I am utterly in love with Purple Oven. No, seriously! They're my favorite bakery as of the moment,…read moreand for good reason! I don't really like sweet stuff, honestly. But Purple Oven's decadent revel bars changed that opinion pretty quickly! When I moved to the area, I was happy to find out that it's just one tricycle ride away from my condo (and I've abused that ever since). It's always been my go-to bakery for special occasions. Of course, the revel bars are always a party hit, as well as their cakes. But I think their cookies are one of the best I've tasted! (And i've tried alot, mind you.) The chocolate macademia cookies don't scrimp on either, and is absolutely mouthwatering, especially when they're just fresh out of the oven! (You can cheat this by putting it in the oven really quickly, at the lowest setting so you won't burn anything.) Purple Oven doesn't just do desserts either! They've got a pretty good selection of bread and quiches! Perfect for a lazy brunch at home. Just pop em in the oven the next day, and they go so perfectly with some coffee or tea.

Being a cake-lover, my husband once gave me 3 cakes from Purple Oven as a birthday gift. Yes, they…read moreare that good. When they opened a branch in Makati, I just had to go. I love everything about that place, I could really spend hours just smelling their food and staring at their desserts. And it doesn't help that they actual load a new batch of goodies in the oven every hour (with a schedule posted on the chalkboard of what's cooking by what time), I think I sat there for half a day and didn't even notice I've been there that long. Whether you're in for a savory treat or a sweet-tooth satisfier, they have so much to choose from. My top picks are still Grandma's Chocolate Cake which has layers of caramel between moist, rich chocolate cake topped with chocolate ribbons and the Banoffee Pie which has a pie crust filled with banana, cream and butterscotch. If you want just a quick bite, then try their cookie selection. I love the chocolate macadamia, very chocolatey and chunky and not too sweet.

Call me biased, but Little Miss OC is one of the most creative cake decorators out there. She puts…read moreso much thought and planning in each of her cake, making every single one unique for the occasion that it's made for. Her cakes also have the perfect balance of beauty and yumminess. Although many of her clients say that it looks to good to eat, once you taste the cake, you won't get enough of it. Not only that, but she also offers cake decorating classes. She has local teachers who offer flower making, cake pops and makes cake classes. This year she is bringing in a few foreign teachers to the classroom like Debbie Brown and Robert Haynes. Her students always seem to have fun in the classes. And just recently, Little Miss OC herself had a class for children ages 7-17! Aside from cakes, there are craft and calligraphy classes too! The first one was held last April. It was Ina Estrada's Mexican Craft Party. And I must admit, it was a huge success!

If you're like me who loves going to classes, you might want to check out Little Miss OC Kitchen…read more This place (well from the name alone) specializes on food classes, specifically on baking and cake decorating classes. It's run by one of the top cake decorators in Manila, Anna Sarmiento. She would either conduct classes or she would invite people from all over the world to teach in the venue. I had the privilege of taking a Wafer Paper Class one Saturday in this kitchen. I definitely am no baking expert, I also have never decorated any pastry in my life as well so this whole day class made me nervous. I didn't want to show other people that I was a weak link. Luckily though, wafer paper is just like any kind of paper (only more delicate since it breaks easily). I enjoyed learning how to make pretty edible flowers! Since it was a whole day affair, Ms. Sarmiento made sure that food and drinks are easily available. Lunch was even served and it was super good! Overall, I really like the experience. I got to meet a number of bakers! I highly suggest everyone takes a class over this kitchen!

Yummy cakes specially the ube cake. They have their own bar and chairs. Try their gelato lots of…read moreflavors to choose from.

After 3 slices of Classic Ube cake and 1 slice of Strawberry shortcake, I am a customer for life!…read moreYou will not be disappointed with these ethereal creations. Indulge and order to your hearts delight!

Cakes R Us--not really the best name for one of the most popular cake baking and decorating shops…read moreout there, but I guarantee you that they can provide quality and good-tasting cakes, cookies, and pastries for any occasion. That is the main reason why they are still in the business for almost 13 years. Just present your design and Cakes R Us will build your cake just the way you want it. I discovered this place when I was trying to look for a present that would surprise my shoe-obsessed friend. I thought that a huge pink-colored cake with a giant pair of stilettos on top would be the perfect gift for her. Not only did the cake look wonderful, the taste was also heavenly. Cakes R Us offers a variety of cake designs for different life celebrations. You can choose between a flat-cake design or a 3D design with a caricature or an object on top. They also have a lot of cake flavors to choose from such as chocolate, banana, strawberry, carrot, and even buko pandan.

