Let Them Eat Hamburger Cake

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You know what goes great with hamburger cake? Milkshakes. Photo: F. Monteleone Bakery

Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking of eating an entire crack pie from Momofuko Milk Bar or One Girl Cookies’ vanilla cake with raspberry jam filling and delectable buttercream. But when it comes to my son and his upcoming 5th birthday, he’s not as impressed with the gourmet sweets. In fact, the cake tasting is not even part of the equation for him—it’s all about the shape of a hamburger.

Brooklyn is known for artisanal delicacies, and there’s no shortage here of delicious confections. But what my son and many children prefer is a cake in the shape of a princess, superhero or Elmo. For his birthday party, I thought I’d have to dust off my cake mixer, until I realized that Brooklyn has me covered with kid-friendly cakes that also are adult edible.

F Monteleone Bakery, 355 Court Street, Carroll Gardens, 718-852-5600

The sign on the door claims that they have “cakes for all occasions,” and according to my son, they have the cake for his birthday.  The glass display of 3-D cakes is eye catching, and my son immediately zeroed in on the strawberry shortcake layered cake in the shape of a hamburger. Additionally, there is an autumnal pumpkin cannoli cream cake or a nutella and chocolate ladybug. Italian pastry chef Antonio Fiorentino has been making sweets since the age of 12, so there’s no chance of sacrificing taste. Cakes start around $25.

La Gran Via Bakery, 4516 5th Ave, Sunset Park, 718-810-9940

This Spanish bakery in Sunset Park is happy to build the cake of your child’s dreams. “You dream it, we’ll design it” is actually their motto. A giant Yo Gabba Gabba Tres Leches cake that feeds 150 people? Done. A three layer Hello Kitty chocolate cake complete with swirls of piped flowers, and inscribed with your daughter’s name and age? Check. Nothing is too extreme here, if you are willing to pay the price. Cakes range from $13 for a 7″ round cake to $175 to $275 for 3-D designs, like this doll cake.

Serve some gummy worms alongside this sunflower cake and you've got an instant garden party. Photo: Garden of Eden

Serve some gummy worms alongside this sunflower cake and you’ve got an instant garden party. Photo: Garden of Eden

Garden of Eden, 180 Montague St. Brooklyn Heights, 718-222-1515

It’s the day of the party and your ambitious pinterest plans for a Frozen themed layer cake have fallen flat. What do you do? Run over to Garden of Eden’s bakery for their chocolate mousse with buttercream Sunflower Cake, which will brighten up any cold weather party table. Buy some gummy worms from the candy aisle and have yourself a garden party! $25.99 for the 8-inch cake.

 

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