It's my first time ordering cake and Everything went well! I had a taro cake in fruit garden design…read morebaked on the same day as requested and delivered right on time. For some reason I'm unable to add photos here, the see through boxed packaging and ribbon and gold-mirror birthday sign was a beautiful and unexpected surprise. We had to hold back our tears. Bank account and contact details are now saved for a future business. Thank you.

Happened upon this adorable little bakery on a walk to the park. I chose a selection of interesting…read morelooking and delectable sounding treats and I was not disappointed. My favorite was the melon cake. It looked and tasted like watermelon. At $3 a slice it was not a bad deal either. They have a table where you can design your own cakes as well and it is too cute :)

Everyone has heard of Milse. Now famous for the long queues outside the little shop, I can still…read moreremember the first time I stepped inside. Now taking it into their own hands, husband and wife duo Brian and Roselle Campbell have created Sweet Cuisine pop-ups as real time crowd funding for their own dessert shop. I met them and interviewed them earlier this year and they are just the sweetest and most talented team. Clooney had always been on my radar for special occasions but other places had always gotten in the way. When word got out that we would get to dine at the flash Belle Epoque room downstairs with the open kitchen, all my excuses seemed irrelevant. It was the first time Sweet Cuisine had a communal dining format with a long table seating only 18 people. At the beginning, most people talked within their groups but being opposite interesting strangers, it was easy to start conversations. I went with fellow foodie and blogger Amy from My Dining Journey and we found out we were right next to amazing chefs and bakers. Convenient right? Turns out it was all planned with the thoughtful intentions of Brian and Roselle. Haha! Talk about knowing your customers well :) First course: Granny smith apple, feijoa, Heilala vanilla and ginger. Once I got over the initial thought that the egglets were not white chocolate, it was even harder to get over how cute they were. As a first course, I loved how light it was and almost teasing because soon everyone was scraping their eggs to get to that beautiful ginger which lay at the bottom. The combination of granny smith, vanilla and feijoa was a winner. Second course: Pineapple, passionfruit, coconut, banana and dulcey. It had the look of a beautiful Milse dessert but it didn't have the dark imprint of the overshadowing HIP group. I LOVED the small moichi-like balls on the side. Luckily the red chocolate ball was already halved. The rest of us just had to exercise our demolition skills as we tried to calmly break the case without sending shards across the table to our new friends. Third course: Figs, quince, honey, chestnut and oats This is where the flavours got interesting and complex. I'm not a fig person so I wasn't sure where my tastebuds would take me. If it was a normal degustation, I would consider this the mains. It was quite filling from the oats. The conversation took a funny turn with someone tentatively asking whether we were meant to eat the skin on figs. Even as "self acclaimed foodies" we didn't have a straight answer! Most people though, ended up eating the whole thing. Even I enjoyed it, although I couldn't expect any less coming from the Campbell kitchen! Fourth course: Valrhona chocolate, blackcurrant, coffee and hazelnut. Oh my. Totally the climax of the night. Not only stunning to look at, I was so inspired by the different textures that Brian had created on the dish. From the marshmallow to the mini magnum, my thoughts were only affirmed by the "oh wow"s around the table as everyone tucked into it. It was a pleasure watching Brian and his team at work. There was a calm aura as they lovingly put the desserts together. All the dishes were so clever and I know I left more inspired. As I came home to finish my marking, I knew I didn't make a mistake in breaking out of my nana mode. Starting off the week sweet was an uplifting start to the week. And knowing that macarons and cookies would be my morning tea for the next day kept the smile on my face. Even if I had accidentally squashed them in my bag (sorry Roselle!). Keep an eye out for their next pop-up! There's always something interesting about each one and they're popping up at restaurants like Orphan's Kitchen, Meredith's and Ima Deli. And if you haven't already seen it, here's the interview with Brian Campbell if you didn't catch it the last time.

