No-contact delivery
Yes
Empire Cake in New York
Categories
Location on the map
New York, New York County, New York, US
Service options
Delivery
Yes
In-store pick-up
Yes
In-store shopping
Yes
Takeaway
Yes
Health and safety
Staff get temperature checks
Yes
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Safety dividers at checkout
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible car park
No
Crowd
LGBTQ+ friendly
Yes
Transgender safe space
Yes
Planning
Quick visit
Yes
Phone: +1 212-242-5858
Site: http://empirecake.com/
Site: http://empirecake.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:10AM–9PM
- Tuesday:10AM–9PM
- Wednesday:10AM–9PM
- Thursday:10AM–9PM
- Friday:10AM–9PM
- Saturday:10AM–9PM
- Sunday:11AM–9PM
Comments (199)
Have ordered here twice purchased the chocolate on chocolate and blackout both were amazing cakes! The team here is caring to inform you how to store the cakes, friendly and helpful. I highly recommend :)
I emailed with a last min inquiry about a gender reveal cake and Bonnie was not only so prompt with her responses but also so accommodating and sweet! With their efficiency and expertise, I pulled off a last min organized gender reveal dinner with my family and it was perfect! Thank you Bonnie and team at Empire Cake.. it was my first experience with you guys and it surely won’t be my last!
Empire Cake is a phenomenal bakery in Chelsea and one of the two or three best in the whole city!They are most well known for their homemade Twinkie’s and Black & White cookies, both of which are unmatched in the city. My favorite flavors are… all of them!! Seriously everything here is amazing and the worst treats I’ve tried would still rank as ‘very good’.I like the petite (ish) portions because it allows for low-guilt consumption of a bakery item. But then I eat 10 of them. Ooops. I should really stop, just one…more…bite…ahhh!The only reason not to visit is if you don’t want to have your dessert taste buds spoiled for the future.
Empire Cake is amazing! The best in the city. Absolutely love the Swiss Roll and Twix bar!Thank you for making my childhood favorite dessert better in my adulthood!
Tried 4 kinds of cupcakes from here, the cake didn’t taste fresh and the way they managed the flavors (Oreo, caramel, raspberry to name a few) didn’t really work for me, even though normally I like all those flavors. Might just be a question of taste (I don’t like anything that is overly sweet), but either way would not be back.
I wish I could give them no stars - they just lost my business. I was really looking forward to having Empire create a cake for my wedding so I ordered and paid for a tasting box. Initially, they told me they were going to mail it out, but when I followed up, they said instead I had to pick it up at the store. Ok, fine. The day before I was supposed to come pick it up at the store, I tested positive for COVID. I emailed them as soon as I found out and they informed me that I would have to pay AGAIN for another box!!! How is that acceptable? I pleaded and explained the circumstances - why would I have shown up to the bakery with physical symptoms of COVID? I guess I should have. I cant believe this poor level of customer service from a bakery I used to love. Unfortunately, as a result of this incident, I will no longer be a patron here.
Empire Cake made the most beautiful cake decorated with sunflowers for our baby shower! It was delicious and everyone is still talking about how amazing the buttercream frosting was.
The best sweet deserts I’ve ever experienced. High quality and nailed it!
I ordered a small lemon Rasberry cake for my birthday. When I picked it up i was very pleased with it. I did read reviews before hand and saw people clam the frosting was not that sweet. That was very true, it definitely needed to be sweeter. It didnt really tast like butter cream however the cake and lemon filling was great.
Yum yum.Luxury cakes that are just a little bit different than the norm - but not at a stupid price.A couple of gluten free options (cupcakes) that are well made and tasty, without being overly sweet.Handy location just by the subway exit.
“Ain’t no mountain high, ain’t no valley low... “I will come again and again, far or near, for Empire Cake’s “black and white” cookies. I had never even heard of or tried a black and white cookie before in my life so you could say these were life changing!“... to keep me from coming to you, baby!”
Have I mentioned how much I adore this bakery? Where do I begin? The black/white cookie-cakes are devine and the perfect hostess gift. The cupcakes come in an array of delicious flavors including excellent gluten free versions which look just as pretty as the others. The cookies are superb and the cookie sandwiches are perfect for sharing. The best is the coconut cloud cake which is so delicious I dream about it!
Walked in, and was greeted immediately! A wide variety if cupcakes that are absolutely delicious. Cupcakes are 3.50. Moist, not too sweet, nice size and the frosting is just enough. Worth the add on any dessert haul. They also have an assortment of other things such as coffees, teas, cakes.
I used to work near here and finally wandered in, and so glad I did. One of the best gluten free formulas I have tried since developing a sensitivity. I loved their cupcakes before, and LOVE them now. Warm and friendly staff, good treats, A+
I enjoyed an assortment of fresh and delicious cookies I purchased for a luncheon. The raspberry linzor cookies are delicate and buttery with the perfect balance of raspberry jam. Yum! The black and white cookie reminds me of yodels like in my friends kitchen junk drawer when I was 7 but 100 times better. The ginger cookies are a nice addition and very cute.
The Taste was there but the frosting and cupcake was hard. Also, the batter was dry….It did not appear to be fresh!
Their red velvet cake was impeccable. I have tried several cake shops to find the right one that’s not too dry or tasteless. This one here was fantastic. I went cake tasting for my birthday and this was it. Can’t wait to have a huge red velvet cake from here!
Yes yes yes! This place is my favorite in NY! Try the brooklyn blackout snack cake, the Swiss roll and the coconut marshmallow chocolate cake! Can’t wait to go back when I’m able to travel again!
