Service at Kara Kakes is top notch. The Ladies who Work there are very very friendly and they want to help you and make you happy. However, their food is above par. The food is so incredibly fresh and you can tell the freshness through the tasting of your cake. The Kara Kakes storefront is so absolutely adorable with little pink trinkets everywhere for preteen girls. If I had a child this would be the place to go to arrange for parties and little party favors. If your unsure about wether you would like the taste of her cake or cupcakes then go in one day and try one. I promise that you will not be disappointed! read more

My daughters asked for Kara Kakes cakes and they delivered! The best cakes out there, they never disappoint. The mini cupcakes are my favorite and they come up with new ideas for any occasion read more

Kara Kakes - Both Brielle and Brooke had Amazing Cakes made from Kara Kakes! - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

See all

I meant to write this review back in March, but getting to it now. I ordered a 40th birthday cake for my friend's birthday surprise party and Kara's did not disappoint. The cake was exactly what we discussed, based off of a picture on their website and customized for us. It was absolutely delicious, and everyone raved about it. I will be getting my next cake from them. And as a side note I love their cupcakes! read more

Kara Kakes - 40th birthday cake from Kara's Kake - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

I found Kara Kakes when a friend tagged them on Instagram raving about a cake they had gotten here for a special occasion. Their cakes looked good so I followed them in case I needed a cake, and I'm so glad I did. We needed a cake for my mother-in-law's 70th so I decided to give Kara Kakes a shot, since I knew they could deliver something that looked great. I used their online ordering system, which was super simple- just make sure that you order well in advance to make sure they can accommodate the order (I put in about a month before and that was already cutting it close). We ended up going with a champagne tiered cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting. I looked at some of the photos they had online and ended up doing sage buttercream frosting with a gold drip. Since we needed it to feed 50+ it ended up being a little pricy, but boy was it worth it. Whenever I've done a fancier cake like this, I feel like I've been paying for aesthetic coupled with mediocre cake. This was not the case with Kara- this was without a doubt the best cake I've ever had. Everyone at the party was raving about it and asking where I got it. Though it was dense (and heavy!), it was moist and the cake to frosting/filling ratio was perfect. I'll definitely be going to them whenever I need an event cake moving forward! read more

Kara Kakes - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

See all

I was craving chocolate so I thought I would try this place. The staff are very friendly and the store has great decor. The cupcake was too sweet for me unfortunately and too overpriced for the quality. It was good to try but wouldn't come back read more

Kara Kakes - Brownie sundae cupcake - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Very horrible ! I called a week before my son's birthday, they didn't call me back until Tuesday before the party . Told me they could do the cake and emailed me to iron out the details , and then calls me two days before the party saying they can't do the cake!!! I've gotten cakes in the past from them so I'm appalled at this horrible service! Will never be ordering my custom cakes from here. I live in the neighborhood and would've have been a valuable client. They've lost a customer eternally. read more

I so so badly wanted to love these cupcakes. They're so aesthetically beautiful. Truly, each one was decorated perfectly. The taste just wasn't there for me. I got a box of 4 cupcakes and then a separate box of two to give away. I don't live in the area and since I was up here I decided to get a few flavors to try. The store is beautiful and clean, the employees were nice. It's really just the flavors and freshness that completely fell short for me. The red velvet cupcake was not fresh, it didn't taste stale but was definitely hard on the edges. The frosting wasnt spot on for me, needed more of a cream cheese base. The strawberry blondie was the worst of all. I felt terrible too because I got two of those. The blondie on top was pure butter, it felt like I was biting into a room temp stick of butter. The frosting I literally spit out, and the cake was just artificial. I would definitely skip this one. The churro Cookie Monster wasn't my favorite either. The churro on top was super hard and not tasty. The frosting was alright and the cake again tasted too artificial. The chocolate cheesecake was definitely the biggest hit for me and even then, it wasn't enough to make me want to come back here. The cake on this one was the freshest and the frosting was the tastiest. Overall, I won't be back but the shop itself is beautiful and again the workers were super nice. Just fell short for me where it matters most. read more

