Get the Best Birthday Cakes in Mumbai

What Makes it the Best?

Let’s put this out here. Decorations and trending designs are not what tick my boxes. While I have only the highest respect for those who can transform their cakes into works of art, it’s not the deciding factor. For me, a birthday cake, or any cake for that matter, has to be tasty. The sponge has to be moist and soft. The layers should be large enough to ensure a suitable cake-to-icing ratio. The filling has to complement the overall flavour profile. For example, a berry filling with dark chocolate ganache icing never fails.

The icing should never be too sweet and cloying or, even worse, gluey. Never fondant, ever! Since this is a celebration cake, it should be easy to cut and serve. Keeping all these factors in mind, the following confectionaries were handed the title of the five best birthday cakes in Mumbai. I added one extra for good luck. Let’s get this party started!

The Next Door Baker

I’ve been following Shaily and her one-woman cake business for a while now. What impresses me the most about The Next Door Baker’s Instagram account, besides the gorgeous cakes, is her sheer generosity of spirit. Shaily openly shares her trade secrets. She conducts online classes and happily gives away her recipes, and baking tips and tricks to anyone interested.

So, when I found myself in Mumbai during my birthday week, I made sure to order one of her famous Bento Cakes. I am lying, I ordered two! That's only because it was difficult to decide the flavour I wanted. TNDB, as it is also known, does not handle deliveries. That’s on you. I set up a Dunzo pickup, and everything went smoothly.

The cakes reached me carefully packed in their clam cases, unperturbed by the bumpy ride. There was the mini raspberry and chocolate and the hazelnut praline. Both were spectacularly moist, and the ratio of icing to the cake was just right. The filling was the perfect addition to the overall flavour combo. Plus, the mini cake sizes felt like a sweet treat without overdoing it.

You can follow TNDB on Instagram thenextdoorbaker and DM her to book your birthday cake. Just make sure you do so in advance.

Yauatcha

What’s an Asian restaurant doing on the list of best cakes?' you may ask. Yauatcha is a famous venue for pan-Asian delicacies and inspired cocktails. Their reservation list is always closed, and you usually have to book weeks in advance to get a table. Hot favourites include dim sum and bars on the menu.

Yuatcha also has a fantastic dessert counter. You will find an array of perfect entremets in Asian-inspired flavours. You can choose between a chocolate hazelnut mousse or the most exquisite lemon tart with a torched meringue top. We ordered the highly lauded and most photographed Raspberry Delice for a recent celebration.

This divine concoction is available in individual servings and as a large cake. The cake is covered with freeze-dried raspberry dust and cocoa butter. The molten chocolate mousse within hides a central lychee panna cotta and raspberry gelee.

One spoon of the layers, and you will be transported to a gastronomic La La Land. While this may not be a cake to order for a large celebration, it's ideal post a romantic dinner, a deux, or a more intimate gathering. Since the cake is delicate, don’t plan on travelling far with it.

You can order via www.yauatcha.com/mumbai.

Deliciae

Bunty Mahajan opened a small cafe counter at the Out of the Blue Restaurant in Mumbai in 2004. Deliciae, meaning delight in Latin, soon became the place to go for seasonal fresh fruit cakes and flashy custom cakes for weddings and Bollywood parties.

Bunty has over 16 years of baking experience and a training background at the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and London. She derives most of her inspiration from her travels. While the cakes may look polished and perfect, what I love about the brand is the menu tastes like delicious home-baked treats.

If you are looking for something different, try the Caramel Crunch Divine. This coffee-soaked sponge is enrobed in caramel frosting and topped with brittle. You can never go wrong with the Deliciae version of the classic Chocolate Truffle. The richness of their ganache takes this simple chocolate sponge to a new level of yumminess.

You can also order any of the cakes online at www.deliciaecakes.com. Delivery is available all over Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai.

Smoor

I discovered Smoor by a happy accident. I was whiling my time at Mumbai airport waiting for a flight when I came across this spanking new shop. The name intrigued me, and I headed over to investigate. A veritable Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory was what I found myself in.

Smoor is a Bangalore-based brand poised to bring luxury chocolates all over the country. They have separate cafes and dedicated stores in several cities already. While the bean-to-bar chocolates and lavish gift boxes were appealing, what attracted me more were the chocolate pastries and cakes on display.

My curiosity was piqued, and I ordered half a kilo of intense chocolate cake for a recent celebration. Made with 70% dark chocolate, this is not your conventional birthday cake. It's gluten-free! The cake is made with almond flour. Each bite is pure chocolate heaven. It's almost like a baked chocolate mousse. The texture is smooth and intense.

I suggest ordering this cake for a party of adults who would appreciate this indulgence. If your taste veers towards the lighter and fruitier, don’t fret. A glance through the Smoor website throws up intriguing alternatives. There’s the Queen’s Cake, a vanilla sponge slathered with white chocolate ganache and filled with berry puree. You can also choose between inspired cake designs and fondant work.

Zinque Patisseri

Zinque Patisserie is a cloud bakery kitchen that specialises in eggless cakes. It is a relative newcomer in the market. Started in 2021 by Siya Talreja, the bakery promises to take care of all your confectionary needs from morning to night. Their online menu bursts with options such as cookies, brownies, tea cakes, and custom bakes. Best of all, Zinque is one of the few places that make healthy cakes that look and taste good. If you need vegan treats or treats free of gluten and refined sugar, check them out online at www.zinqueindia.com.

Since it was peak strawberry season, I opted for their mini strawberry chantilly cake. A perfect miniature celebration cake for those impromptu occasions! Buttery soft vanilla sponge interspersed with light buttercream and topped with fresh strawberries made for an appealing birthday cake alternative.

You can also order a box of four mini cakes in different flavours if you want the best of all worlds. There’s also the Zinque version of a childhood classic, the pineapple pastry. Here vanilla bean mousse and fresh pineapple compote are artfully layered with an eggless vanilla sponge. This one’s on my to-try list. Zinque delivers all over Mumbai via Zomato and Swiggy and their website. 

PS, I’m throwing in one more recommendation for those who do not like cakes. Yes, some people don’t, my daughter being one among them. If this is your problem too, check out the ice cream cake selection from Baskin Robbins. We are particularly fond of the Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream cake. It has layers of cheesecake ice cream, vanilla sponge cake, and blueberry compote. It's a delicious mouthful. You can also try their log cakes for a change. The Lotus Biscoff roll cake is quite awesome!

And there you have it — the list of my top birthday cakes in Mumbai. From high-end entremets to home-baked happiness, the party will surely succeed when there’s cake involved.

Helpful Hint: Don’t wait until the last moment to order your special cake. While many of these options can be picked up directly from the retail counters, allow for at least 24 hours prior notice for customisations and unique decorations. It will be worth the wait, I promise.