One of my favorite bakeries, but Im realizing not as good if you dont order in advance. I popped in for a cake. Ended up with the driest Passionfruit Cake, and sadly some sad dry cupcakes to pair. Total let down for such a Good bakery. Word to the wise, ordering in advance is better cause its guaranteed fresh, versus however many days my cake sat there for. Ha.
Love them! The service is great and the treats are even better! Things arent overly sweet and the frosting is light and fluffy. I had one of there cakes at my baby shower and everyone loved it!
The Brooklyn Blackout Snack Cake (with Dark chocolate) is perfect. And the chocolate frosting on the chocolate cupcake is velvety smooth. Just the right amount of sweetness! A quaint little spot!
Delicious cakes! Expect to pay $3 for a cupcake and a little more for snack cakes and classic remakes of Hostess, but I think its worth it. As a fellow bakery foodie, I recommend this spot. Its their only location. Also tasty hot chocolate.
Tried one of their cupcakes and not a fan. The cupcake was moist and not too sweet, but the batter-cream on top of it was a little over. I ate only half of it even with tea as it tasted too oily in a way.The one I tried was raspberry lemon. Maybe I should try their other ones.
Love their cakes, Ive been a customer for more than 5 years, never once was disappointed. Thanks you!
I placed a custom order for personalized cupcakes for a work event with Empire. It was really easy working with them over the phone / email and they had the cupcakes ready the next day. Everyone loved the personalized cupcakes and they were super tasty!
We ordered a wonderful cake for our Wedding! Everything was delicious from the Tasting to every last bit of our Cake! Everything went very smoothly with the delivery, and decoration and exactly what we expected. Our Cannoli filled Cake was a success!
Empire Cake created a beautiful Harry Potter themed cake for my daughters birthday. It was absolutely perfect and looked so authentic. It was so pretty that we hated to cut into it, but when we did we were in for a treat. The cake was delicious! They were also easy to work with and the cake was delivered right on time.
Best red velvet cake Ive had. Cream cheese is creamy, and the texture of the cake is very good. Not too sweet perfect balance. The only problem is the communication. Would be nice if you can call to check if they have the cake available before you go. Email and receiving a response 24-48 hours isnt enough. But their cake is good.
Super delicious and pretty! Good fresh coffee. Ill definitely come backClose to trains and Chelsea market.
We was invited to see the bakery in April and immediately fell in love with their Easter cake of the Ballerina Bunny and the many bunnies falling alongside this cake. I had given my boyfriend all the details of how I envisioned my cake created and hope it came in time. He came home with this beautiful piece that was unexplainable for its detailed artwork and putting my imagination to life. It absolutely filled my birthday with the excitement that is not to forget. We don’t eat sweets often, but this cake was incredibly delicious for a vanilla cake leaving us wanting a second piece. The design and colors I chose with my constellation came out remarkably spot on. Empire Cake made the perfect gift for the perfect memories to keep. Truly appreciate it thank you kindly.
Ordered a cake from there place and it was hands down the best cake I have ever had. It was creamy and tasty in all the right ways. Worth every penny, it just sucks that I am not from this state :(Note: Heed their warning of putting the cake out 2 hours before eating for the best taste.
This place is amazing cakes are outstanding & toppings on the cakes are very light. Please try this place
They did a beautiful job on our wedding cake -- and not only did it look great, but it tasted great too!
Empire Cake was a great find! I came in from out of town for my daughters birthday ... they created a gorgeous cake and everyone commented how delicious it was ... we had cake with coffee in the morning! The delivery service most convenient and Empire gave great attention to detail! Best in New York!
I ordered a bunch of cupcakes for my birthday, the cake was dry, but the icing was perfect. not too sweet. the buttercream was very delightful and made the cupcake. I got a small peppermint cake and it was the best. the customer service was very nice and professional. and the prices were decent! thank you.
I literally bought everything for my daughters’ birthday party but some how with 2 weeks till the event I forgot to purchase a cake. Instantly I began searching up different bakeries that specialize in creating themed cakes. I came across Empire, mine you I have never eaten here before, and I wanted to cater to about 50 guests. The point is that Empire is the place to order a cake from if you’re looking to wow your guests. I am truly happy I chose them and look forward to ordering again.
Got a strawberry cake for my girlfriend’s birthday earlier today and the staff was very kind and helpful. I wish the cake had a bit better ratio of icing to cake, as the icing was a bit dense. The cake itself is delicious.
First of all, if you would like your business to grow and get more customers I think you have to have a better approach to the clients, to keep in touch with the emails and requests on a time manner and certainly have customer service skills. I wanted to order a cake and I’ve sent an email this past Saturday and they just answered to it this morning and negatively. They don’t give you options, if they need more time to prepare the order at least offer other options to the clients.
I tried a cupcake from there and it was ROUGH. Seriously, dry as heck. The frosting and the actual cake. Definitely not worth purchasing at all. It was pretty though. Plus the workers were so kind so I give it two stars but honestly, would not come back nor recommend it to anyone.
Very good service and overall experience. I needed a last minute cake for my husband’s birthday. They had a lot of options and they all looked delicious. There was a very nice woman working at the time and she recommended the tres leches and the red velvet cakes among a few others. I chose the tres leches one and it was amazing! My husband and I loved it.