See all

My daughter and I recently attended a kid's birthday party here. All of the children had a fabulous time. They made their own cupcakes, and then decorated them. The cupcakes were delicious and beautiful when all was said and done. The party room was a short walk from the main store front, but it was very close. The staff was pleasant and the party room was clean. I would definitely recommend having or attending a birthday party here. We also visit the store front to meet the party, and that was also very clean. I grabbed some cupcakes to go before heading home, and everything was simply delicious. read more

Kara Kakes always provides outstanding customer service and amazing customer cakes! I ALWAYS order cakes from them and every time, it tastes better than the last! Cute little pink store located in Franklin Lakes and I can tell you now, to go early if you're looking for their cupcakes. Once they're sold out, it's sold out. Their cupcakes go FAST and ordering a custom cake, I would recommend at least a month in advance! They do have pre made cakes available daily but call ahead and reserve it since there's limited cakes available. I've never had a bad experience with them and I've ordered cake pops and custom cakes with them on multiple occasions. I highly recommend Kara kakes for your sweet tooth fix! read more

Kara Kakes - Custom lego cake - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

I ordered 2 dozen cupcakes for a baby shower as the venue already provided mini desserts. I had chocolate cupcakes with white buttercream and sugar over lays, and then wanted lemon with blueberry butter cream. I was informed lemon was out of season and would have a small up charge. It's literally citrus season, but I guess it's a summer flavor so it's out of season for them?? Ended up going with vanilla cupcakes and blueberry butter cream. But this leads me to think that my cupcakes were not as fresh as I had hoped, they were either over cooked or slightly old, there was a little bit of dry/hardness to them. When I went in to order my cupcakes I ordered one of their flavors of the day and it was much more moist - also with a lot more toppings - but I don't think the toppings would have much affect on the texture of the cupcake itself. The blueberry butter cream was super subtle - wish it was a little stronger. Order was ready on time and looked pretty. But left a little disappointed. read more

Our family loves Kara's Kakes! They have the cutest treats for special occasions and holidays. Gluten-free is a dietary concern for us and they always include a selection for their specials menus. Their cakes and cupcakes are amazing! Their team is very professional and kind. read more

I am very disappointed with my experience at Kara Kakes. I was very particular about the cake design for my son's first birthday party. I spoke to the staff multiple times about design ideas and visited the store on a few occasions. In the end, I went with a cake design that I found on the store's instagram page. A cake that had been previously made by the store. I asked that the cake be replicated identically to the one in the image. The staff told me what size and detail was needed to replicate the design. We discussed the shiny black coloring, number of buttons, 3-d jacket lapels, shape and size of the collar, design of the white shirt, and most importantly the bow that was the centerpiece of the cake. Unfortunately, the cake that was made for my son was different. When we came to pick it up, the cake was matte (not glossy), the collar was missing the front triangles and disproportionately large, it had 3 buttons (not 2), no detail on the tuxedo shirt, the lapels were not 3-d, and the bow was massively disproportionate to the cake, flat, and looked different from the style in the picture. It also had a double center ribbon that looked like lips (horrible!). After I got noticeably upset, they took the cake into the back and "fixed" the front of the bow to remove the lips and added triangles to the collar (that looked more like sloppy glued on cat ears). The store told me that it was close enough to the picture (it was a black tuxedo!) and I should be happy with the work. They said That none of my guests would know better. I said fair enough but this is materially different from what we discussed, ordered, and wanted. I came to this store for a custom designed cake based on agreed specifications - this was not what was created for me. No explanation could be provided for why they made the design changes. I continued to be very upset and said that at least the bow needs to be fixed. They refused to make any changes and essentially said take it or leave it. Not that a discount could have fixed this horrible situation, but one wasn't even offered and when my Husband asked - it was refused. Left with no option as we needed a birthday cake and it was the day before the party (and it would be literally impossible to find a replacement cake in the short timespan), my husband encouraged me to just take the cake. I regret doing this and should have just left it at the store. It did not photograph well and tasted horrible. Save yourself the disappointment and rudeness and go somewhere else. I wish I had. read more

Kara Kakes - Picture from store's instagram account - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

