At The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers in Carmel City Center, dessert shares the spotlight with the room. The restaurant and bakery’s elegant, whimsical décor is a recurring theme in diners’ accounts, alongside attentive service and a sense of occasion. Birthday and anniversary celebrations figure prominently, making this as much a place to gather over cake as to pick one up.
There is a savory meal before the sweets. Diners mention Chicken Velvet Soup, truffle pommes frites with garlic aioli and the Black Swan cocktail; carrot cake is among the dessert choices they describe. The extensive specialty-cake selection remains the central attraction, but breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner give the shop a broader role than its name suggests.
Coffee, wine, beer and cocktails accommodate both a dessert stop and a longer meal. Outdoor seating offers an alternative to the decorated interior, and the restaurant’s website also lists afternoon tea and private dining for the Carmel location.
Find it on the Upper Deck at 799 Hanover Place, Suite 260, Carmel. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Reservations, takeout and delivery are available.