Cake. That sweet treat loved by us all. But different climates, available ingredients – and tastebuds – results in a huge variety of cake types throughout the world. Where fruit rules in some places, chocolate dominates in others. A dream for all sweet-toothed travellers, who simply have to try it all (and photograph it for Instagram!) It may appear that PackThePJs are determined to visit every café on earth (we are trying), but for this series of posts we have asked our travel blogging friends to show, and tell us, about their favourite slices of cake. On our world-wide quest to tempt everyone’s taste buds, today we will visit Romania, the UK (twice), Spain, and the US. Enjoy!
Bucharest, Romania: Palmiye
Although I have always fancied seeing my name in lights, seeing the word CAKE in lights was far more exciting. If you’re in Bucharest’s Old Town the giant CAKE lights are the unmissable sign you have found Palmiye.
A café that had such a delicious library of cakes on offer that we found ourselves oohing and aahing like kids in a candy shop. After much deliberation (and at much amusement of the very helpful waitress) I finally settled for a pink cupcake that screamed ‘unicorn meets Mr Kipling’ and my boyfriend opted for a far more sophisticated chocolate torte.
As if the cakes weren’t delicious enough, the pastel décor is an Insta-addicts dream! Pink cupcakes with colour co-ordinating pink velvet seats – what more can a girl ask for. Oh, and the cherry on top?
Two cakes and two coffees were only 46 Lei – so a mere £8!
Submitted by, and thanks to, Far Am A Gan
London, UK: Peggy Porschen Cakes
Peggy Porschen Cakes is considered to be one of the most ‘instagrammable’ cafes in London. It is easy to see why; This stylish bakery has it all: the looks and the taste. Since its opening in Victoria, the place has been frequently visited by bloggers and influencers especially due to its decor and delicious cakes. Peggy Porschen Cakes was founded by award-winning cake designer, Peggy Porschen. Peggy takes pride in her pretty and elegant cake designs. She has also catered for many celebrities and royals.
When I visited, I had the layered ‘Glorious Victoria’ cake. The pretty pink cake was not only really good looking, but also very tasty. It was light and airy – exactly what you would expect from a sponge cake. According to their website, the cake contains vanilla, jasberry jam, and vanilla bean buttercream. Especially for cake lovers, Peggy Porschen Cakes is indeed a not-to-miss when visiting London.
Submitted by, and thanks to, The Fashion Matters
Barcelona, Spain: The Pudding Bar
One of the best cakes I’ve had in a long time was a white chocolate cheesecake from the Pudding Bar in Barcelona. Pudding Bar is loosely themed around Alice in Wonderland, but the main draw is the cakes. The white chocolate cheesecake is seriously amazing. And huge! I couldn’t finish the whole thing, it is better to share it between two, or ask for a doggy bag to take home whatever you can’t manage. They also have huge quiches too, and a simple lunch menu, but after 4pm they only have cakes and quiche available. This wasn’t a problem for me as they are two of my favourite foods! The prices were ok considering the size of the portions, and although 7€ for a slice of cake may seem steep you get enough for two people.
The Pudding Bar Café is on Carrer de Pau Claris, close to Urquinoana and Passeig de Gracia metro stations – they also have a second location on Avinguda Diagonal which is Harry Potter themed – I didn’t know that until I’d been to the first one, so next time I’m in Barcelona I’ll go there too!
Submitted by, and thanks to, Tales of a Backpacker
Letchworth, Hertfordshire, UK: No 12 Coffee House
Just down the road from where PackThePJs is based, in a prime spot in Letchworth town centre, is Number 12 Coffee House. It is one of the most inviting cafés in the area, and they serve the most amazing cake!
When you first enter you’ll find a deli on the left-hand side. Here you can buy lots of artisan food and drink items. The coffee shop itself takes up a good 70% of the floor space and it has a contemporary ‘industrial’ feel to the décor. A mix of table and seating types makes it easy to find the best place to set up your laptop to work, have an intimate 1-to-1 meeting, or a whole family/group gathering.
We’ve visited so many times it is difficult to pick out a particular cake highlight as they are all yummy. If I see it available, I always pick this coffee cake.
Not only does it look good, but it tastes amazing!
Submitted by, and thanks to, PackThePJs
Boston, US: Omni Parker House
Boston Cream Pie, despite its name, is not really a pie but a cake, and a famous one at that. You’ll find many versions of this delicious dessert around the world, but there’s only one place where you can try the original pie made according to the recipe invented over a century ago — Omni Parker House in Boston.
It was at this hotel (formerly known as the Boston’s Parker House) that the pie was created in 1856. It is made of two layers of sponge with rum-infused custard cream in between and topped with chocolate ganache. At the time of its creation, the dessert was presented as chocolate cream pie. According to Yankee Magazine, back then the words “cake” and “pie” were interchangeable which is why the name is a bit misleading today.
You can try Boston Cream Pie at the little cafe called Morsel’s at Omni Parker House which is accessible both from the hotel lobby and from the street. The cafe is really tiny and suitable for a quick pit-stop. If you prefer a more elegant setting, you can always reserve a table for dinner at the Parker restaurant inside the hotel.
Submitted by, and thanks to, The Foodie Miles
Thank you to all our amazing contributors. Gosh, we have gained weight just looking at the photos! What a fantastic range of delectable sweet delights. Please come back tomorrow to see the next part in our Series – or check out yesterday’s post here. We’d love for you to comment below and tell us about your favourite café, and why it’s so memorable to you x
