Okay i love cakes, dessert, and all that sweet stuff!!! I saw his article online and saying hes only 22 years old opening his own cakeshop of course i was interested. Honestly Hayward is lacking a few good spots too. Gotta support small local businesses. Warning there is only street parking in front n not its own parking lot i had to park down the street in a separate parking lot n walk. As i enter the shop, I saw Max wen i first walked in n i was like ooo there he is!! lol Review: There was a line! of course always good sign but bad for us customers waiting-lol. It reminded me when i went to sprinkle cupcakes the first time in LA. I ordered the following: (2) confetti cake (2) cafe cupcakes (2) Honey Alomond (1) classic cupcake (2) mini cheesecakes My whole bill came out to $57.00 with tip not too bad for that many orders. i bought the last honey almond cupcakes n confetti cake! and i came in at 1:15pm on a Saturday so if u want goodie desserts try to come early i am assuming. As i was waiting in line, the associate asked me if i wanted to meet Max n i was like somewat star struck like nervous so i said sure! n i meet him he was so sweet! & humbling. n i was congratulating him n he was telling me that it was his 6th week opening n his demand is hard to keep up! But hes doing it!! But such an awesome story to hear especially at his age! kudos to him!! i love hearing success stories. Hes out here hustling which u can only support! The dessert looks soo pretty i didnt even wanna try it lol!! But i did n let me tell u it was super fluffy which i love! So moist n perfect. Melts in ur mouth type! Highly recommend!!! I will update review once i try the cheesecake. I also read that they have burnt almond cake but i guess it wasnt on the menu today. - bummer. Hoping it is good as Peters Bakery another mom n pop shop in San Jose. so i dont have to drive far. read more

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Review is for my first visit to this new, hip, eclectic, friendly bakery named Max's Cakes in Downtown Hayward! Visited on a Sunday a couple of hours after they opened and happened to hear a customer disappointed they didn't have the peach cobbler available. Apparently, this is a popular item and only offered on certain days or by special order. Well, that customer made sure to place an order for next day pick up... Display case full of sliced and mini cakes, cupcakes, classic and horchata cheesecake, brownies, cake pops and personal pies. This visit: :: Coconut Cream Cake - cake was light and moist with toasted coconut. Not overly sweet and yummy - 4.5/5 :: Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Pineapple not as caramelized as I would've liked and center filled with a non-dairy whipped cream (not a fan of that) - still the cake and flavor were on point - 4/5 :: Horchata Cheesecake - great flavor but if you're a fan of cheesecake (like I am!) with its rich and creamy texture this may be a hit-or-miss. Texture (IMO) was like a pumpkin pie and crust was hard to scoop as it was mostly stuck to the liner - 3/5 *** 4 stars for items above and extra star for the friendly and welcoming staff and owner This place has great potential. I had the opportunity to speak to the owner and he's not only talented (check out his custom cakes!) but very down-to-earth, friendly and passionate and know this place will do well. Pricing very reasonable and will definitely return as there are other slices of cake and goodies to be had!Max's Cakes is located on B Street (next to The Bistro) but parking easier to find on Main Street just around the corner. Free street and municipal lot parking. Limited counter seating only. read more

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Slices of cake are amazing 10/5 Cupcakes amazing 10/5 Decor is so cute and picture worthy Customer service is so personable I walked in smiling and left smiling The slices are cut with love! But the best part is I didn't finish my cake slice but it was still moist the next morning after I put it in the fridge! Now that's good I hate when you go back and you cake can't even be enjoyed after day 2. But honey you can enjoy your cake after day one. I'm excited to try more! Will be back! Run and get you a taste of heaven! read more

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I absolutely love having this bakery here in Hayward! The cupcakes are not only delicious but also beautiful to look at. The staff is always professional and welcoming. The decor is great with tables for sitting. My go-to flavors are the churro and burnt almond--both are absolutely yummy! This is hands down my favorite spot for cupcakes. read more

