We’ve come up with a few easy places to have dessert, specifically cake, but obviously have a need to express our Cake Love in a broader way. Have at it.
Hi @foodshutterbug -
I love the Triple Berry at Sweet Lady Jane and haven’t had the old slice issue at Ralphs but definitely feel their SLJ offerings are different than at the shop - they’ll do in a pinch.
I was gonna’ mention Chaumont too but didn’t want to get scolded. 
Plus they close early.
I’m ISO good Coconut Cake too!
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My favorite cake is the Parisian from Porto’s. 
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Looking for a good Vegan cake. Any favorites in the Mid-City/Beverly-Grove/Koreatown/Larchmont Areas?
In Silver Lake, so out of your requested area, but I did like the vegan chocolate/banana and chocolate/orange cupcakes from Lark; no idea how they translate to a full sized cake, though. (Also, the last cake we had from them, which was a good three years ago, was disappointing - carrot cake, with one layer completely dried out and crumbly. I’ve had cupcakes since then and they were fine, so guessing it was a bad day in the kitchen situation.)
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Okay, so, the mini vegan birthday cakes flew out of the house so fast I didn’t get a photo. The plan was for young master vegan (aka son) and his lady to come by for a quick hey, hi, happy birthday… here’s some cake. But car trouble got in the way and it turned into a quick pickup. They said it was delish. 
Here’s what it looks like…
Vegan Triple Berry Chocolate
We kept the Pop Pies for ourselves @hungryhungryhippos… 
Chocolate Almond Crumble, Blueberry Crumble, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Cherry Pop Pie
We warmed each one before eating. The chocolate almond is messy but good / blueberry crumble is too crumbly and messy / brown sugar cinnamon is too sweet (most are on the sugary side) / cherry is delicious and reminds me the most of a pop tart. 
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Angel Maid Bakery in Del Rey is our go to for cakes for all occasions. They do the strawberry shortcake really well, not too sweet cream and whip, right amount of strawberries, soft white cake. I ordered this for coworkers and requested to add sliced almonds since they all had fond memories of Phoenix Bakery, this was like the high end version loved by everyone who ate it.
They also do a lovely chocolate ganash which has pudding inside thats my second favorite. I’ve gotten the passion fruit and guava cakes. If you want to try, they sell them by the slice also, whole cakes start around $28.
I believe it’s a Japanese bakery in a Hispanic neighborhood.
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It’s been a while since I last tried the vanilla meringue layer cake at Mr. C restaurant in Pico-Robertson. The cake is light as a cloud 
However, I’m not a fan of the cigarette smoking clientele of the Mr. C. hotel [edit], which is one reason why I haven’t been in a rush to go back. Perhaps I should try to get the cake to go and it eat “smoke free” at home.
New pastry find: mini tarts from Gwen’s Specialty Cakes in Inglewood
The mini tarts range in price from $1.25-1.50 each. Pictured are the peach, pecan and sweet potato tarts (some other flavors are lemon and pecan-sweet potato).
I bought half a dozen, ate 3 the first day and then finished the rest nearly a week later (refrigerated and then lightly reheated in toaster oven) and didn’t notice major loss of flavor. I’m guessing these mini tarts will freeze well, too.
Love the fragrant aromas, scrumptious old fashioned taste and dainty look of these bite-sized treats 
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Call ahead to reserve. They’ll pack up your order once you get there.
Gwen’s Specialty Cakes
820 N La Brea Ave
Inglewood, CA 90302
(310) 677-9979
Tues - Sat
PS: Black owned business
PPS: There’s a Popeye’s nearby so maybe I’ll do a bang bang and get a spicy chicken sando while I’m out there.
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Awesome. I passed by the area the other day and saw that bakery and Popeyes - good bang bang idea. What smokey hotel? 
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@TheCookie Mr. C. Hotel in Pico-Robertson near the defunct Picca and Sotto building.
I forgot to mention I tried the coconut pineapple layer cake at Gwen’s, but it was more like poundcake with pineapple jam sandwiched between - Gwen’s definitely has a way with fillings! YUM (I think they use old fashioned Karo syrup or something similar).
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I’ve been going to Joan’s long enough to remember when she had apricot jam accents in the crazy hazelnut merengue cake
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Didn’t know where to put this…
Eater did an article today about cottage bakeries in light of all the pandemic bakeries that have popped up as local pastry chefs try to earn livelihoods. It’s a great read.
Has anyone tried any of the baked goods mentioned?
I can say that I’ve had pie, sorbet, and cocktails from the Chainsaw team. And while it was the most expensive pie I’ve ever purchased at $60, it was also excellent because the crust was buttery crisp and held up well. You could eat a slice without needing a fork a la a pizza slice. The mixed berries and crumble top were delicious.
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Good for them! A lot of work but it comes with freedom.
I like the title’s twist on the poem/song “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
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I fucking LOVE Gil Scott-Heron!
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Me fucking too! 
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Looking for a moist, delicious, dark chocolate cake. Any faves in the Mid-City, Beverly-Grove area?
Is there a Suzie Cakers near by? I’m partial to their slightly too sweet, American buttercream chocolate cake. It’s the perfect representation of what I imagine the cake must have tasted like when they serve it for dessert with the ham centerpiece in all those tv shows starring white families in 1950s suburbia. Otherwise the chocolate salted caramel cake in the bakery at Republique might fit the bill.
I think the almost legendary Basque cheesecake at Pas Jolie/Dialogue needs to be added to this thread.
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