Most of you would have heard of Milse. The amazing dessert bar and patisserie that opened up in…read moreBritomart a few years ago. Serving gelato on sticks, gateaux, chocolates, sweet tarts, plus their stand out macarons, Milse has become a bit of a phenomenon. Because really, who doesn't love chocolate and dessert?!?! The mastermind behind creating all of Milse's desserts is pâtissier, Brian Campbell. He has 15 years' experience working in Michelin star restaurants in the United Kingdom and at award winning restaurants here in New Zealand, at the likes of Kermadec and The French Cafe. Most recently, Brian has left Milse and has started up his own company, namely Sweet Cuisine' A Dessert Pop Up. So far, he and his wife, Roselle Campbell have hosted a dessert night at Fred's Espresso in Ponsonby where they teamed up with Giapo to create ice cream sandwiches, sundaes and drinks and they also had a dessert pop up at Merediths last week. And, a few nights' ago, I attended their second dessert pop up (however this one was special because all the desserts were made using Valrhona chocolate - the best quality chocolate in my opinion, you can buy it here) AND it was held at Sidart in Ponsonby. I have always wanted to dine at Sidart however it is quite expensive - will definitely need to save up one day! Brian and his team used the kitchens at Sidart and for about 20 minutes, my friend and I had the whole restaurant to ourselves, which was a pretty great feeling! The dessert pop up at Sidart involved a 3 course degustation - $45 per person, and an optional 4th course for $9, however sadly we were too full for the 4th course! All the dishes were beautifully presented and almost too pretty to eat! To accompany the desserts, they were also serving sweet Italian dessert wine, sparkling water, teas and coffee. My friend and I decided on a glass of the 'Prunotto Moscato d'Asti 2013′. With aromas of peach and honey, this was the perfect drink for our dessert night. The first dessert was a white chocolate panacotta, made of Ivoire 32% Valrhona chocolate. Surrounding the panacotta were bite-sized raspberries, blueberries and peaches, all topped off with freeze dried raspberries and fresh basil. It was a refreshing way to start the meal and the basil brought out all the flavours. I never thought to use herbs in baking, but I will definitely try it out now! The second course was a sponge like pudding with stewed apricots, hazelnut praline and a sauce inside using Dulcey 35% Valrhona chocolate. While the apricots were delicious, my friend and I could hardly taste the Valrhona chocolate - we felt like the apricots were too overpowering. This could possibly be due to the fact that the chocolate is only 35% - it might have a very subtle flavour. Last but not least, a to.die.for chocolate sphere, made entirely of Guanaja 70% Valrhona chocolate. Dark chocolate being one our favourite foods, my friend and I were amazed by this wonderful creation. Roselle explained the dish in great detail - two mousses, one with hints of tonka beans (vanilla bean substitute), and the other being rich and chocolatey. There was also a chocolate 'soil' surrounding the sphere, consisting of macadamia nuts, nougat and cacao nibs. But Roselle left out one surprise... Yes, popping candy! We were not expecting that at all, and it was truly the most exciting dish I have ever tasted. Every mouthful was full of joy and my friend and I couldn't stop smiling! It was a great night overall, with brilliant and creative desserts, a lovely host and a stunning venue. I cannot wait to see what is next in store for Sweet Cuisine! Note: If you would like some more information, check out Sweet Cuisine's website and Facebook page ("Sweet Cuisine' A Dessert Pop Up by Brian Campbell"), so you can keep up to date!

Pies: excellent. Slices: excellent. Quiches: sub-par, I'm afraid. Something in the texture just…read moredidn't sit right with me. Those are all the things I've tried from here, but we can extrapolate from this data and assume that most of the food here is pretty good. Oh, also I've had the bread, and it was good. So yeah, not a bad average, I think. This place does a good trade over the weekend and after school (try and avoid this period as the tiny place fills up with hulking, shouty teenagers all clamouring for pies), but if you go mid-morning or around lunchtime it's usually not too busy. The staff are friendly, the food is good, it's worth going if you like bakery food. Highlight: steak curry pie. Lowlight: still the quiche, I'm afraid.