Ordered the banana foster cake. The flavor, taste, and textures are off. I was the only one who cut a slice and I could hardly finish it, only forcing myself to swallow a few bites. The kids picked at my slice and refused to eat anymore, so Ill have the other 95% of the cake sitting around until I can pawn it off on someone or no longer feel guilty about throwing it away. Their buttercream is the hardest, oiliest, most flavorless Ive tasted. Red velvet cupcakes were slightly better, but dry and lacked flavor. Will not patronize again
I picked up cupcakes from their office thrilled with excitement! Before leaving the store, the worker did not show me the cupcakes. And when I got home to open the Saran (plastic) wrapped box to only find the cupcakes Demolished and Smashed up? I emailed them and asked if there was a way we can resolve this issue. And they rudely responded back to me stating “What a terrible sight!” And did not come up with any suggestions to replace the cupcakes after I just paid $84 dollars for 2 dozens. My girlfriend did not get a chance to enjoy the cupcakes she received for her Birthday. I Highly Would Not Recommend this bakery, Do Not! Waste your money & time. They don’t have proper Customer Care or Sympathy towards the problem that could have been resolved. Extremely Disappointed! 😣
Great cupcakes and other sweets. Open late for the after dinner cravings. Friendly staff and reasonable prices.
I absolutely loved their cupcakes. Bought a dozen for my birthday (for myself only yes) and was definitely not disappointed. Came at the end of the day and the staff were still very dynamic and friendly!
A cute place to stop by for some cakes, sweets and coffee. Cake was good but I surprisingly like their chai latte more. Staff members are all friendly, too.
My baby shower cake was ordered from Empire Cake and it was an enormous hit.Unbeknownst to me, I had taste tested a few flavors at a picnic. My vocal enjoyment of the lemon raspberry cupcake helped my friends select the flavor.According to them, both order and pick-up was smooth and easy.A photo of our dog was printed on top and it was sweet and beautiful and totally perfect.Thank you Empire Cake!
Wonders!! I order two cakes started on their website. Email back and forth with their person who give pretty good suggestion. Price is the last thing we talk about but you should know them before you get off the budget. Simple cake range $30s and special special cake can be $100+ and take days to plan.Their birthday cake is just wonderful. Taste great and not too sweet. I say it worth every penny and I would order just one cake 6 for 10 people in the future. Even its 6 wide but the cake is thick and packed with quality work and love.Picking up is easy as a cake. Head over and they pack it super well. We had to open for inspection. Definitely get those candle by the cashier.
The lady who delivers them to us is very nice and helpful with bringing the cakes in and telling us how to store them until the party. There cakes cookies and other goodies are fantastic! Try their sandwich cookies, in particular. The staff is always helpful and friendly. Its a great place. If you are looking for great flavor and great price I definitely recommend Empire Cake......
Very nice bakery with a great selection. Also, a nice quiet place to meet for a cup of coffee or tea somewhat out of the way from the Meatpacking shops. They have really good mini-black and white cookies, and also their sand-which cookies are delicious. Service is very helpful. Have used them in the past as well to get cupcakes with screen-printed designs on them.
Beautiful and delicious!!!From they very first e-mail they were very on point. From discussing designs and going over estimates they showed great professionalism and patience. They even delivered to my home which was awesome! When my mother saw her birthday cake she almost cried because of how beautiful it was. We are very happy customers and I cant recommend them strongly enough! ^_^ My cat also liked it as he stole some licks.
I feel like my life only began the day I tasted their ginger molasses cookie.That day was today.I will never forget that cookie.Ever.
The service is good and the treats are even better! Things arent overly sweet and the frosting is light and fluffy. I had one of there cakes at my baby shower and everyone loved it!
We always order their cakes for retirement parties at the office. Their caramel cake is delicious and I never thought I would even like a caramel cake. The lady who delivers them to us is very nice and helpful with bringing the cakes in and telling us how to store them until the party. Definitely a place to check out if you have a sweet tooth.
My go-to dessert place in NYC! Their snack cakes are amazing and I love their rotating flavors. I always get the Brooklyn blackout snack cake and either the red velvet or whatever the special is. Their slice of the Day cake is always good (LOVE this Liz Lemon) and their cookies have great flavors. Super reasonably priced compared to a lot of other dessert places in the city. Will be coming here for a long time :)
Fairly decent cupcakes but the frosting isnt as sweet as Id like. However, its a convenient location where you can pick up a box of treats for an office party.They always have amazing cakes in the window that are neat to check out each season.
Theres hardly anything I dont love about this bakery. So many great treats, but their take on a black & white as well as the snack cakes are my top picks. They make all of your favorite retro Hostess treats, but with real ingredients that actually have flavor. The chocolate is chocolate, the cream-filling is made with cream, and it is all wonderful. Amazing decorations on cakes, too.
We tried a mini Black & White cookie on our most recent visit; we also have a weakness for the red velvet twinkies. As the name implies, they specialize in fancy cake decorating, but they do not skimp on the take-out baked goods. In our experience, the treats are always fresh and consistently yummy. Theres hot and iced coffee available too; the staff is super friendly.
Oh my what wonderful treats await at this fantastic bakery.
I enjoyed our visit to this bakery. Great selection, even with our visit being at 10 PM. I have a Swiss cake roll. It was very good. Every one else had sweets of their choice. The place was very clean and bright, loved the decor as well.
The most fabulous cakes (pieces of art!), sweets, treats, cupcakes and baked goods in Manhattan. Wish there was one near me!!!! Highly recommend.
Large choice of delicious pastries.So far, Ive had:a) SNACK CAKES: LEMON (yellow cake with lemon curd filling, dipped in Belgian white chocolate), picture attached. Great association of white chocolate and lemon. Not too sweet nor too acidic. The cake was not dry at all but quite filling. Good way to start the day😃!b) SMALL COOKIE BOX: great to offer, people were satisfied.
Delicious but expensive cake thats great for a once in a while treat!I bought a few snack cakes to a potluck for dessert and they were well liked. The cakes were pretty small but good for sampling a few without feeling too bad. The Brooklyn Blackout was the best! It was very moist and rich with chocolate but it was not overly sweet. They also traveled pretty well.
