Custom cakes in Palo Alto

A cake order in Palo Alto can be as simple as picking up a tea cake two hours after you click order, or as involved as a tasting, a design consultation and a 50% deposit months before a wedding. The city has bakeries at both ends of that range, plus cupcake shops, a diner that sells whole cakes and an ice cream shop that makes frozen ones. A little further out, Los Altos has a Japanese-style patisserie and Sunnyvale has an all-eggless cake counter.

This guide covers how ordering works at each place: lead times, deposits, sizes and cancellation rules, using what each bakery published on its own website or ordering page in late October and early November 2026. For sit-down cake by the slice, see our dessert cafes guide.

Cake ordering at a glance

Fully custom and wedding cakes

Marvel Cake, University Avenue

Marvel Cake is the downtown name for custom work. Its FAQ asks for at least two weeks' notice and adds a rush fee for orders placed less than three days ahead. To start, the bakery suggests sending two or three photos of cakes you like. Price depends on size and detail, so there is no fixed list. A 50% deposit starts the order.

Wedding cakes can be booked up to a year ahead. Tastings run on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are offered for weddings and for orders over $500, with three flavors and a consultation. Delivery costs $35 for the first 20 miles plus $2 for each extra mile. The bakery also rents silver and gold cake stands for $50 for three days, with a $250 deposit. Cancel more than 14 days out and the deposit comes back in full.

Its most popular flavor is vanilla cake with Bavarian custard and fresh strawberries. Chocolate cake with chocolate mousse is the house signature. Marvel Cake does not bake gluten-free cakes because it has no dedicated gluten-free kitchen.

La Baguette, Stanford Shopping Center

La Baguette splits orders in two. Standard cakes from its menu can be ordered online with a size and pickup date. Custom cakes go through a request form with sizes from a 7-inch cake for 8 to 10 people up to 16 inches, plus tiers and decorations such as buttercream flowers, bows, pearls or a custom topper. The terms ask for a 50% deposit. Cancel at least 30 days before the event and the deposit is refunded less a $25 fee. The balance is due 15 days ahead. Delivery is offered only on cake orders of $300 or more.

Menu flavors include Chocolate Supreme, Black Forest, carrot, hazelnut mousse, mango mousse, a green marzipan Princess Cake, red velvet, tiramisu and strawberry shortcake. The Chocolate Flower Cake needs a call three days in advance. For two people, a 4-inch Birthday Cake for Two comes in three flavors.

When you need a cake soon

Topi, which opened in October 2025 at 2305 El Camino Real, Suite B, is the fastest option for a designed cake. Its online order page asks for at least two hours' notice. Most cakes start at $58, including Black Tea, Soy Milk and a Blueberry Chocolate cake. The Matcha Yuzu cake starts at $88, The Doggie character cake at $68 for 6 inches and a Jellycat cake at $38. The shop is open 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and lists WhatsApp and WeChat contacts for questions.

Mademoiselle Colette says its cakes and tarts can be picked up or delivered as soon as the next day from Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Redwood City. Choices include a chocolate entremet, mille-feuille, raspberry tart, lime tart and an exotic pavlova, most serving 6 to 8. Its policy is strict: no changes within 24 hours of pickup, a credit only between 24 and 48 hours and a refund only with more than 48 hours' notice.

Cupcake bakeries and ice cream cakes

• Kara's Cupcakes, Town & Country Village. Its cupcake flavors are baked into 6, 9 and 12 inch cakes, single layer or tiered. Every cupcake flavor works as a cake except Sweet S'mores and Flourless Chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie cake comes with a piped message. Gluten-free and vegan options are on the menu. Same-day pickup orders are taken until 2 p.m.
• Sprinkles, 393 Stanford Shopping Center. Layer cakes and cupcakes with online ordering for pickup, curbside or local delivery. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Baskin-Robbins, 2615 Middlefield Rd. Custom ice cream cakes ordered ahead. Call for hours.
• Palo Alto Creamery, 566 Emerson St. Whole cakes at $79: brownie cheesecake, double chocolate, coconut cream, carrot, pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate bread pudding.

Nearby: Japanese-style and eggless cakes

Satura Patisserie, Los Altos

Satura Patisserie is at 200 Main Street, at Third Street, in downtown Los Altos, about 5 miles from Palo Alto. It describes its cakes as rooted in European classics and refined by a new generation of Japanese pastry chefs, which here means lighter sponges and less sugar. It sells signature cakes and animal-shaped cakes online and offers free tastings and consultations for weddings. The shop lists hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Sunday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. See our Los Altos food guide for lunch nearby.

UlavacharU Sweets & Snacks, Sunnyvale

About 8 miles south at 151 East El Camino Real, UlavacharU Sweets & Snacks says every cake and pastry it makes is 100% eggless. That makes it the simplest answer for vegetarian families who avoid eggs. Its menu lists custom eggless cakes alongside mango, butterscotch and black forest pastries and a rasmalai pastry. Ordering runs through its Toast page. Our Indian sweets guide covers its mithai.

Woodside Bakery and Cafe, Menlo Park

The European-style bakery at 325 Sharon Park Drive takes wedding and custom cake orders by phone at 650-854-6207 and books tastings and consultations the same way.

How to order without stress

1. Count servings first. La Baguette's chart is a useful guide: 7 inches for 8 to 10, 8 inches for 12 to 14, 10 inches for 18 to 20 and 12 inches for 22 to 25.
2. Send pictures. Bakers price custom work from photos. Two or three clear images save a round of emails.
3. Read the cancellation terms. Deposits are often nonrefundable inside two weeks.
4. Plan the car ride. Pickup customers are responsible for the cake once it leaves the shop. Put it flat on the floor of the car rather than on a seat. Run the air conditioning on warm days.
5. Ask about allergens. Kara's notes that it bakes with nuts. Most bakeries share equipment for wheat, eggs, dairy and nuts.

Planning a party? Our birthday party ideas page covers venues. Our catering guide covers food for a crowd.

Frequently asked questions