Max's Cakes - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Got a burnt almond cake and a caramel cupcake. Much care was put into the appearance of the store and people were really enjoying it. I never stepped foot into the previous business here. They had this banner 'we cure munchies' I took offense to that since it was across from Cookies. To me it sort of implies that all people who use weed are complete stoners or something. Well, that banner is gone and so is that old Bon Mange. Good riddance. I walk past this store front all the time - in fact I never realized that it had changed ownership until maybe yesterday - all due to the old sign still way up high. Max has signage in the windows and I noticed all this who ha with the mayor of Hayward parading around here. The burnt almond cake had tasty toasty nuts on the outside and marble black/white cake with two different types of frosting. The last time I had burnt almond cake was at Dicks in San Jose but since it burned down I've been longing for it. Dicks was totally different - light and floffy with cloudy white cake and probably some rum flavor in there somewhere. The caramel cupcake had various different flavors and textures. So much effort is put into all the desserts it seems. I'd probably recommend getting a cup cake as the portion is perfect. I've tried all the best bakeries in San Francisco - but I don't think that is what this is all about. Its about supporting a very young baker that has enthusiasm for the art and a willingness to invest in Hayward. The interior of the building is Instagram worthy and had a unique black and silver Christmas tree. I think it really caters to young people and although not the best baked goods I've ever had in my life it brought me lots of joy. I look forward to what this baker will become. Hes friendly and enthusiastic - the same way the owners down the street at Susie Qs are. He likely will branch out and evolve into the best baker and pass up Tartine one day soon. read more

Max's Cakes - Almond cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Friendly service. The $9 chocolate cake slice was very bland and comparable or worse than a grocery store cake though. It was on the drier side and the filling was very hard. For the price I'd appreciate something that melds together vs breaking off into dry and hard chunks. I attached a picture which hopefully shows the texture. When I eat a cake I should not be struggling to get it on my fork because it crumbles away and falls off. I ended up throwing it away. read more

Max's Cakes - Super hard filling - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

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I have ordered from Max's 3x now and I am blown away by his creations. He always goes above and beyond from what I ask for and turns each cake into literal pieces of art. The staff is all so friendly and Max makes sure to personally shows you the finished product and makes sure it is to your liking. The churro cake with dulce de leche is a family favorite for us and every guest we've shared with asks for seconds. We hope to have his cakes be a part of many more important events! read more

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Hayward's own Cake Gangsta, Max Soto, has opened up a storefront in our hometown of Hayward. The Grand Opening was attended by city officials, dignitaries and family for the ribbon cutting. Though my daughter and I stood in a downpour, it was well worth the wait. The interior is modern in black, white and gold. It features photos of Max including his appearance with the Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro. There are also vintage photos of downtown Hayward. A DJ spun fun old school hits and salsa. Probably the best part of our visit was seeing Max who remains his upbeat, humble self. I ordered some mini cupcakes for a potluck but we also treated ourselves. Service was quick and friendly. I had one of Max's signature Bay Area cupcakes, the FiveTen, which I devoured. It was moist and sweet. My daughter loved Ney's fruit tart. We will definitely be back to support our favorite cake creator. read more

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Today I was finally able to go to the bakery. This is the most stylish bakery I've been too. By looking at how everything is put together you can clearly see Max had a vision on what he wanted and it came out beautifully. The service was great Max was very polite, helpful and had great energy. He was smiling and seemed really happy. He even took the time out to tell me about the desserts and what inspired it. I though that was great customer service. This time I got the fruit tart omg... if you haven't tried it go grab a few of them. It's a nice refreshing treat with fresh delicious fruit. I also got the carrot cake, when I say the cake is moist, it is melt in your mouth moist and I tasted all the spices. I also got another peanut butter cookie. It's good I think the best I have had in a while. I love peanut butter cookies but could never find a great cookie until now. If you're looking for a bakery with great treats, awesome customer service this is the spot for you. read more

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Went to Max's yesterday upon request of my daughter who heard good things. I tried the caramel frapp cupcake and this by far was my favorite. The frosting itself not extremely sweet but the caramel on top made it sweet and sticky like a caramel should taste and it's funneled into the middle which made it so delicious. The cake itself soft and easy to go down. The next cupcake I tried was the cookies and cream cupcake. The top was crunchy and when you bite down it's like your biting down on a crumbled Oreo. It was soft and filled with whipped cream yet crunchy and chocolatey. The last one I tried was the chocolate cupcake. It was a soft not too sweet chocolate cupcake that does quench the craving of a chocolate cupcake. It was very pleasant to eat. When I come back to the Bay again I would be tempted to go back if I had the time read more

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Definitely was excited to try this "popular "place out. And Definitely was disappointed. Here's why with a positive or 2. 1. Place was kinda cute inside but very hot! 2. Customer service lady, not sure how she still has a job, horrible. 3. The cupcakes, actually not good at all. Very bland and the frosting reminds me of safeway on a bad day. 4. 9.00 for a slice- you would think it would be special!! 5. The cupcakes, and trust me we tries at least 4 flavors, didn't seem like they use very high quality ingredients AT ALL. 6. THE COOKIES! wow, horrible actually. Dry dry dry! Try for yourself but we know quality and this place is just lacking that custom, special feel. Safeway is way less cost and actually equal maybe even better. read more