I spent many months looking for the right cake. Once I had the design I wanted in mind it took me about 2 months to find a bakery that would help bring it to life. Not only the design is important but the taste is as well. I reached out to many bakeries and in the end I decided to give Empire Cake a try. Jim responded all my questions in a timely matter. I sent him a picture of the cake design I wanted and he emailed me a proposal. What I liked about Empire Cake is that they did not charge me an expensive delivery rate which is what I found many bakeries in NYC do once they know the cake is for a wedding. My cake was a reasonable price and the taste was amazing. We received many compliments on our raspberry lemon filled cake. The cake was beautiful and neat. I highly recommend them!
Im more of a tart girl and was fortunate enough to discover this jewel on a day they had key lime pie bars in stock. 😋 I ate it right there as I stood admiring all the spectacular cakes in display. The Keith Haring Cake being my favorite. Nice staff and atmosphere. Will be returning soon with the children.
Absolutely delicious cake! Friendly and helpful staff, and placing the order was super easy.
Amazing baked goods! Don’t sleep on the b&w cookies!!!
Love this place. They really know how to make some mean cakes! Price is a little bit over the top but definitely worth it. They take good care of cakes and packaging, try them out!
Absolutely amazing! Somehow got a cake together for me in under 24 hours, and everyone loved it. Made my co-workers baby shower just 10 times better. Bonnie was especially helpful, thank you again to everyone that works here!
Honestly 1 of my fave pastry spots like a trap house for sugar and sweetness. America I love authority and respect as much as the next chick lets work together to shatter the facade of the word mam overwhelming any over 30 year old with giggles of delight like ya I have arrived once a millennial woman addresses me as mam. I dont like it i wont ever like it if at ur very few years u feel u can run shop then u also deserve the formality and ridiculous title of mam. Dont b so selfless theres no law saying only 30 plus aged females deserve mam. If u feel it thrills me so much call yourself mam a few x go ahead splurge a little i wont tell indulge in the luxury spare me tho cuz in 50 and Im still nowhere near as full of myself or petty as I see u baby girls r. Empire keep cranking out those sugar buzzed treats
It depends on ur taste and what type of cake ur looking for-which includes the texture, the sweetness, flavor, etc. I brought a cake & other desserts from them a couple of yrs ago. And I was totally disappointed it. Others love their cakes, me I would never go back. And yes the cakes are beautifully decorated but...
I have read a lot of great reviews on this place and decided to give them a try. Empire cake team did not dissappoint. I placed an order for a passion fruit cake (vanilla cake, passionfruit filling, coconut buttercream) with a flower design. The ordering and delivery process was all very simple. The cake itself was very moist and delicious flavors all throughout. The only thing I could not taste was the coconut in the buttercream. I give them an A++ and reccomend everyone to order a cake from them for your next event. Thank you !
We took a chance on this place rather than get dessert at the fancy Italian place we had our 10th anniversary dinner at. We got three cupcakes to go -peanut butter, carrot cake, and oreo....in hindsight we wished we would have gotten more!!!! The cupcakes were incredibly fresh and tasty. Also, I HATE icing....like HATE it....but I LOVED their icing!!!! It was legit!!! :)
Got my wedding cake and my mothers 60th bday cake. Flavors, presentation, customer service was beyond amazing!!!!
Im very confident to say the Empire Cake is my favorite bakery on the West side of Manhattan!Im pretty sure they put fairy dust or some sort of addictive additive into every delectable dish because once I have one, I want one hundred.Now - their cupcakes and cookies, but the real shining stars to me are their snack cakes and mini black & white cookies.Each snack cake is like the perfect combination of cupcake and cookie, as each cake if filled with an appropriate cream and then covered in chocolate. Like a Hostess cupcake but 100x better. Go for the chocolate-covered and the red-velvet and i promise you wont be disappointed.The black and white minis are dangerous. Theyre worse than potato chips because I promise you, you can pop about 25 down your pie hole and still want more. I work in an office and whenever I hear of a birthday coming up, I mention them because they are perfect for group gatherings - you can order so many, and yet they all will disappear. Buy yourself at least 2 of each flavor (original black and white & red velvet and white) and a cup of coffee and I promise your afternoon will be all unicorns and kisses for the rest of the day.A perfect first date spot - with their delectable goodies and clean eating space, I recommend Empire for any occasion!
Downgraded my rating. The chocolate chip cookies aren’t consistently as good anymore. My last two were either over baked or too salty. What happened guys?! I used to love your cookiesBest chocolate chip cookies I’ve had to the city. Better than Levain and don’t even have to bother with a line!
This place is an absolutely exquisite treat to all your senses. The pastry is beyond exceptional and the postcards they sell are unique artworks that greatly surpass the tacky aesthetics of hallmark designs. The cakes for special occasions and the cupcakes are my favorite but watch out for those calories! Hopefully, you have a membership to the NYSC and wont feel guilty after binging on these deliciously eatable masterpieces.
Best black and white cookies I’ve had
Ive only tried the cupcakes, bit theyre amazing! The cake is light, fluffy and flavorful. Their butter cream is decedent and *thick*. The salted caramel cupcake has a goopy, leaky center that will leave you licking your fingers! So good.
Lemon bars are very tasty!!
Space is tiny, so I assume typically its hard to stay and eat (8 seats), but I came at 9:00am, so I was pretty empty. I had the Blueberry Scone, and it was AWESOME. It wasnt too sweet, and it was absolutely fresh. Certainly worth the trip if you’re around.
They are consistently delicious. I bring visiting friends here to partake of a snack cake or other confections. Ive also ordered a birthday cake here. The red velvet cake is to die for!That said, its a little pricey. And though its definitely worth the expense, its reserved for times I want a special treat.
