Let us eat cake, and not just any cake but some of Beijing’s finest birthday cakes made by our very own talented bakers in the expat community. Whatever the theme of your kids’ party, and whether they want a dinosaur or princess cake, these creative pastry chefs have got you covered.

Alena

Alena is great at decorative fondant cakes that taste just as good as they look. For my son’s birthday, our request for a fondant dragon cake inspired by Raya and the Last Dragon was turned down by some bakers, but Alena accepted the challenge! I don’t know how long it took her but the end result drew open jaws and many oohs and aahs. I was all the more impressed by the moist and yummy seven-layer rainbow inside, which my son had requested as well. While it depends entirely on your choice of filling and how labor-intensive the design you choose, this cake cost upwards of RMB 700, which seems fair for a customized cake of this quality and size (able to feed 20). Alena even hand-delivered the cake to my home, which isn’t something she always does but did in my case, which was a lovely personal touch.

Palyko by Camilla Kongshavn

A baker whose culinary talent is almost as big as her heart, Camilla Kongshavn is no stranger to any foodie in Beijing. Doubling as the busy manager of four Sweet Cravings WeChat groups where you’ll find many of these bakers and chefs, Kongshavn’s own dessert business, Palyko, has been satisfying customers for years. She takes pride in using non-toxic preparation while baking and using organic ingredients when possible. Preferring to focus on the quality of the taste rather than just looks, Kongshavn keeps the appearance of her cakes clean and simple. Prices start from RMB 399.

Malika’s Cakes

Aside from beautiful themed cakes with customizable flavors – from black forest to honey and even ice cream cakes – Malika also makes cute pastries such as cupcakes, lollipops, donuts, and unique cookies for kids and adults alike. In Malika’s own words, “I add a part of myself in each cake to make it special.” Basic cakes start at RMB 300, but more sophisticated decorations can increase the price, and don’t forget to add shipping.

Shizu Bakes

Shizna is a Maldives native on her second year in Beijing and seems set to corner the market on amazingly artistic mousse cakes. She uses different layers of fruit compote and chocolate fillings to create culinary treats that are creamy and delicious. Offering a variety of flavors from lemon to hazelnut, and even carrot mousse, in a great choice of designs from mini cloud cakes to mosaics, Shizna is happy to take personalized requests that make your cake one of a kind. Prices start from RMB 300 for the mini cakes and RMB 450 for the regular size that feeds eight to 10. 

The Chiffon Lady

Angie Chan is perhaps the latest addition to this list and offers something a little simpler – chiffon cakes that are lightly flavored with citrus, earl grey, and two unique Southeast Asian flavors of pandan and black glutinous rice. For kids’ birthdays, she has customized simple designs and also adds sprinkles or M&Ms for color and extra sweetness since the chiffon cakes themselves are not richly flavored. In my experience, both kids and adults have enjoyed them since they don’t have cream nor do they sit too heavily in the stomach afterward! Prices are very reasonable at around RMB 120 and up, per cake.

There are many many Beijing bakers out there, and these are five whom we have either tried personally and/or received rave recommendations for. They are certainly worth ringing up for your child’s next celebration!

KEEP READING: Sweet Cravings Beijing: The Must-Join WeChat Group for Dessert Lovers

Images: Pexels, courtesy of contributors 

Having won over Sanlitun patrons with their wholesome baked goods and perky coffee, There Will Be Bread is hoping to find similar success in a far less central location.

While their second branch in the northeastern suburb of Shunyi may seem very far afield compared to the location of their buzzing Xingfucun hub, this suburban venture makes sense from the moment you arrive. With its comparatively abundant seating (good luck trying to pull up a chair in their chock a block Sanlitun digs by the way), and the downright gargantuan ovens and other hardware clearly visible from the picture windows of their open kitchen, the new There Will Be Bread feels like a major upgrade.

This new location is quieter and airier than their chock-a-block Sanlitun location

Owner Ling Ling explained that she and her team sought out a bigger location which would allow larger ovens so they could work on new bread and expand their inventory, they want to start offering challah buns. We especially recommend the RMB 22 cinnamon croissant (pictured at top), complete with a crispy and buttery exterior, and encases a cushy warm cinnamon roll swirl within, melding French and American traditions with aplomb.