OK now I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is one of the best mom & pop bakeries…read morethis side of Auckland. The Boston Bakery (for which I have no idea why it is named after a city in the States!), is quite unassuming and from the outside isn't very distinguishable from any other old school bakery. Except that first of all the family that run it are the loveliest people and if you're lucky their little super adorable daughter will run the EFTPOS machine for your purchase. They also cherish their regulars; for example my partner used to be a regular and then moved overseas for 3 years and they still remembered her after all that time! And then there's the pies, oh sweet sweet delicious heaven-sent morsels of delight! They have the standard fare which drive a hard bargain at $3.60, but then they also have 'fancy' pies for $4.20 which include rockstar gems like Steak, Mushroom, Bacon and Cheese, or Chicken, Camembert and Cranberry, or Steak and Kumara, or Butter Chicken and Broccoli. My personal favs are the first 2 aforementioned pies and I really have to discipline myself as I have to walk past the Boston Bakery twice a day, 5 days a week. If you are in Mt Albert and need to fill the gap, swoop up one of these hand-made with love treats.

Beautiful cakes, whole cakes, slices, mini cakes and bars. Many gluten free and vegan options. I…read morehad a pistachio ginger mini cake which had butter cream and candied ginger topping. It was excellent, moist, not overly sweet

Cake & Co is the bees knees…read more Jackie is big into catering to specific dietary requirements. Gluten-free, dairy-free or low sugar? No problem. They cakes are beeeeautifully decorated, most often w buttercream icing and fresh flowers. Definitely my current go-to for cakes!

2000th review goes to family love on Yelp review! I do it for the fam and fan bam!…read more Freshly puffed up and fluffy! It's nice and light for a cheesecake - almost like a spongecake, but made with cheese! One can see the makings through their clear windows! The smell of baking it up, can be alluring as well! I like how they offer chocolate cheesecake as an option for the chocolate lovers. They offered the imprint of the good fortune guy for new years on the cheesecake for the festivity on Lunar New Years! There can be a line to wait for these lovelies since it is made on the spot! It's a good welcome for the Queens street in main downtown Auckland. From Japan, this one marks a great spot to obtain some cheesecake puffed pastry for a snack or for a festivity dessert - like Lunar New Years!

Finally got the chance to get my hands on the famous cheesecake here!…read more We arrived around 8pm and luck for us there was no line, ordered a cake and sampled it the next day. I can understand the hype and this is a very light and delicious cheesecake. Typical I am not a fan of cheesecake due to the heaviness but this cheesecake from uncle Tetsu is nice and fluffy! It actually resembles more of a cake that cheesecake. If you're a lover of cheesecake you'll definitely need to try!

Excellent pastries and solid bread…read more The selection was a bit slim after a busy Sunday morning, so I recommend going early on the weekend if you want to have the best choices. We got focaccia, along with ricotta and nuttella pies (like a cupcake). Both were delicious! The focaccia went well with the local olive oil, and the pies were amazing. Really moist, send perfect with a cup of coffee. Excited to see what is available tomorrow, when we plan to go early! Note they are closed on Tuesdays.

Sorry if you are gluten free because that means you cannot sample the most delicious breads and…read morepizzas on Waiheke Island, probably in the world! The fresh aroma of baking lured me in on this Saturday and I was warned that the bread buns still may be hot as they'd just come out of the oven. Well they were still warm when we got home and simply stunning with our lunch fillings. Their pizza and foccacia breads are 'to die for' and sold in slabs like back in the old country (Italy I'm talking about). If you want great artisan bread, shop here because it is the real deal. Watch the bakers in full action as the stoves and workers are in full view of the cash register.