Whatever is available in the store seems to be pretty dry and just basic, but I did order little cake cookies in advance and liked the black and white and red velvet options. The staff is very friendly and helpful but try to buy candles elsewhere because youll drop ten dollars. A good place for one-stop birthday shopping if you need cake, cards, cakes and matches, though!
Their staff was very attentive and fast in communicating with me, assessing what I wanted for my company celebration. I would give them five stars based on that. The cake design was what they promised, unfortunately our guests didnt really like the cake. Too much buttercream filling to cake ratio.
Great place to stop by and grab a slice of cake or cupcake. This Chelsea bakery is a definite winner. I go there often to grab a few cupcakes-- their red velvet cupcake is delicious. Highly recommend you stop by the place when in Chelsea. Staff is always pleasant and helpful. If you want to order a full cake, their selection is great.
It was my birthday yesterday, and I asked my boyfriend to get me cupcakes from Empire Cakes. I was so excited when my boyfriend surprised me with the cupcakes. The box was wrapped in plastic all around it and when I opened the box the cupcakes were completely destroyed. It was devastating and embarrassing in front of my friends who came out tocelebrate with me. The next day my boyfriend emailed the company to let them know about the situation and they had NO sympathy at all. I couldn’t even enjoy the cupcakes and they did not want to replace them either. We Won’t be coming back, they have no respect for their customers.
My sons birthday party was last night and I had to get a last minute cake after work. Not only was I unaware they close at 10:00 pm, I also thought that I would be able to get my cake customized. I was very wrong! However, ALANA & AMANDA saved my life. They made it happen for me and did the writing on the cake as well even though it wasnt a part of their job! I was very impressed with their professionalism and kindness. I would like to thank the whole staff and especially ALANA & AMANDA for taking great care of me. The birthday was a success! I recommend Empire to all consumers.
I got a bunch of small cakes and cookies. They were all really good. Mini red velvet cakes were my favorite! The black and white cookie was good too; its different from what youd normally expect one to be like though.
My favorite bakery in Manhattan! The black and white cookies are delicious, the muffins and scones are amazing and the cakes and cupcakes are moist and delicious--and the custom cake designs are beautifully done. Great coffee and friendly service too!
Wonderful experience. They were so attentive and helpful throughout the whole process. They even thought of ways to perfect the cake after we had discussed all of the details. I cannot wait to use them again in the future, and would highly recommend.
What a perfect little bakery--my favorite in New York! I make a point to stop by here whenever Im in the city, and I am always delighted with whatever I try--so far Ive been wowed by the black and white cookie, the salted caramel cupcake, the pistachio cupcake, the walnut puddle cookies, the coconut cake, and the tricolor cookies, and I plan to be adding to the list! Service is always friendly (everyone is so nice that I sometimes wonder if Im still in NYC!), and the shop itself is adorable. Cant wait for my next visit!
Probably my favorite cupcakes in New York. I find most cupcakes to be too rich or too sweet, but Empire Cakes somehow manages to get them just right. These cakes are rich yet reasonably light.Even if Im not buying anything, I often like to stop by and just see the cakes they put in the window to demonstrate their fantastic skills with cake and frosting. Their last one -- a Minion from Despicable Me was especially cute and impressive.
I placed an order from overseas. They were able to meet my timeline much faster than a few other places I contacted and the end result was fantastic. The cake looked exactly as I expected and I hear was delicious! Thank you for a great job.
DELICIOUS! This is my go-to bakery whenever Im in charge of getting the cake (seems to always be me?), and I am always so happy with the results. The red velvet, coconut, and the salted caramel are particular favorites, and my friends always end up asking where I got the cake. Its also a great neighborhood spot to stop in for a coffee, muffin or cookie--and I love supporting a local biz that gives Chelsea some character (adorable window displays!), rather than the mega-chains that are taking over NYC these days. Oh, try the snack cakes and yodels too!
I live in California and was searching for a bakery to deliver a birthday cake to a friend who lives in NYC. The folks at Empire, besides making amazing cakes, were prompt in replying to my request for a cake. They called, emailed and really cared about making a perfect cake to celebrate a Happy Birthday. A fan forever!
Always desserts to die for in the West Chelsea area. Cup cakes, cake slices and whole cakes are always great and consistent. Never bought anything here I didnt like nor enjoy. We need more variety ir new menu items ince a month. Lets change it up a bit.
Excellent bakery! The Swiss rolls are amazing!! You get what you pay for.
I was very disappointed with the $35 strawberry fields cake I purchased. The cake was not moist. The flavor was bland & dry. There was nothing special about the cakes, cupcakes or pastries they sold. Very small spot & no privacy - two counters & about 6-8 stools. & I guess this place is good enough for people that like that sweet cornbread type of flavor and sour cream/buttercream icing. But I will never return. It was a waste of my time & $.
Bought a custom 8 inch birthday cake here; it didnt taste very good and seemed a bit overpriced... an extra $75 just to add a flat sneaker design. Nobody finished their slices. Meh; wont order from here again.
Absolutely amazing bakery. They serve the best black & white cookies youre ever likely to find, in addition to some other unusual goodies, including home made Twix bars, Twinkies and HoHos.Their brownies are also quite good, along with the cupcakes.The only item that I didnt really care for was the chocolate chip cookie - it just didnt feel up to the standard set by the other items.
Really chill experience, ordered croissants which were delicious, got a nice view of the front of the Google building.