The cafe has won over many patrons with their wholesome baked goods and perky coffee

The Shunyi set will surely be happy to have a quality bakery like There Will Be Bread nearby, whose quality items far outpace the dull chains that otherwise dominate the area, and even central Beijingers should be rooting for the baker to thrive so that even more branches of this top-notch brand open up around Beijing.

READ: Farina is a Sweet Treat for Bakery Fiends at The Crib

There Will Be Bread (Shunyi)
Daily 10am-8pm. Rm 102, 18 Yufeng Road, Shunyi District
顺义区与裕丰路18号交叉口东北200米

This article first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.
Photos: Kyle Mullin

Hatchery’s inspired Sunday Morning Family Brunch day sounds eggs-benedict-legit! Families are invited to spend a Sunday morning enjoying awesome brunch options from their new a la carte menu by Goodday, a startup lifestyle brand that focuses on bringing high-end artisanal brunch concepts from around the world to China, plus activity stations for the kids to go brunch bananas on.

This really is the stuff that Sunday mornings should always be made of. The kids can go nut-butter-crazy at the Kids Corner, where on-the-hour bliss ball cooking and crafting classes will be taking place for kids aged 5-11 with Meredith of the Naked Nut Butter duo. Kids will also be getting stuck into cookie-making classes with the divine and tooth-achingly sweet Tianmi bakery, and every kid gets to ride on the sugar rush train with a free cupcake of their choice!

This Sunday is all about the kids, and they can enjoy not only all of the above, but sliders, fish fingers, popcorn chicken, cupcakes, and more from the brunch set from ARCADE! Games and activities will follow, along with what I’m sure will be afternoon-nap-time ready kids.

Wait. There’s MORE!

If that wasn’t enough to get you Sunday brunch ready, then dumpling giveaways from SanWuDing ought to do the trick. Little steamed bundles of joy await you, with a healthy selection of vegetarian and meaty dumplings from ARCADE’s newest resident entrepreneur.

Bookings for kids’ tickets are absolutely essential and you can scan the QR code below for more details. Be easy like Sunday morning, and get yourself and the family down to enjoy what sounds like pure awesomeness.

Hatchery Sunday Morning Family Brunch, Jan 20

RMB 150 (kids tickets). 10am – 3pm. January 20. ARCADE Restaurant, 5L Hotel Lobby, Jianguomen Outer Street, Chaoyang District (185 111 74021)北京市朝阳区建国门外大街1号5L饭店大堂右侧

Photos: courtesy of organizers

Between the hotels and Beijing’s more creative restaurants, there are a fair amount of chic afternoon teas to be found around the city, but can any of them claim to be more “authentic” than the offerings at The British House at Beijing Fun. This thoroughly English, spacious, and elegant 500sqm café and roomy sofa area encompass the building’s second floor, providing enough space for close to 100 diners to sit and enjoy their scones at any one time.

British House’s first floor is jam-packed with clothes and accessories

The British House was opened by Harrods earlier in the year, the world-famous London brand and store founded in 1849 as a fine tea trader. The British House maintain that heritage, boasting a massive 170 teas and a dozen specialty teas (RMB 88 a pot), Harrods coffee, and several signature cakes (Napoleon Millefeulle, éclair, Earl Grey crème brûlée, red velvet, and maple mascarpone cheesecake).

The set tea and cake set above (RMB 168) featured a choice of Harrods’ fine tea, savory sandwiches (smoked salmon, avocado and wasabi cream cheese; cucumber, dill and butter; ham and English cheddar; egg, aioli and caviar), two homemade scones paired with apricot and raspberry preserves and clotted cream; as well as sweets with a Chinese twist, such as vanilla genoise, zabaglione custard, strawberry compote and crème Chantilly. Other sets range RMB 99/168/238/268, and are available from 11.30am-10pm.

Their Beijing Breakfast No.20 tea also plays on a local theme, using a Chinese tea base mixed with Ceylon to provide a richer body, the addition of Kenyan tea for extra color, and Assam for bold and malty flavors, for a combination that retains its British staunchness without wandering too far afield.