I have a very fond memory of when I first tried one of Jordan Rondel's cakes. It was early 2013,…read moreand the High Street Market was on at Freyburg Square. As soon as the clock struck 1pm, I rushed down to the square, determined to try only one thing: cake. Ever since devouring a slice of Jordan's Dark Chocolate, Pear + Pistachio cake that day, I have been following her journey ever since. The same year, Jordan released her first cookbook titled '50 New and Unusual Recipes' and yes, her creations are interesting, but they work. What I love about Jordan's cakes (and other delights) is that you won't find anything similar in Auckland. They are also not your usual carrot cake, banana cake or simple chocolate cake. For example, in her book you will find recipes such as a 'Rhubarb + Black Doris Plum cake', 'Vegan Triple Coconut + Raspberry cake', 'Sweet + Salty Potato Chip Cookies' and 'Raw Hazelnut + Chai Brownies'. Her aim is to use organic ingredients and some of her cakes are vegan, dairy and gluten free. In 2014, Jordan moved into a small but well designed space on Karangahape Road, where she and her team bake all the cakes, pies, cookies and other delicious goodies made to order. The shop is not open to the public, but she has held a cake demonstration there - which I loved. I have also attended another one of her cake demonstrations at Farro Fresh in Grey Lynn, been to a high tea at DeBretts Kitchen, hosted by Jordan and featured bite sized versions of her cakes. I also won tickets to Karen Walker's birthday party last year, where Jordan presented Karen Walker with the most beautiful tiered cake I had ever seen! I also finally introduced myself to Jordan, telling her I was her biggest fan ever. Earlier this year, she released two cake mixes to the public - Triple Coconut + Raspberry and Chilli Chocolate. I have only tried the Triple Coconut + Raspberry cake so far, however it is super easy to make! All the ingredients are pre packaged and come in a beautifully designed tin. The only ingredients you need to add is coconut milk and coconut oil. The mix even comes with freeze dried raspberry powder (a lovely addition!). I thought this was a brilliant idea and especially perfect for those living outside of Auckland or overseas. I gifted one to my sister for her birthday - she is living in Sydney! Furthermore, Jordan is now making mini versions of her cakes, and you can buy these at Vulcan Lane Bagels in Auckland CBD, from Tuesday to Friday, between 7am and 3pm. You can also order cakes here and pick them up!. Jordan has just recently launched her second cookbook, consisting of 76 recipes of wholesome cakes, cookies and desserts. Last Saturday, I attended the book launch, along with a degustation. It was held at an amazing space in Karangahape Road (two doors down from The Caker's premises), where we went in and out of rooms eating delectable mini cupcakes (five flavours in total), and at the end, we bought Jordan's new book and also met her lovely sister, Anouk. It was a fabulous afternoon and I cannot wait to get baking!

I have admired The Caker's cakes on instagram for a while now. I even got to see them up close and…read morepersonal at the Go Green Expo, but it wasn't until this weekend, that I got to try the real deal. Oh. My. Goodness! We ordered her chocolate gluten free cake for our friend's surprise Hen's Do and I'll admit when I first saw it, I thought it was a little flat but when I tasted it all was forgiven. The texture was incredible - dense, fudgey, melt-in-your-mouth sort of stuff. Not too sweet and despite being dense, not overly rich. For someone who's not normally a cake person, I was impressed. Our cake came decorated with fresh flowers (originally, I thought this was because it was so flat but it turns out that's what the bridesmaids requested) and in a box sealed by a pink ribbon and a postcard. Very cute! We ordered and paid online but you can also directly call Jordan (The Caker). I should also mention that her new store on Ponsonby is by appointment only. It serves really as a pick-up point and a space for tastings if you are wanting a wedding cake or something extra special.