Empire is an awesome new addition to the area. Not only does it serve Stumptown coffee (my personal favorite), it also has great baked goods. There are so many sweet options that it is hard for me to pick a favorite. Definitely get a black and white cookie - its one of the best Ive ever had. The cupcakes here are also very good - the cake is a little dense, but not too much, and although the frosting is really sugary, it is also very light, so it isnt overwhelming (ahem, Magnolia). Stop by if youre in the area, you wont regret it. If youre like me, it will be the start of a beautiful friendship (or a troublesome addiction, if youre concerned about your sugar intake).
Favorite cupcake in New York City. Perfectly moist cake, ideal icing ratio. Go for the chocolate salted caramel. They will also screen-print images on cakes for you in a pinch. Try to order ahead if you want your choice of flavor.
Try the chocolate dipped snack cake.... or really any of their snack cakes; they are the perfect size for a sweet fix. The cakes are moist and generously coated, paired with a cup of coffee 👌 and if your looking to buy some pastries for a birthday or celebration, they also sell candles, sparklers and cards.
I dont understand why this place has 4+ stars. Its below average. I ordered the salted caramel cake over the phone. When I called them back to change the size of the cake, the employee put me on hold and never replied back. Then when I tried the cake it was not fresh and also it tasted like the Betty Crocker cake mix. I dont recommended at all...
MUST try tiny little black and white cookie cake bites. Black and white classic and red velvet. Blow my mind. Haven’t even tried anything else yet, although I want to!, I just keep going back for those amazing little bites. They are heaven. Great for buying a bunch minis or work or a party. Love this place!
The yellow cupcakes with dark chocolate tops are (so far) the best of their offerings: it is like an Entenmanns golden fudge layer cake, but with better chocolate. There used to be more chocolate on top, but maybe Empire Cake decreased the amount of soft chocolate. I have not yet tasted the luscious looking cakes. The counter staff are friendly and helpful.
I absolutely love their cakes here. I got the strawberry short cake for my wife for her birthday and she loved it. You can taste how fresh the cakes are. Also their cupcakes are really good also.
Empire Cake offers delicious sweets when youre in need of a sugar fix. I was craving something sweet at 11:40 pm. I saw that they were open late which was a plus for me. I read the reviews and decided that I must try the Twix bar. We also ordered the Pecan bar and a Swiss Roll, and something else I cant remember. It was all very good. I felt the Twix and Swiss Roll were good interpretations of the originals.
I love this place! A modern bakery that is just too cute for words! The windows facing the avenue are decorated with amazing party cakes and are made with both skill and a great sense of humor. Inside, the bakery features gourmet takes on traditional American treats like swiss rolls, snowballs and twinkies. JUST AMAZING!
I ordered a custom Paw Patrol cake for my sons 2nd birthday and it was adorable! The cake was delicious and the pricing was very reasonable. The staff was also a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend
I like their pecan bar! I had regular coffee, too. The place gets a lot of customers, at least at the time I was there. I will be back for sure, now that I have discovered them as a good place to have desserts & coffee.
Very good!! Great designs, great ingredients, and helpful team! I’ve worked with them on multiple custom cakes and they have not failed to provide quality product and customer service. My go-to in the city.
Went to a celebration about a year ago where the Empire Black & Whites were served. I literally could not stop thinking about them...They are perfection! Tender cake and delectable frosting. Youll never see or eat another B&W without thinking of these.I promise!
Empire Cakes has become a stand-by for any short-notice baked goods situation. The bakery itself is simple in style and vibe, really giving off a trendy look and feel. The actual baked goods are delicious too, especially the snack cakes which are like fresh made twinkie-sized cakes, and are crazy good. Im not the biggest red velvet fan, but the red velvet snack cake is unbelievably good, all of the flavors are.
The black and white cookies are something special. As are the lemon snack cakes, though the snack cakes are only available occasionally. We go about once a week for dessert.
Love this bakery in Chelsea. Very close to the subway A/C . Their custom cakes are expensive. They take orders at least 2 days in advance and if you need a buttercream cake then it has to be 7 days in advance.
Delicious Brooklyn blackout cake was perfect for birthday celebration. Had a picture printed on top which made it extra special. They did a great job with execution and the cake was enjoyed by all!
Got a small birthday cake for husband from one they had in stock that day. Carrot cake was FANTASTIC! The cream cheese frosting was the best Ive ever had. Husband loved it!
Sorry to give the one star review but the employees don’t like serving non Caucasian customers on the weekends. Food is great but your employees are definitely treating minorities poorly.
Got the Liz Lemmon cake. It was amazing and got better with each day it sat in the fridge. Ready quickly and they even wrote my wifes peculiarly-spelled name correctly. Very pricey though. The smaller, cheaper cookie and cake bits are a great way to try a new tasty.
Absolutely amazing cakes. What they can do is just beyond words. Stunningly beautiful and delicious
Get the Brooklyn Blackout, you wont regret it. Normally not a fan of coconut macaroons or black & white cookies, but their version of both are repeat buys for me. Chai Latte was unexpectedly good, too.
First class service , I live in London I ordered the cake for a friend in Brooklyn NY , the transaction went smooth , they had the cake in stock and I wanted to be delivered same day .I paid for the delivery and within 2 hours my friend received the cake and it was out of this world .I will definitely be using them again .
Im impressed! Bought my husband the Coconut Cloud Cake. I placed the remainder in a tupperware and left it for 3 weeks. When we ate the remainder it was as if I just purchased the cake. The cake was still moist and spongy and the frosting was still light and fluffy.
Their snack bars are absolutely delicious. I live the white chocolate, red velvet and chocolate blackout ones .Totally worth a (sweet) pit stop.
Disappointed. Pricey. Did not like the cream cheese strawberry flavored icing (I ordered the strawberry field cake). But I believe that is one of the things they r popular for. Cake wasnt moist, the flavor was bland, not sweet.