On the way out, peruse the first floor for clothing brands, tableware, bedding, accessories, and food all selected and brought over by Harrods. It all amounts to a jolly good way to spend the afternoon and a potential retreat to lure in many a homesick Brit.

The British House
Daily 10am-10pm. Bldg 4, West Area, Beijing Fun, 21 Langfang Toutiao, Xicheng District (6313 2122)
英园：西城区廊房头条21号院北京坊西区4号楼

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos: Tracy Wang

We can’t hide our feelings towards Booth’s. Nope, not the high-end supermarket British variety, the cousin of Whole Foods in America, but the lovely Japanese cake shop, which first opened in 2014 nearby Liangma River and then followed up with a second branch in Wangjing.

The third branch of Booth’s Cake now settles in Sanlitun, in the inconspicuous alley of Xingfuyicun, next to Red Rose Xinjiang Restaurant. We have to confess, it’s been open for a while now but we still wanted to drop by and update you on what’s new at this three-year-old – and growing – chain.

Unlike their cozy and wood-laden Liangma River location, Booth’s Sanlitun branch takes a more modern aesthetic, largely using a gray and bronze palette. The pastries sit neatly in glass counters on top of black velvet, as if they were jewelry. If the appearance is more upscale, so are the offerings, which now include lava cake, pies, brownies, and tarts, which are all particularly fresh given that their central bakery is located nearby, we are told. There are also roll cakes (RMB 28-35 for a piece or RMB 60-130 for a roll), that come in original, chocolate, matcha, and red velvet varieties.

Napoleon matcha cake (RMB 36)

The new Napoleon matcha cake (RMB 36) is the real deal; the ultra-flaky and crispy layers are covered in maple syrup and house moist chocolate frosting and sliced banana in between. The roll cake (RMB 28) featured a fluffy chiffon-cake center brushed in slightly sweet whipped cream; we only wish that the cream was heavier. However, we respect the Japanese-style desserts here for not being too sweet. If you need a cup of coffee, they have plenty of options for caffeination too.

The modern interior at Sanlitun branch

The second floor is particularly airy and spacious, with a long table for 20 people, and several smaller tables, which makes it a popular spot for idle and wealthy youth to spend some time nibbling delicious cakes while taking a zillion selfies. During our visit, the fire alarm rang on noisily in the background. We looked around nervously, but the only movement at this half-full bakery was forking and chewing. I guess that goes to show how good the pastries at Booth’s Cake are.

Booth’s Cake
Mon, Tue-Sun 10am-9pm. Jia 6, Xingfuyicun Xili, Xinduyicun Qixiang, Chaoyang District (6462 1022)
布司蛋糕：朝阳区幸福一村七巷幸福一村西里甲六号

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos: Tracy Wang, Dianping

Comptoirs de France sells dessert cakes that could easily double as celebration cakes. With a slab of chocolate on top, inscribed with your celebratory message, their cakes include cheesecake, chocolate fudge, opera, blackforest gateaux, plus many more. RMB 268-288 for a two pound cake that serves eight, and RMB 378-398 for a three pound cake that serves 10-12. These cakes are quite grown up flavors, more suited to older kids, teens, and adults. The good news is they now do a range of “character” Birthday cakes, perfect for little ones.

The fabulous looking Shaun the Sheep, rather cute Hello Kitty, and glamorous Barbie cakes incorporate white sponge with meringue orange cream, and fresh cream. Baymax from Big Hero 6, Cars, and the Sponge Bob cakes are dark chocolate sponge with chocolate ganache, covered with royal sugar icing. Prices start from RMB 308. If you’re inviting a lot of people to the party, any of their cakes can be scaled big enough to serve 80 people. Included in the price, is a message of your choice, plus forks, plates, knives, candles, and a crown. If none of these options is quite what you’re looking for, they can also create a tailor-made cake just for you. To discuss specific requirements email fabio@fameiwei.com

I couldn’t leave without trying some of Chef Brian McKenna’s desserts, which are available in all Comptoirs’ stores. The “Tiramisune” (RMB 62) was created for Hatsune, but now you don’t have to dine on sushi first to enjoy this dessert. It serves two, and is presented in a traditional Japanese sake box. The dessert incorporates green tea instead of the traditional coffee. The mascarpone was rich and creamy, the sponge layers light and airy. The flavor was quite intense, so you have to be a matcha lover to fully appreciate this East meets West dessert.

