Where to find the best cakes in Melbourne

Whether you’re looking for a traditional chocolate cake or something more inventive and fun, Melbourne is a sweet tooth heaven for cake lovers. Here are ten of the best cakes in Melbourne – for any occasion or taste!

Meringue Monster

Inspired by luxury patisseries in Europe and Japan, Lux Bite in South Yarra are famous for their eclectic range of traditional and exotic cakes. Their signature cake, the gluten-free Meringue Monster, is a unique fusion of east-meets-west. Layers of beautifully aerated green tea sponge, sour strawberry mousse and watermelon yoghurt are paired with a lustrous meringue cloak studded with pistachios. Don’t miss their macarons and their infamous Lolly Bag Cake, featured on MasterChef, which will fill you with fuzzy feelings of childhood nostalgia.

Pollock Nights

Dessert master and “king of macarons”, Adriano Zumbo is famous for his sugary creations. The quirky and chic, Adriano Zumbo Patissier in South Yarra houses a mouth-watering collection of delectable cakes and pastries. One of his best yet is Pollock Nights (available in 6 and 8 inch) comprised of an exquisite passionfruit sponge soaked in passionfruit syrup, pineapple compote and a creamy coconut mousse. The name and finish of the cake is inspired by renown artist Jackson Pollock through its unique drip art work effect on the striking black glaze.

Brownie and Passionfruit Chocolate Gateau

Chocolate lovers will rejoice at the first bite of Le Petit Gateau’s Brownie and Passionfruit Chocolate Gateau. Award-winning French pastry chef, Pierrick Boyer, is responsible for this sumptuous French-style cake. The walnut brownie base is topped with crunchy hazelnut praline, passionfruit custard and dark chocolate mousse before being crowned with a glistening chocolate ganache and passionfruit jelly. Created on-site daily, the cake is available in both small and large sizes for special occasions.

Mister Green Tea

Another cake from Le Petit Gateau, which deserves a crown of its own, is Mister Green Tea, which has developed a cult following amongst fellow sweet tooths. Inspired by a trip to Tokyo, Pierrick Boyer’s artful creation features a black sesame short crust base topped with a luscious white chocolate matcha mousse with raspberry cremeux in the middle. To finish, a green tea infused white chocolate spray, raspberry jam and a gold leaf for extra decadence. If you’re a green tea fan, this cake is an absolute must-try.

Chez Dre’s Chocolate Tart

Chez Dre’s Chocolate Tart is a force to be reckoned with. It’s a devilish rich concoction of chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse, and almond sable with a surprise crunch of peanut-cocoa nib tuile in the centre. The signature cake is the creation of Chef Pâtissière, Andrea Reiss (Dre), the cafè/pâtisserie’s namesake. Not only does it taste great, it looks beautiful with its shiny, reflective sheen and gold leaf decoration. There’s no better spot than the rustic courtyard of their French-inspired café in the summer months, tucked away in a cosy South Melbourne laneway.

Explosive Raspberry

The Explosive Raspberry cake at Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio isn’t one for the faint-hearted. Featuring the winning pair of chocolate and raspberries, it is made up of a chocolate chip cookie base topped with raspberry marshmallow, compote, cream and mousse. The milk chocolate glaze is encrusted with chocolate-coated popping candy and freeze-dried raspberries, which provides a lovely textural contrast. For special occasions it can also be ‘pimped up’ to include extra chocolate garnish, a coloured spray finish and extra popping candy. There’s a lot to see (and eat) at this multi-level Willy Wonka-esque wonderland so make sure you come hungry.

Hazelnut Fan Slice

Perhaps best known for their award-winning handmade chocolates, there is another reason you must go to Ganache Chocolate and that is for the cake. Arno Backes, Master Chocolatier and owner, has reinvented the classic European hazelnut slice with some personal touches to create the Hazelnut Fan Slice. A base layer of hazelnut sponge is topped with freshly roasted hazelnuts, hazelnut praline and creamy milk chocolate mousse. Tiny pieces of crisp wafer give the cake a distinctive crunch, which contrasts delightfully with the pillowy mousse and moist sponge. Be extra decadent and indulge in a mug of their sinful hot chocolate.

Raw Trader’s Tiramisu Cake

If you’re health conscious, head to the Raw Trader, a specialty raw-dessert bar in the CBD, to try their delicious cakes with only half the guilt. Their Tiramisu Cake is to die for– blending a natural mix of nuts, coconut, dates, raw cacao powder and coffee together like one happy family. The café specialises in organic, raw, paleo, vegan and gluten-free treats (just to name a few!) so all special diets are looked after here. All of the products (including their nut mills) are hand-made on site using only the best ingredients.

Café Vue’s Lemon Meringue Tart

For a slice of Paris in Melbourne, venture to Café Vue on Collins Street and relax with a cup of 5 Senses coffee and their famous lemon meringue tart. The golden brown pastry holds it form beautifully and is filled with a zesty lemon curd and ‘beehives’ of blowtorched Swiss meringue, delicately balancing the sweet and the sour. The daily changing breakfast and lunch menu features a range of made to order sandwiches and baguettes, freshly baked cakes and their signature take-out lunch boxes.

Little Cupcakes Red Velvet Cupcake

There’s nothing like a little red velvet cupcake to make you smile. Little Cupcake’s are famous for their various tantalizing flavours of cupcakes available in both mini and standard sizes. Their red velvet cupcake is lovingly made fresh daily using the highest quality ingredients. The light cocoa sponge is perfectly fluffy and aerated , which makes the rich, creamy cream cheese frosting on top even more delightful. It’s the best cupcake in Melbourne hands down.