Well this is one of those places that I would normally just drive past and stop. I mean I have…read moredrove past it's door for hundreds of times so far. And today for the first time I decided to stop, and what a mission it was. There isn't any parking outside on the street, and no parking spots on the side street. I had to u-turn and park on the opposite side of great north rd. And what do you know, the crossing light at the bond and GN is also on the opposite side. So it's a double cross at the intersection or risk your life and run across the road. I don't like to gamble on my life, so I waited patiently by the lights. Once I got through the front door, I was surprised at how few a customer they had at 12noon. The place didn't smell like a bakery. There is no butter in the air so to speak. The display case is clean and well lit, but the selection is fairly limited. But, I didn't feel like sampling anything too sweet. So I just bought a croissant and a palmier to go. The girl behind the counter was very friendly. And trust me, if I wanted to, I would have bought a lot more. The croissant is very tasty, even when it was cold. And the palmier, I wish I can do one just as good or just as big. So no issues with the baked goods from Philippe's. I will make sure I return to sample all the other goodies that they offer. If it wasn't for the parking issues, I would be glad to rate Philippe's 5 stars. But, getting there is part of the experience. So unfortunately I can only rate a overall 4 stars. The baked goods are deliciously tho, I give them 5 stars.

I love that Phillipe's exisits. Because sometimes chocolate and insanely fresh pastries are exactly…read morewhat I need to pick myself up. And the best thing is that they're French, so won't add anything to my waistline, right? The store is rather humble but their product is second to none. Constant streams of people come through the doors wanting bread for today's lunch, coffee, and no one can resist their almond croissants. Seriously, who needs to go to France when we have this on our doorstep! They often have cooking classes as well for making the infamous Macarons that are so hard to perfect. And the best thing is, is that all the staff are French so you know you're getting as close to the real thing as you possibly could.

Imagine a cake layered with crepes and in between those delicious crepes is the richest pastry…read morecream/ butter cream EVER! Well imagine no more and get your tail feather down to Fukurou by the Newmarket train station. So many flavours including a durian bomb (aptly named?) . Coffees, teas and cold drinks avaliable. Fukurou patisserie puts the I dream of genius back in cake making .

This place is fab. Fukurou patisserie are relatively new kids on the block in Newmarket. They offer…read morethe most incredible selection of crepe cakes and/or desserts that are not too sweet surprisingly! There are 8 yummies to choose from: "Say Cheese", "French Vanilla", "Rum Raisin", Coconut Malacca", "Chocolate Trio", "Durian Bomb", "Tiramasu" & "Matcha Adzuki (Japanese green tea)... so WOW. Something for everyone really. You can buy one slice from $6.90 - $7.80 depending on the flavour or the whole cake (12 slices) for $78!!! They are open 6 days (closed on Tuesdays) from 10:30am - 8:30pm. You must go Yelpers. I had the "Tiramasu" by the way; gone in 60 seconds!

Definitely as good as it gets! Great place to pick up amazing deserts to impress. The only problem…read moreis that it's too hard to choose. Great selection of sweet treats for all tastes (including some gluten free choices). It is a tad pricey, but what you get is well worth it! Great place for those day when you feel like spoiling yourself a little. Also staff is very attentive and helpful. Also heard good things about their breakfast and lunch selection, but yet to try. To sum up, amazing French patisserie well worth the trip and the money.

There is a reason I keep going back to Vaniye despite the price, which is $8-9 per mini cakes. They…read moreare simply gorgeous. The cakes are carefully designed to visually appeal to everyone. My friend really liked the Zen, a green tea flavoured mousse with red bean paste inside. I am not a big fan of green tea flavour but this was amazing. My Caramel cake, called Chou-chou, has chestnut cream profiteroles on top (which is crisply and creamy) and a brownie and caramel mousse as a base. I have also tried their Guanaja, which is a Valrhona chocolate marquise which had a great soft chocolate taste. But it lacked of a crème brulée flavour mentioned on its description. I felt that the Rasberry mousse, apple slice and lemon slice does not jump out as much as others. But that could be just me. They use Kokako for their coffee beans which is nice, but couple of instance I received burnt coffees. Bummer. However all were forgiven because of the cakes. The flavour, the design and tiny but great atmosphere.