The Chocolate and Orange (RMB 52), is a shiny dark chocolate dome. Filled with rich chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and caramelized mandarin oranges. It was a chocolate orange delight, a light fluffy mousse with a lovely orange flavor through the center. I stopped short of trying the Matcha Tea and Azuki Bean Pyramid (RMB 42), perhaps next time.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: Sally Wilson

Tous les Jours 多乐之日 is the French-Asian bakery, serving a selection of bakery goods and beverages made with high quality ingredients from South Korea. Beginning with its launch in the United States in 2004, and then arriving in China in 2005, they now have several stores around Beijing. I like the range of products in their Indigo Mall store, where the bread is right-out-of-the-oven fresh because it’s made on the premises. Their sandwiches and some of their other products are similar to Paris Baguette. My favorite foods from Tous Les Jours are the walnut brioche, English muffins, raisin walnut loaf, and garlic rusks.

Brioche is a pastry of French origin. It is made in the same basic way as bread, but its high egg and butter content give it the rich and tender texture of a pastry. Brioche should be light and slightly puffy, with a golden crust. Often cooked with fruit or chocolate chips and served as a pastry, or as the basis of a dessert. The walnut brioche RMB 14 at Tous Les Jours ticks all of the boxes that a good brioche should. It is incredibly light and fluffy, packed with chopped walnuts and sweet sour cranberries. Glazed with egg wash and sugar which gives it a wonderfully sticky crust. It is delicious served just as it is, alongside a really good cup of coffee.

An English muffin is a small, round yeast-leavened bread which is commonly sliced horizontally, toasted, and buttered. It’s the perfect bread for a breakfast sandwich filled with crispy bacon, sausage, or fried egg. English muffins are also the base ingredient in the traditional American brunch dishes Eggs Florentine and Eggs Benedict. They need to be light, with a good rise, and soft in the middle. The muffins at Tous les Jours are very good indeed, albeit a little expensive at RMB 12 for one muffin.

The raisin and walnut loaf RMB 28 has big juicy raisins and sultanas, and crunchy pieces of chopped walnut. Baked with whole wheat flour, it’s soft inside yet with a lovely thick crust. The slices are cut on the thick side too. It tastes delicious topped with a mild and creamy hard cheese. Alternatively, toast it and spread with salted butter, or smooth organic peanut butter. I always have a bag of Tous les Jours crunchy garlic rusks in the cupboard. They come in a 110g re-sealable bag for RMB 13. You can snack on them straight out the bag, or top them with something Mediterranean like olive tapenade or sun-dried tomatoes. My favorite way to enjoy them is to float them on top of a home-made soup. They go particularly well with a thick, rich onion soup or a creamy chicken soup.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: Debbie Tingzon (Flickr), Sally Wilson

One of my favorite restaurants for excellent steak closed last year, I was quite upset, but hopeful that another restaurant would fill that void. It hasn’t yet. Now another of my favorites has closed its doors for good, Le Baker café in Shunyi. Not only did they serve some of the best croissants and bagels in Beijing, their cakes were excellent too. The Taiwanese pastry chef had learnt his fine skills in France, and he consistently baked authentic éclairs and beautiful tarts. The dessert that I will miss most is Le Baker’s perfect cheesecake. It was light, fluffy, with a hint of vanilla, a subtle taste of lemon, and a proper biscuit base. Not a sponge layer to hold it up, not a soft and limp biscuit bottom, but a proper crumbly cheesecake base. The chef’s secret was in the type of cheese he used which made it so light. I’m hopeful that I will find an alternative to fill this cheesecake void. Here are a few suggestions I’ve received from other cheesecake lovers.