See all

Fun, delicious, HEAVY cupcakes that are a whole experience just to eat. Go early -- guaranteed they'll sell out of stuff very quickly. Look at the menu before you go but don't expect to walk out with what you planned to get. Super friendly staff and temptations everywhere you look. They have the cutest dog treats, too. Loved every bite! Ate two in a row and felt like garbage from how sweet and filling they were! 5/5 would do it again read more

Kara Kakes - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

I came into Kara Kakes after looking up 'gluten free near me' (hint hint) and realizing I was parked right out front The only review I read that mentioned gluten free said they had very few options. While it's true I got the only one they had, I still thoroughly enjoyed it! And I was also told that I could special order almost any cupcake as gluten free. I will be doing that one of these days, after having tasted the Apple Pie cupcake, which is the current GF dlavor of the monthw. It was very moist, and the apple pie filling sitting on top didn't make it soggy at all. It had a delicious apple pie filling as well, which combined with the whip cream frosting, made for multiple delicious, well rounded bites! Thanks, Marissa, for being so friendly and knowledgeable.. I will be back! read more

Kara Kakes - GF Apple Pie - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Only leaving 4 but really wish I could leave less. Reason I'm not is because the cupcakes are absolutely delicious, so this place is still worth it for the cupcakes. But, I ordered a cake for my birthday and it was beautiful when I picked it up. When I was carrying it (extremely carefully), the strawberries on top fell off. The icing was hardened and the strawberries weren't secured. All four strawberries ended up rolling off the cake. They had sparkles on them so you can see how the sparkles ruined the cake. I was so upset about this as it was not cheap. I emailed Kara's Kakes as soon as I got home and it happened. They said they could not do anything since they were made aware after closing and couldn't take responsibility for it after it leaves the shop but if it was for the next day (when they responded) I could go in and they would fix it. I wouldn't buy a cake from here ever again, but like I said very much enjoy the cupcakes. Also recommendation to have better securement of anything on top of the cake. Very disappointing. read more

See all

I ordered the alcohol filled cupcakes for my son's 21st Birthday. The young lady who took my order was so helpful and patient. The Cupcakes were a work of art. They were delicious and beautiful. I highly recommend and will be back! read more

Kara Kakes - Alcohol infused cupcakes - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Great gf cupcakes and regular cakes. I'm GF and their cupcakes are not too sweet, just perfect. I ordered my daughters birthday cake from them and it was beyond amazing. Everyone liked it. read more

Kara Kakes - Coco themed birthday cake! Marigold cake - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Adorable cupcake shop. Lots of amazing treats. The whole space is like a candy boutique that's almost like a doll house. Really cute. I love that there are gluten free options, but they're like only 5-10% of the offerings. I wish there were more gluten free options. The gal who served us was really helpful and patient. We felt comfortable taking our time to decide, which is really lovely when you're shopping with two kiddos who can't make up their minds. Give them a try! read more

I don't know why it took me so long to visit Kara Kakes - this place is fantastic! The flavors are so original and the taste is amazing - both the cupcake itself and everything on top (I'm not even a fan of frosting normally, but loved it here). We tried the Bananas Foster, Golden Oreo Pumpkin Cheesecake, and the Peanut Butter Apple Pie. Genuinely, I couldn't even pick a favorite because they were all delicious. Recommend coming early because by 3pm, several flavors were sold out. Will be back to try more! read more

Kara Kakes - Bananas Foster, Golden Oreo Pumpkin Cheesecake, & Peanut Butter Apple Pie - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

i love this place!!!! I live in weehawken now but found this place nesteled close-ish by. Cupcakes are so yummy and looked like live pieces of art. Just a great business and wish they delivered in some capacity :( read more

Amazing!!! Kara created fabulous desserts for my daughter's baby shower. The classic Winnie the Pooh theme was on display with the custom cupcakes, cake pops and chocolate covered strawberries. And the cake (see picture) was a masterpiece! read more

Kara Kakes - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Cannot recommend this place enough. We were driving upstate from NYC and stopped into this shopping center for a quite bite of pizza. After we went into Kara's Kakes and we were blown away by how good their cupcakes were. I ordered the "Old Fashion Apple Pie" cupcake and I can honestly say it was the best cupcake I've ever had. It had a tiny apple pie topper that was perfection. Will definitely swing by here the next time we're headed upstate to get away from the city for a few days - probably on the way upstate and again on the way home! read more