Long before Polly's chocolate cakes have become mainstream, Shell Magallanes was the only place you…read morecould get your hands on THE best chocolate cake in Manila. While she may now have stand alone kiosks, I still feel that the ones sold at this gas station are the best just because they're delivered fresh here everyday, but that's just my opinion. So why is Polly's chocolate cake the best? BECAUSE IT'S GOOEY AND SWEET AND MOIST and everything you could possibly want in a chocolate cake. My family and I have been enjoying this cake since we were kids and even as adults, we all still fight to get first dibs on the corners. These days, Polly's has expanded her repertoire to include options for the discerning customer. There's sansrival and then there's the caramel chocolate cake, which is essentially the same thing except instead of chocolate in between the cakes, its sweet caramel. It's a welcome change for all those looking to try something new. And here's a serving suggestion my cousins and I suggest: Pop the cake into the oven (if it's stayed in the fridge overnight) and heat for 30 seconds. While the chocolate is still gooey, top with vanilla ice cream. It's like heaven. Seriously.

This is one of Manila's best kept secrets for desserts. I tagged the Shell Gasoline Station in…read moreMagallanes as the place of business because this is where she became famous. In fact, some know her cakes as the "Shell Magallanes Chocolate Cake". Ms. Polly makes one of the most scrumptious chocolate cakes in Manila. It is boxed in a simple brownbox with a peek window and a small brand on the bottom right portion where you can get her phone number. But you'll know you have the right one because they have a whole shelf dedicated to her cakes. BTW, if you just want to taste it, you can get it by the slice from the food counter. The cake is available in square or round shapes. It's a steal for less than P500 for the whole cake. Now on to the cake itself. She uses a light and airy but very moist chocolate sponge cake so you won't easily tire of eating this sweet treat. The chocolate icing is thick, rich and shiny. One bite of this cake will remind you of the homemade goodness of your youth. The imperfect look of the icing adds to the charm; you know it was not made to impress but to delight you with the made-with-love quality of the dessert. It's the utter simplicity that makes this cake so good. You might be surprised to find yourself making "yummy" sounds with each bite. I know I did.

Aggy's has been around my block for over a decade already and yet its fans still can't get enough…read moreof their cakes. The place actually still looks the same. It's still very relatable, humble even. I love that the prices haven't been erratically affected by inflation, nor did it stop the owner from decreasing the quality of its pastries. Anyone who lives in the area I'm sure has bought one of their cakes at least once. My favorite here is the Aggy's Choco Moist Caramel cake. It's best for days when you want to fill your belly with chocolate and get slightly buzzed from all the sugar. They have great customized cakes too, perfect for birthday parties and other occasions. Come in the morning so you can get everything new and freshly-baked!

Aggy's Marshmallow Brownie has been a favorite dessert ever since my early childhood. The combo of…read morechewy marshmallow top and fudge-y chocolate brownie was love at first bite, so receiving one would always be a treat. And when my sister and I were still young enough for kiddie birthday parties, our cakes would come from here and the decorations would always make us and our friends go "WOOOOW". Now my little brother gets to enjoy that as well. Amazing how this tiny cake shop can produce such good pastries, and with incredible consistency over the years that the people of the south have come to rely on.

Grabbed some ensaymadas to-go from this famous spot. Got both a cheddar and a quezo de bola. Both…read morewere super delicious - cheesy and sweet, with the pastry itself being very light and fluffy. I preferred the quezo de bola more than the cheddar but both were delicious. Would def come back!

i swear hizon's mocha cake is basically a manila time machine. my lola used to bring one to…read morebirthdays and the rule was always "don't smash the box on the jeep ride home" . it's that super light chiffon + buttercream combo that doesn't feel heavy even after a big meal. also the ensaymada + hot tsokolate there on a rainy afternoon? undefeated. legit old-school manila vibes.

We ordered for the birthday cake last week, we drew the design and wrote down the dedication which…read morecost a total of P1,760 plus P440 deliver fee. The total is P2,200. Guess what was delivered to our place? An EMPTY birthday cake. It ruined our family celebration. (picture attached) We were truly unsatisfied with your service, uncooperative, and neglected communication. We asked for refund, however, you mentioned that you can refund the amount paid for flower decorations. We even asked to even add at least delivery charge to the refund.... But still, only P800 for your mistake??? We feel that it is very unfair that we spent a lot on it, ordered it 5 days in advance, called everyday for update if you got the design, did our best to make communication work out on our end, and in the end a disaster. How could you let this happen? How could you give an empty birthday cake when we paid extra for each flower and mentioned the dedication? We are very disappointed that our order wasn't taken seriously. We hope other customers won't experience the same situation.

Cakes from Costa Brava are always a hit for parties and celebrations! It is my top caramel cake…read moreever since my mom discovered it from an office party. This caramel cake is not too sweet and has a light and fluffy chiffon base so you'll want to have another slice :3 Their cakes and other baked goods need to be pre-ordered at least a day before and picked up at their lovely home along Polaris St. Bel-Air, Makati. It's not convenient, but it's super worth the travel! I love how the staff can be accommodating sometimes especially when we just ordered on the day of pick up (oops), and words on the cake can be personalized (without character limit!). My family's usual order is the 9x12-inch caramel cake that's worth P1000 (with free personal message on cake and 1 candle). Not a bad deal when we know how much dedication and quality this homemade goodness is done (and taste) over the years. Highly recommend this to those who want a light cake for family and friends. Kudos to Costa Brava! ;)