Really friendly staff and cake was sooo delicious & looked amazing! Got so many compliments at our son's birthday party. I will definitely be coming back for more cakes! read more

Max's Cakes - Custom cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Everyone enjoyed the burnt almond filling with the marbled cake. I really recommend Max's Cakes to everyone wanting a good quality cake. read more

Max's Cakes - Burnt Almond - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

They're all business in this place...don't be expecting no big hugs and Andy Griffith vibes! Cakes are top-notch tho...REALLY good...high class stuff! Just order far in advance and know what you want...again, this is a bi'ness, Not a Mom & Pop! read more

The delicious scent of this burnt almond cake made me pause even before taking a bite. I think it's better than Peter's. My 93 year old father who doesn't care for sweets that much anymore, stated "this is a very good cake" and ate a whole slice. My sister and nephew, neither of whom care for cake and prefer pie, each volunteered "this is a good cake" and finished their slices too. Not to mention that the service and packaging of the cake was fantastic, and the bakery has such a charming decor. I think Max's cakes are worth every penny. I will be back. read more

I walked to downtown Hayward looking for a sweet treat because I spotted this dessert shop on my map, and I'm really glad I did. I originally planned on getting a chocolate cake slice, but since it was the end of the day they only had a few items left--fortunately, everything available was absolutely delicious. I ended up getting an incredible red velvet cake slice and a chocolate chip cookie, and whatever frosting they use (possibly buttercream) was clearly made from scratch. I love rich desserts, and both were so indulgent that it took me two days to finish them, which honestly made the experience even better. The prices were amazing--possibly discounted since it was later in the day--but regardless, the quality was phenomenal. I will definitely be going back. You could sit and enjoy in the nicely decorated shop or take it to go like I did. read more

Wonderful place! I literally cannot choose just one! I'm so happy you are in hayward! Thank you Max's cakes! read more

Bro this is the best tres leches cake IVE EVERY HAD IN MY LIFE and my wife absolutely agrees. I ordered both flavors, vanilla and churro, and used them as birthday cakes for her when the clock struck midnight. We are just now getting to enjoy them and these just might be my new favorite desserts!!! THANK YOU MAX'S CAKES!!! read more

Max's Cakes - Mini Tres Leches (L: churro R: vanilla) - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Amazing cake for my baby shower. It was beautiful and delicious! Will definitely order in the future!

Absolutely loved our cakes! Not only were they super great to work with but they looked and tasted amazing! Everyone loved how moist they were and how delicious they were! They are definitely expensive for cakes but are really good! read more

Max's Cakes - Pokemon cake (we put the figures) - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

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I was truly impressed when I first saw the cake. Max did an exceptional job and even better by bringing my vision to life. The cake was not only stunning but also incredibly delicious. My daughter's excitement upon seeing her cake was heartwarming. Thank you, Max, for your outstanding work; it speaks for itself. Definitely there will be more cake orders from me. read more

Max's Cakes - Trolls Birthday Cake. - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

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Pure Deliciousness!! Stopped by after lunch in downtown Hayward and had a hard time picking out what to buy. Ultimately we picked the Vanilla Tres Leches 5/5 and the Pineapple Upside Down Bundt cake 1000/5! We were even greeted by Max himself! Cant wait to come back to try something else read more

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I was fortunate to be on B St. in Hayward today and walked by the Bakery. Stopped in and was pleased to find how clean, organized, and decorated with Vintage pieces and photos it was. I decided to have a tasty looking, large Peanut Butter Cookie that had just been marked down 20% at 3 PM. The extremely pleasant woman behind the counter told me about Max's background as a Baking Contest Winner and I looked at his pictures placed in the shop. The display of cake pieces that could be purchased looked enticing and my only disappointment was the lack of Coffee/tea to enjoy along with them. The Peanut Butter Cookie was one of the very BEST I've had and I think I identified at least one Secret Ingredient in his recipe :-) I'll be back to purchase more :-) read more

Max's cakes is amazing!!! Not only are their cakes absolutely beautifully adorable and well made but they're so yummy! We got an oreo minion cake for my son's birthday and that was a hit, we also got a churro cake for our wedding and we got so many compliments! This bakery has become the go to for all of our family, thank you so much Max & wonderful team! read more