Fancy cupcakes! This Chelsea bakery is up with the times. I walked by and they had Cupcakes with a printed image of naked Bea Arthur of Golden Girls. Pretty funny and clever. Good place to go for dessert of pick something up for a party.
Hands down the best cake shop in NYC, custom cakes never fail in taste and design.
Awesome place if you have sweet tooth like me! Season collections are great too. Red velvet cake is heavenly.
Red velvet is really good!
This is my second visit to this bakery. Hands down the mini black and white cookies are to die for; each bite tastes like a little bit of heaven in your mouth. The blond guy with the messy hair was wonderful. I will be back.
Very unprofessional. Tried for two days to place an order for a cake. Of the 40 times I called them, they answered the phone twice. They gave me a noon deadline to order my cake but never got in touch with me by noon to complete my order. On one of the two occasions they actually answered the phone, the guy said, “I can’t help you” and hung up the phone. Wound up ordering a cake elsewhere for a quarter the price. Clearly, they do not need the business so find some place friendlier.
Excellence selection of pastries. They make fabulously looking custom cakes
Awesome unique cake products. Giant swiss rolls along with super bomb cupcakes and lemon bars. Definitely worth going all the way over to 9th ave or if youre already in the neighborhood!
Great job on the pink unicorn cake you made for my daughter!! Its perfect and delivered on time to her work! She was very surprised!! Thank you for helping make her day extra special!!!
I have gone here multiple times solely for the Snowball. The marshmallow is perfect and flavor of the chocolate cake is superb. Worth a visit here for an indulgence.
Empire Cake is great!!. The customer service is fabulous and the pastries are also to die for. The prices are also very good for the area I will for sure go back and recommend to anybody. Thank you keep up the great work guys.
I tried carrot cupcake and lemon curd with strawberry buttercream. First was very good, second good too, but buttercream was so butter. (may be I tried it again in the winter)).I will buy other cupcake!
There cakes cookies and other goodies are fantastic! Try their sandwich cookies, in particular. The staff is always helpful and friendly. Its a great place and I highly recommend it!
Nice, clean, very friendly staff..
No complaints at all. This is the second cake we have bought from them. Both cakes were delicious and beautiful to look at. Empire Cake is conveniently located to subways, too.
Got the best cake ever!!!!! I so love the red velvet wit white chocolate! Omg that is to die for soo love it!!!!!! And the employee is very friendly.
Excellent service and great job with my wedding care. All friends and families were please with the presentation and exceptional taste. It couldnt had been better.Thank youT & S 8/27/2016
Nice place, great treats.
Ordered a cake for an office party of 45. The order was last minute, but for $250, I was definitely expecting a larger size and something more elaborate in that price point. Doubt Ill order again.
One in my favorite bakery, I love the pasion fruit snack cake, so yummy!!!♥️
Ive only tried their super cute decorative cupcakes, which I found on the drier side for cake and too sugary for frosting. They have other baked goods Id be curious to try on a subsequent visit.
My favorite neighborhood bakery. Good coffee scones. Cakes and snacks. I like to go sit at the counter and have breakfast. Outstanding bakery to the stars too
If you are looking for great flavor and great price I definitely recommend Empire Cake. I got my wedding cake from here and they definitely didn’t disappoint we gave them our vision and they brought it to life!!
All cakes look awesome and not artificially colored. I tried the Brooklyn blackout chocolate cake (nor exactly sure about the name) which had everything I could expect from a decadent chocolate cake :-)
Top notch cakes with jaw-dropping decorations! This place is the best in the city. Highly recommend the snack cakes as well (the passion fruit in particular).
I love you guys but after a few years I can’t support you anymore. Your gluten-free options have never changed. It basic, boring, and sad.
Fantastic cupcakes. I he a sweet tooth, but I dont like cupcakes very much in general. These are the exception and my favorite in NYC.
The pecan bar is really good. Its not overly sweet, but its not lacking in flavor. Perfect combination! I highly recommend
OMG TO DIE FOR - please try the homemade Twix. Service is good and the pastries and small cakes on display are clearly fresh - this cheat is worth every calorie
Addicting cake place. Family members have used their services for parties. I would definitely r recommend. Their chocolate items are awesome.
Love this place, though I wish there was a better way to communicate which flavors they have. I love that the cupcakes and cakes are not too sweet and sugary.
I bought a chocolate chocolate cupcake and coconut macaroons, they were ok but definitely not great, the cupcake was dry, frosting was good, the macaroon was not sweet and the outside was really hard, like it was old
You may have a problem choosing among all the yummy flavors of cupcakes, and the gourmet versions of cakes like Twix Bars and Snowballs. Also good cappuccino and similar beverages.
Very good cakes, decent cookies but not my favorite spot for them, moist cupcakes (banana and yellow). Friendly staff, good coffee.
This bakery is one of my favorite places in Chelsea, I love the cupcakes and cream cheese frosting, cakes are just beautiful, this is my go-to place for goodies.
My go-to place for cupcakes, especially for events (~$3 ea.). Favorites: red velvet, salted caramel (!) The cookie-esque red velvet/black and white bites arent as good as the cupcakes.
Ive never been disappointed everything is wonderful. Swiss Rolls and Snow Balls so much better than your childhood experiences youll have to try them to believe it.
Staff is always madd nice and the sweets are wild good. Im not really a fan of dark chocolate but the Brooklyn blackout be hittin my guy.
A great place for custom cakes or to just pick something up like cupcakes ..red velvet etc..
I would like to give this business six (6) stars, but they only get five (5) because they run out of goodies too quickly. Every item is to die for. This must be what heaven will be like when we depart.
