Courtesy of Sweetology
The Cakery
If you want one of the best custom cakes in town, you'll have to plan ahead. The Cakery requires four weeks advance notice for their fanciful cakes topped in a signature butter cream frosting. They have a huge online gallery to choose from, with designs ranging from pirate ships to three-layer princess crowns. Or you can bring in your own design. They can even match the frosting color to your invitations or party dress.
Owner Ericka Frank says children's first birthdays have turned into huge events, with parents sometimes ordering three cakes for their little's one big day. She's seeing a lot of customers request a large cake for the guests, a 6-inch smash cake for the birthday child, and a second smash cake just for photos.
Custom cakes start at $39.95 for a 6-inch, round layer cake. If you're in a hurry, The Cakery also offers the Ready-to-Go Cakes for $26.95—it's the same delicious cake, but with a simple design. They'll even add lettering to your cake while you wait. 1420 Tamm. 314-647-6000.
Sarah's Cake Shop
You've seen their cupcake truck, but did you know Sarah's Cake Shop can also bake your birthday child a sculpted 3-D cake? Wouldn't you love to surprise your gamer with an Xbox-shaped cake (complete with controller) or a fairy castle cake for your little princess?
Custom cakes need at least two weeks advance notice (and four weeks for 3-D cakes), but elegant two- and three-tier, pre-designed cakes are ready pick up the same day. Pre-designed cakes start at $15.99 for a 6-inch round. Custom cakes start at $33.99 for a 6-inch round, and 3-D cakes start at $100.
Sarah's has two locations in Chesterfield and Eureka. Cakes must be ordered from the Chesterfield bakery but can be picked up at either location. 10 Clarkson Wilson (Chesterfield). 636-728-1140. 127 S. Central (Eureka). 636-938-4800.
Sweetology
If your kid has a creative flare, why not turn the cake into a birthday event? Sweetology offers ready-to-go, two-tier, 6- and 9-inch cakes in vanilla or chocolate... and you get to decorate it. You can bring the birthday child to the Sweetology Makery and let them go crazy with the sprinkles (literally—they're unlimited). For a small Makery fee, you kid will be equipped with an apron, tools, and bowl of frosting. Colors and flavors for the frosting are unlimited, as are 50 different kinds of sprinkles and a dollop of fondant.
Make it a party and bring your guests to Sweetology. Each kid can decorate their own cupcakes or personal birthday cakes. You can reserve a party space for eight kids starting at $269, which includes a host, four cupcakes for each guest, and a 6-inch cake for the birthday child.
They don't accept reservations for drop-in decorating, so you might have to wait for a table to open up on busy days. Take-home kits are also available, but you won't get the bonus of unlimited sprinkles. Cakes start at $36.99, plus a Makery fee of $4.99 per decorator. 1232 Town & Country Crossing. 314-403-2608.
McArthur's Bakery
Local favorite McArthur's Bakery is happy to use its 60 years of wedding cake experience to make your child's birthday cake one to remember. But if you don't have the time and budget for a McArthur masterpiece covered in fondant, they have a fast and tasty alternative: photo cakes. For a small fee, they can top a classic sheet cake with an edible scanned photo. Photo cakes only need 48 hours notice and start at $29.99 for a quarter sheet with a $6.50 scanning fee. The price also includes basic frosting with balloons or rose embellishments. Don't have a great photo? You can choose a design from their book of licensed Disney characters and more.
Each McArthur's location also carries ready-made sheet cakes in a variety of flavors that you can pick up the same day. They have bakeries in South St. Louis, Kirkwood, the Delmar Loop, and Chesterfield. Addresses and telephone numbers for each are listed online.
Is one of your favorites not on this list? Let us know which ones we missed in the comments.