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The burnt almond cake here is absolutely delicious!! Moist cake, creamy filling that is not too sweet but what hits it out of the park is the toasted almonds!! This cake is a must have as it is constructed to perfection! We also got the lemon supreme which was also good but the burnt almond will now be our go to! Max's Cakes also has a variety of other sweets from horchata cheesecake to various different cookies and cupcakes. When we first arrived we were greeted by Max's team and was even welcomed by Max himself. Wonderful customer service very knowledgeable with suggestions. I look forward to seeing what other amazing creations they will have! Definitely coming back! read more

No official sign is up on the building but the door has Max's name on it Just before the month of Ramadan began we popped in to check out Max's cakes as a treat. I heard about it opening up and for a moment went blank on the name. Little googling And I found the cake heaven. I do warn you don't come in hungry or you will end up walking out with bag full of goodie, which you won't regret taking home. Before I made it to the counter I had to take a moment to admire the decor. I was loving the vibe of the bakery, it's modern with a touch of classy. Since it's Easter time they had a Photo Booth with cute bunnies, which I have to bring my girls back to take a few pictures. Now off to the magic island of cake, what I ordered: Cakes by the slice: price is fair, size is shareable. Cake over all were not dense it was perfection moist and light and the perfect level of sweet. burnt almond cake, is a chocolate and white cake base, with amazing frosting that didn't seem to not overwhelm your tastebuds. the roasted almonds of course were my favorite part. The cake was airy moist and delicious. My favorite and official new omg cake would be the Champagne raspberry cake. I believe that's the name. The white cake was light with a buttercream frosting layered with raspberry. This reminded me of a cake I had in the UK called the princess cake which has always been my favorite. The cheesecake it took was a tres Leche cheesecake. The combo of the cream cheese cinnamon is amazing. I'm sure I'm forgetting one of the main ingredients she mentioned. I am not a big fan of cheesecake as it seems to be overwhelming. But I can see myself coming back. I'm trying the other cheesecake flavors. For the kids i took home mini cupcakes which were red velvet a pineapple cupcake which has a fresh piece of pineapple embedded in it. And chocolate which was moist and airy tastes like a cake, and not a brownie. Ohhh I forgot to mention the brownies not sure if the name but it was brownie/ with red velvet OMG it was perfection to every bite it was dense chocolatey with chunks of chocolate. This combo was amazing the kids have been asking for more. I am looking forward to trying the other flavors in the future. read more

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My mom went in yesterday and brought me home cupcakes. These are the most moist cake with the perfect sweetness chocolate frosting. Absolutely Amazing! I found my new bakery!!!! He sells out fast!!!! Get there early!! read more

Max's Cakes - Chocolate Cupcake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Wow, I'm impressed with their cakes. My wife and I stopped by to check out a new spot in downtown Hayward. We wanted to try and support local small businesses. When we first walked in, we first noticed the nice decor and ample amount of people. As we made our way to the front of the line, a young engaging man...the baker...told us about the various flavors. He was very friendly and honest. We decided to purchase 3 desserts- cheesecake, pineapple cake and Mexican Hot Chocolate cake. Again, wow, these are really good but what stands out the most is the cheesecake and pineapple cake. All these deserts were so fresh, moist and not overly sweet which is the type of dessert we love. Btw- im not into pineapple cakes but this one is exceptional. We are definitely coming back! So, you have to check this place out. Great job Max!! read more

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Max's cakes is always a great experience, Max is super friendly always smiling and the entire team is very welcoming and extremely helpful and friendly, always willing to answer any questions regarding any of their delicious cupcakes, tres leches cakes or cake pops! Everything I have tried has been delicious, ESPECIALLY his chocolate tres leches mini cakes, to die for! 1000% recommend and will continue to encourage people to come try and it keep coming back to try new things! I love coming in and seeing the decorations, and all the special and beautiful things he has used to make his Shop one of a kind! Love that everyone is always happy and welcomes you with a smile! read more

The Mireya's cheesecake was very good! TBH, I didn't know what it really was besides it being Max's version of a cheesecake so I just assumed it'd be special. It wasn't too heavy at all. I think the lemony/yogurty cream top really balanced well with the cheesecake. I also tasted some cinnamon in it - maybe in the cookie crust bottom. It was the perfect size for 1-2 people to share (honestly I ate most of it :)). It was a tad difficult to eat because the parchment was stuck to the cookie crust bottom. I also got the heartfetti cake slice which was good, even though I personally prefer a lightly and fluffier sponge cake. The buttercream was thick but not too sweet, which I appreciated. I'd like to try their other cakes next time (they only had red velvet and heartfetti). Glad to see them in Hayward! I'd love to see some descriptions of their menu items (on the website for example) so I know what to pick. Overall friendly service with a pretty large interior for hanging out as well. read more

