downtown Manhattan?

[greenwich st]

Because of a family illness, my husband's birthday (today) has been demoted to pretty much after-thought status. Now I'm scrambling to get a halfway-decent dinner together, and it would help if I didn't have to do dessert. Any great ideas for store-bought? We live in the village, but Magnolia is definitely not on his list of favorites!

[Luckylies]

marquet patisserie

or

patisserie Claude

Marquet is more festive, I think, but claude is more tasty french clasics. Actually I think Marquet is your best bet. 12th st bet university and 5th. good luck.

[raji]

If you're in the mood, some of the Chinatown bakeries have really yummy air-light spongecakes...

[mikeycook]

I have gotten good cakes from Ruthy's in Chelsea Market. Have bought several, all of which have been very well received.

[tug]

we always shop at Venieros!

http://www.venierospastry.com/

yum yum

[GordonCooks]

Who's the Red Velvet cake guy in Brooklyn?

[ulterior epicure]

Who's the Red Velvet cake guy in Brooklyn?

←

Cake Man Raven.

I think he was featured in a blurb in a recent issue of Saveur, or was it Gourmet? ... er, might have been Bon Appetit... I'm swimmin' in subscriptions, sorry.

I also think that Cake Love's Warren Brown did a little piece on Cake Man Raven on his new Food Network show.

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

If you're in the mood, some of the Chinatown bakeries have really yummy air-light spongecakes...

Any with the ethereally light taro-whipped cream filling? *noises of lipsmacking and slathering of taro-whipped cream across face*

u.e.

[daisy17]

Actually I think Marquet is your best bet. 12th st bet university and 5th. good luck.

←

I second Marquet Patisserie - their fruit tarts are absolutely delicious. Also still love City Bakery on 18th between 5th/6th, not for a cake, but for excellent desserts/tarts/cookies. A friend of mine loves Duane Park Patisserie in Tribeca, on Duane between Hudson and Greenwich.

[menton1]

If you can make your way up to the 60s, Payard Patisserie is unmatched in the city... They also will deliver.

Edited March 22, 2006 by menton1 (log)

[greenwich st]

thanks, all. I went with some little tarts and such at Marquet, which were fine, but it seems to me they have less choice than they used to. I love their cookies the best, the little congolais and madeleines as well, and they didn't have those either. Are they focusing more on lunch food now?

It's sort of odd that there is not more to choose from downtown. I bet someone could be successful with a more modest Payard-esque place somewhere in Noho. Which reminds me of the place there used to be on the Bowery about 6-7 years ago -- anyone remember it? With the great fig tarts? What ever happened to her?