Sweet Tooth bakery offers up a fantastic flavor selection of cheesecakes. Enjoy their mini bite-size Oreo cheesecakes, or indulge in the full size chocolate version. Other cheesecake flavors include New York baked, Tim Tam, vanilla bean, or blueberry. The highlight of the menu is their lemon curd cheesecake. Smooth, creamy and set over a digestive crust, topped with a refreshingly tangy lemon curd. One of the reasons they were voted “Outstanding” in the category Best Cakes, Cookies, and Pastries in the Beijinger’s 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards. To order (150 1121 7173, order@sweettoothbeijing.com) www.sweettoothbeijing.com

Kempi Deli at the Kempinski Hotel serves up slices of cheesecake in the deli café or you can order a whole cake. Flavors include classic baked and baked with mango. Their stand-out cheesecake is the macadamia version. Light, fluffy, and with a generous topping of crunchy macadamia nuts. No wonder they came out on top for Best Cakes, Cookies, and Pastries in the Beijinger’s 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards.

Divina Cakes has an amazing selection of cakes. Their cheesecakes come in a range of sizes and include mango, raspberry, marble, wild berries, and the classic, which comes baked or un-baked. The classic is slightly tangy with a hint of lemon, and with a smooth but crispy base. To order call 400 656 1128 or visit their website www.divinacakes.com

At Comptoirs de France you can order a whole New York style cheesecake, with flaked almonds and decorated with fruit. Their individual cheesecake flavors include strawberry, chocolate, and a delightful durian version. Comptoirs was voted “Outstanding” in the Best Café category, in the Beijinger’s 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards. Boulangerie Nanda at Cathay View Plaza, bakes a pretty good cheesecake. A pleasant soft texture with a nice lemon flavor, although the base could be thicker with a little more crumb. Jamaica Blue has two flavors to choose from, chocolate cheesecake or a baked cheesecake. The texture is quite dense on both, but with good flavor, and thick biscuit base. Branches in Shunyi include Beijing Riviera Country Club and Yosemite Villas.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: courtesy of Sweet Tooth, Divina, Comptoirs de France

The BSB Sanlitun Christmas bazaar not only delivered hours of fun for my kids, as they set about decorating ginger bread men with icing and candies, chocolate slabs with nuts and fruits, and Christmas cards with glitter, it also introduced me to Da Giuliano Pasticceria Panetteria. This great Italian pastry shop and bakery is a stone’s throw from the BSB Sanlitun campus. A warm croissant or pain au chocolat is a truly wonderful thing, especially on a cold Beijing morning. Those distinct layers of pastry, light and crisp on the outside, with a softer dough texture inside. It’s all about the quality ingredients that go in to the dough, namely the butter, the flour, and sometimes the chocolate. Da Giuliano does a pretty good job of getting it just right.

The perfect accompaniment to a fresh pastry is of course a decent coffee based beverage, something else which Da Giuliano does well. With a very good selection of coffees, including espresso, cappuccino, latte, and a wonderfully rich Italian hot chocolate. Teas include English breakfast, red, jasmin, and green, and prices are a very reasonable RMB 26-28. There’s a range of smoothies and fresh juices, including orange, carrot, and celery with apple.

Their pastry offerings extend to almond croissants, chocolate twists, and cinnamon swirls. All of their pastries are much larger in size than in other city bakeries. The chocolate twist could easily be shared with at least two of your friends, and prices range from RMB 12 to 18. There are homemade artisan biscuits RMB 25 for 100g, and a vast array of pasticceria mignon, or mini pastries, for just RMB 7 each. Perfect for breakfast or brunch is to order one of their special sets for RMB 55. You can have a hot drink, fresh juice, croissant, with jam and butter, or the coffee or tea set, which includes seven mini cakes.

If you need a cake for a special occasion, you can order from a selection of cheesecakes, tarts, gateaux, and tortes. If your Christmas isn’t complete without a pannetone or two, Da Giuliano must have the largest range of any one store in Beijing. With a range of sizes and flavors available, all of which are beautifully packaged. They also have individually wrapped Italian chocolates, which would make a great gift this holiday season.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: Joy (Flickr), Sally Wilson