Lovely cake and exactly the design I requested.
5 stars for the banana pudding. 1-2 stars for everything else. Dont even go here unless youre getting the banana pudding. There is no other reason to.
These guys delivered a delicious chocolate cake with butter cream and lettering, delivered same day for a reasonable price. Easy contact, good service and great product
Took the cupcakes for an office event! Great cupcakes - Red Velvet was the favorite one , however the cookies & cream cupcake is a close follower.
The carrot cake was amazing. I did a wedding cake tasting with my friend a few weeks ago, and I still cant stop thinking about the carrot cake!
- Oreo cake (slice) - very moist cake - 3 layers with buttercream frosting with chocolate cake flecksThey have a few high tables and stools to eat there.
The black & white cookies here are CRAZY good.
A little overpriced (which makes it right on par for this neighborhood) but it was tasty :-)
Passed by after lunch and entered. Everything looks amazing! We ate a vanilla roll and really enjoyed it! I would totally recommend this place!
Extremely professional and welcoming. My wife inquired about the pricing on a custom cake for a baby shower, and they were very helpful
Great pastry shop. Must have their black and white cookies. They are delicious and decently priced for the area.
Cookie dough snack cake. OmgUpdate two years later: snickerdoodle sandwich is good but way too sweet. Friendly staff.
Omg, they are very good. They serve very good coffee and perfect sweets, I promise that I will order a cake here for birthday
Delicious! They use top ingredients and add just the right amount of sweetness unlike other places which claim to make a better product. Tasting is believing!
Twix bar was the greatest food experience Ive ever had. Tried several things and all were great but the twix was orgasmic.
I got some cookies and cakes from there. So soft and sweet. It was like magic in my mouth. If Im ever in the area again, I have to go back.
The cookie sandwiches are amazing, as are the homemade twinkles. This may be sacreligious, but I think I prefer either to cupcakes.
Cookie sandwiches were amazing! Tried the chocolate chip, peanut butter, and confetti. Delicious!
Cakes can be dry and blah. Icings are heavy but not rich, sweet but not compelling. Flavors are standard and unimaginative.
Not much to say... best bakery in the city hands down. You get what you pay for, great cookies as well.
They have the best black/white and red/white cookies. Also try their homemade Swiss rolls and twix bars.
Excellent cakes and pastries, unique in taste. Their creative artistry cannot be rivaled.
Beautiful pastries, the chocolate cake we got was delicious. Will be back to try more.
Total reviews rating 4.6
199 Reviews for Empire Cake 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-03This is a cute little cake and pastry shop in Chelsea. They have a nice selection here. They are known for their snack cakes which are essentially high-end Twinkies - cakes with a stuffing, dipped in chocolate. They also have a big selection of cupcakes and cookies. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. The cake tends to run on the drier side. The flavor sound fun but the taste isn’t fully developed. The desserts are cloyingly sweet and it’s tough to pick up on other flavors. The buttercream frosting is however quite delicious.
Review №2
2022-07-02I came here to meet up with friends. They had already had the chocolate cups. I decided on the confetti cake and the pink snowball. I thought the confetti cake was a bit too sweet but I enjoyed the snowball. I will go back and try something else. My friend loves this place. The staff here are so professional, attentive, and service with a smile. You cant beat that. The presentations of the cakes are just breathtaking. I definitely want to sample some of their other selections. It is really hard to find good service since the pandemic started.
Review №3
2022-01-25Great Service and Great Cup Cakes. This was a phone order the day before my nieces B- Day and they came through. Cupcakes were delicious, and the delivery on time !! Much appreciated and keep up the good work.
Review №4
2022-03-24Absolutely Amazing desserts. They did such a great job with the Cocomelon themed cake, custom goodies and other delicious treats. It made my nieces(Ms. Blessing) second birthday complete.💗
Review №5
2021-11-01Stopped by on Halloween before closing and they had run out to candies but were so generous let us chose from a cupcake or cookie. They could’ve just turned us down like other stores without candies but they were nice enough to find alternative. Both the cupcake and cookie were so delicious. Super moist cake and buttery frosting. The most generous bakery in the city, can’t wait to go back and try more of their pastries.
Review №6
2022-03-29Black and white cookie review...if new york were a cookie, these days it would be a cannabis salted caramel blondie. The black and white is the Frank Sinatra of cookies. Ive tried a gutful of these over the years, and theyre pretty much all the same. A dense 15mm layer of veg fat-based genoise, with a thickened icing that you can almost chew. Its 30pc of your calories in one hit. Ugly and yummy. This isnt that. Here you get 2cm of proper sponge with a crisp shell coating. Thing is, its high quality and completely unsatisfying. No other way to put it. Sorry guys, but they did it their way, and their way is no way.
Review №7
2022-06-26I ordered a cake for my daughter graduation, for me I would like to give 4 Star. But my daughter enjoyed the cake, so I gave a 5. The cake dough its self was so delicious and not over sweet. But my concern its not only with Empire cake most of the bakery around New York, they overfrosted it. I will still looking around New York city bakery for my perfect wedding cake. Thanks and God bless your business!.
Review №8
2021-06-29Yum! As a baker myself, presentation is a huge part and also whether or not the cake is dry. Everything was beautiful and the cake had the perfect moisture level. We were so happy with our choices, we came back in the same weekend to get more 😊
Review №9
2021-08-05The chocolate peanut butter cake was delicious and beautiful, also easy to transport. The homemade treats (twinkie and hohos) were delicious and indulgent too, a cute idea.
Review №10
2022-06-28I absolutely loved the cake that I custom ordered. Jason was great and made it so easy. I just sent a picture of what I wanted and it came out even better than I imagined. Would highly recommend!!