The best cupcakes I have ever had! Max is the sweetest person ever as is his staff. Max made cupcakes for my wedding and everyone talked about how amazing they were! We had a variety of flavors from peanut butter, chocolate, champagne, and salted caramel. He even made beautiful custom fondant with the first letter of our last name. read more

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Very adorable bakery! All modern black and super stylish. I arrived with my sister and we tried their pineapple Bundt and it was delicious! Very reasonably priced and friendly service. Although I live far away from here, I visit often. I'll be back try other desserts soon hopefully but I do recommend the business to everyone. read more

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What an amazing cake. Packed with flavor and not too sweet or tart. Totally coming back to taste the other cakes. Liked how they have slices. Going to sample some of the others. Great job Max and I wish you much success. What a blessing to be so young and found your calling. read more

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I ordered my customized Super Mario Bros theme cake for my son's first birthday here and I'm glad I did. Everyone there that helped me with the order was very nice and the cake turned out to look wonderful. The flavor I chose for the cake was burnt almond and it was delicious. Everyone at my son's first birthday party loved the cake and they said the cake looked so cool. If I ever need to order a customized decorative cake again, I would definitely order it from Max's Cake. read more

Max's Cakes - Super Mario Bros theme burnt almond cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Stopped by on a whim on a rainy day. The pastry case had a variety of things to choose from but I went with the mini tres leches cake and the fruit tart. The tres leches is so good! I got the fruit tart for someone else so can't comment on how that is. The customer service is prompt and friendly. The person working the front was bubbly and very helpful. This local bakery is definitely worth checking out! read more

Max's Cakes - Mini Tres Leches Cake and Fruit Tart - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

AMAZING!! I usually don't like cupcake places because they tend to be overpriced, too sugary and dry. And I feel like most places just use boxed mix. This place is not one of those places. Came here with my son on my birthday. I got the bunuelos cupcake and my son got the red velvet cupcake. Yum! I love the whole pairing of the cinnamon cake, not too sweet frosting, and topped with what I want to assume was the bunuelos but I am not sure. Omg it had a dulce de leche center! It was amazing I could not stop eating it, but contained myself. All the rest of the day I could not stop thinking about it. My son's red velvet was really good too. I 'm not a big fan of red velvet, but it didn't taste heavily of the red food coloring if that's what they used. On the pricier side for cupcakes. The cake slice prices were astrologically priced for my purse strings. But well worth it, especially when other cupcake places charge just as much for their shitty concoctions. Located on B street. Street parking, but the parking lot on A is your best bet for convenience. The space has a lot of interesting quirks and decor. My only gripe was that it took like 5 - 10 mins to get two cupcakes in a box. It was like the lady made them to-order or something. Plus she stuffed them in a box to fit a slice of cake. So the two cupcakes were smashed together. Were there no other boxes? With that said, I will keep coming back to try the other flavors. read more

We ordered a two tier birthday cake. One tier was a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse, and the second tier was a vanilla cake with strawberry whipped cream. It was not only beautiful, it was delicious too. Both cakes were very moist, and frosting and fillings the perfect sweetness for me. I usually find a lot of frostings too sweet. Max did an excellent job getting exactly how my daughter envisioned her cake. We didn't have just ONE inspiration pic, we had a few. He had to pull different aspects from different pics. One for ombre she wanted, one for spoon style , and one for how she wanted the flowers arranged. She got the exact cake she wanted. Extremely happy customer. Thank you Max's Cakes! read more

Max's Cakes - Cake, as delivered - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

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The desserts and Customer service are amazing!! It's a definite MUST TRY!! The bakery is always clean and decorated nicely!! Perfect for a lil photo shoot!! read more

Oh my God when I tell you, I have never had a cake this good in my 37 years of living the first bite was pure joy if you're thinking of getting a cake for your next event look no further you have to go to Max's cake it is simply delicious. It is worth every penny! Oh, and the customer service is A1 also! read more

Max's Cakes - This is the burnt almond slice - Custom Cakes Near Me - Hayward, California

Ive been here twice, I tried the funfetti, almond and coconut cake. All the cakes are moist but I liked the funfetti best! The quality of the icing is delicious and I was impressed. I prefer a buttercream icing and I actly don't know another place in the Bay that makes it. This was absolutely perfect. The coconut is a mix of the buttercream and a whip cream filling. The almond was completely whip cream filling. I do not like whip cream so much so I was not a fan of the almond (but maybe that's how almond cake is supposed to be?). As the other reviews say, you have to arrive early! I was there by 4pm once and most of the cakes were sold out. read more