Kara Kakes - Cupcakes options - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Omg! If you're looking for gourmet cupcakes or hot chocolate bombs this is the place to go! The desserts are beyond delicious! The red velvet Oreo cookie that was to die for!! The interior is also adorable and the service is great! read more

See all

Updating my review. I've always placed orders for birthday cake here, that look great and just the way we like them. While I appreciate they are a women owned small business, with really nice presentation, I'm looking forward to better communication when placing orders, it feels chaotic when placing cake orders whereas the process should be smooth and pleasant. read more

Updating this review-the Valentine's Day menu treats were amazing! I was initially upset because I got chocolate covered Oreos instead of the chocolate covered pretzels I ordered but they were really good (which was great because this place is about 45 mins from me so I wasn't going back). I thought they were going to be too sweet which is why I ordered the pretzels but the Oreos were great. The champagne infused strawberries were delicious. The cake pops and pudding were so good! I'll be back next Valentine's Day for sure! read more

See all

The only thing my granddaughter asked for her birthday was a piñata cake. Kara Kakes did not disappoint! The staff member who took the order was friendly & extremely helpful! The cake was beautiful! My granddaughter was ecstatic when she cut the cake & removed the first slice to an avalanche of colorful delicious sprinkles & cake! The cake was delicious & enjoyed by all at the party. Thank you! read more

I recently drove 40 minutes just to try this bakery. I got six cupcakes and most were very good. I tried: Gingerbread Donut - this was my least favorite. The topping was good but I felt the cake was a little dry Unicorn Hot Chocolate - this flavor was also a little disappointing. It was beautiful but I would have preferred a buttercream frosting on top Candy cane Oreo - I loved this flavor. Great mint and Oreo flavor Strawberry churro - the churro was delicious. I am personally not a huge fan or strawberry anything so I think this was probably not the best choice for me. I thought this cake was a little dry as well Cake batter - I was very excited for this flavor but again the cake was a little dry. Carrot cake - again a flavor that I am not a huge fan of but they did a great job with this. Very soft. read more

See all

I just had my babyshower this Sunday and wanted to make sure I write a review, as I eat a leftover slice straight out the fridge, I loved the look of the cake, we had to supply the flowers and the cake topper we put on as well, but it was still beautiful and exactly what we were wishing for. The cupcakes were not the colors my sister and them initially discussed but we were pleasantly surprised how well they look next cake and the colors popped. I can't speak much for customer service because my sister were more face to face to them but she said they were good. Just know you won't be disappointed with the flavor, I'm still enjoying it in a Tuesday when we picked up Sunday morning! read more

Kara Kakes - Cupcakes as well - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

See all

I recently attended a family party where Kara Kakes provided the primary dessert. The cake looked beautiful, BUT when the hostess cut into it, it literally crumbled before our eyes. It was so dry it was impossible to slice and could not be eaten anyway but with a spoon, The hostess was mortified and the guests tried valiantly to take bites of this mishmash. This bakery owner should be ashamed to pawn off a clearly substandard product to the unsuspecting buyer. Do not, I repeat,DO NOT trust this bakery to provide a cake you will be proud of. If you do, you will be sorely disappointed! Honestly, you will get a much better product at Costco. By the way, I was unable to give it zero stars. But that's what it deserves. read more

Go early in the day or don't go near closing time because flavors run out. The flavors are daily so be sure to check the website before you go. The cupcakes are super moist and fresh! read more

Kara Kakes - Oreo pudding cookie cupcake, tropical sangria cupcake, and funfetti cookie bar - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

Caution- the business owner personally comes after customers who give genuine feedback about her business that she does not agree with. Look no further than every review under 3 stars- she goes after everyone. The vicious behavior is not anywhere near worth the overpriced dry, crumbly baked goods with tasteless and sickeningly sweet frostings. read more

Im Obsessed with this bakery. By far the best red velvet cup cakes I've ever had. The cocoa bombs are great too. I've had almost every flavor cupcakes and they're all delish. I recommend going early in the day cuz she's so popular it's all sold out pretty early. Can't go wrong. read more

Kara Kakes - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

I blocked out the name for privacy reasons but I've never seen a more BEAUTIFUL cake. I am so impressed and happy with how this cake came out. It is absolutely PERFECT! Everyone at Kara Kakes is so friendly and professional. The ambiance is adorable, nice, and clean! This cake is everything I wanted and more and I will definitely be buying from them again. I HIGHLY recommend Kara Kakes and I cannot be more happy with this cake. Thank you Kara Kakes! read more

Kara Kakes - Doctor Cake - Cupcakes Near Me - Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

What I has was delicious. But I wish I knew prior to going what was in their case. I'm a chocolate lover and there was only one kind of chocolate cupcake there. So I didn't get the deep fried Oreo, or chocolate overload, or brownie .. but I will be back. I neeeeeed them in my life. read more

There are not enough good things that I can say about Karas. I'm never disappointed and no matter how many times I go the vanilla funfetti is always the winner. read more

See all

The counter assistant was such a doll! I love everything about Kara Kakes. Pretty and pink, best describes this cupcakery. It's more than a bakers, it's a boutique for all things gifty and those with a sweet tooth. I came in to pick up a treat for a girlfriend and her daughter, and ended up leaving with confections for my parents too! These are cupcakes you WANT to gift others because of how well crafted they are, and the creative ingredients that go into their making. KK offers a space for hosting birthday parties and events, even baking/decorating classes too!!! I can't wait to order a special event cake from here! read more

See all

This has been on my list of places to yelp for so long and I finally got some goodies today to try. I went with the chocolate donut, apple pie french toast, pumpkin streusel, and milk and cookies. I also picked up a cake stuffed cookie. My favorite out of them all was the milk and cookies. The cookie on top was so soft and the frosting was smooth and light- not overly sweet. The apple pie french toast was my second favorite because the apples on top were soooooo delicious. I was quite disappointed with the pumpkin flavor because it was overall kind of dry. The chocolate one would be a favorite if I loved chocolate but I am not a huge chocolate fan so to have a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate donut was too much for me. Lastly the stuffed cookie was quite dry and crumbly. I was expecting it to be soft and chewy like a levain or chip nyc cookie but maybe my expectation was too high? Overall a really cute place with so many different flavors I would like to try. It is definitely worth stopping by! read more

See all

Very disappointed with my most recent experience. I've been a customer of kara kakes for the past 3 years. I've gotten many cakes from my bridal shower, to many birthdays and just recently my sons cake smash cake, as well as referred this business to dozens of friends and family. I was on the fence about having a first birthday celebration for my son due to COVID. I decided to have a small gathering with family this coming weekend. When I went to pick up my sons cake smash cake on Saturday I asked if they would be able to accommodate a cake for next weekend. The woman told me YES to call on Tuesday and put the order in. I call all day and no response. I sent a detailed email of what I wanted only to get a response on Thursday that they can't accommodate my cake because they are fully booked. I give them a call immediately and NOW they answer and tell me they are sorry but they need two weeks notice. I understand the 2 week policy, but don't tell me in person you can accommodate when you cannot. So here I am two days before my sons first birthday scrambling for a new cake. To top it off the woman I spoke to was completely unsympathetic to my situation and sounded like she could care less and I was wasting her time talking to her. During times like this I think Kara Kakes should be grateful for the outpouring of support her loyal customers continue to give to her. read more

I've been following their insta account and was dying to try this place. For a while the lines were really long and I couldn't wait to see what the hype was about. While the flavors are fin and different the execution just isn't there. The cake was dry and these only tasted good on day 1. I bought cupcakes for Valentine's Day and ended up having to throw half them out. read more

I ordered a two tier chocolate cake for a birthday party on Feb 3 this year The cake was delivered to the restaurant. There was no problem with the delivery. When the cake was taken out of the box the first tier on top of the cake was sinking into the bottom of the cake. As the night went on it got worse and worse. We had to cut the cake sooner than we wanted to because we were afraid the top tier would fall over I paid almost $400 for the cake. When we called Kara's kakes to talk to someone about what happened they were not interested nor did they want to take any responsibility for their product I am very disappointed in the cake and the bakery. I would never order anything from this bakery again nor suggest anyone else order from them They would have to pay me to take one of there cakes again it was a very upsetting experience read more