The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers, Carmel City Center

Cake is delish, cheese cake is some of the best I have ever eaten, and the other pastries honestly aren't as good as they used to be...a little more stale and just not getting the quality you'd expect for the price. Dine in experience is lovely, servers are great and it definitely gives you a magical vibe. Their actual entrees or food though I wouldn't ever order again, pretty basic and bland, not much seasoning and over priced for lack of flavor. Great for just a little visit for cake, dessert, and drinks though especially if you want to feel a little boujee and magical.

It's definitely one of my happy places 🥰🫶

This is a perfect restaurant to celebrate a little girls' special celebration. The restaurant is decorated so cute and its perfect for beautiful pictures. The food is great and the cake is delicious! Highly recommend.

Took my kids here for their first time today and both were in awe. My daughter loved the decorations and of course the food. My son loved the food. I had the burger with truffle fries and was not disappointed. We of course indulged in multiple pieces of cake and pie, and all were EXCELLENT! The ambience and service were perfect. A great dining experiences and looking forward to returning.

All of the workers there were amazing, especially Mallory and Beth who we interacted with during our dining experience. Beth was very professional and attentive, she welcoming to us the whole time and open to answering any of our questions. Mallory, who we were greeted by was very kind and Disney princess like which made the experience much more memorable. Besides the incredible staff, the food was also great. Service was very quick and everything was delicious. Highly recommend coming here!!

Today we surprised & celebrated my mother on her 87th Birthday at The Cake Bake Shop Carmel. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the service, menu & desert and would recommend any special occasion to plan a visit as it truly was a beautiful setting.

My daughter, son in-law & granddaughter treated me today at Cake Bake Carmel for my 87th Birthday and it truly was a magical place. The food was great, the service was excellent and the atmosphere made me feel like I was in a fairy tale as they treated me like a princess.

Attention to detail in every aspect!! From food, to service, to desserts and all to create a unique experience and memory. Fantastic!

This was a fun treat for a birthday celebration! My preschool-aged girls loved the colored pencils and the glitter on their food - and inhaled the cup of fresh berries that came with their meal (toddler parents - IYKYK). My only feedback is that the service was a bit slow/lacking. We couldn’t find our server when we were ready to order cake, so when someone else came by to take our cake order after about 15 minutes, we decided to get it to go as we’d already been there for an hour and that’s pretty much as long as toddlers last. It still took another 20 minutes to get the cake and pay out, and then I realized they’d actually not included one of the slices we wanted in our order. I understand they probably do not want people to feel rushed, but as toddler parents we gotta keep it moving, and ultimately we felt not in control of our experience toward the end of our visit. I think we’ll be back, but maybe only for cake.

We come every year and always satisfied. Staff is friendly and food is great. Cake is AMAZING

Austin made our luncheon unforgettable! He was very attentive and gave us great recommendations about some of the newer menu items. The food was delicious and our drinks came out quickly and correctly. We will definitely be returning, thanks again Austin and staff!

It was like being in a fairy tale. Our server was super energetic and nice and the food was amazing. It's very pricy but overall it was a great experience!

Barbara (I think was her name?) was amazing! The food was tasty & the cake. Oh the cake 🤤

Took our daughter for her birthday & she got overwhelmed and started crying. Our waitress thought it was her & we didn’t get to tell her it was my daughter’s anxiety & that she was amazing.

When the Fairy Tale Turns Into a Nightmare

This place looked like a dream. The kind of spot where girls walk in to feel like princesses — with cute desserts, pretty cups, and all the vibes for a perfect Instagram post.

But what actually happened was the total opposite.

I came in with friends to create content for my channel. We weren’t asking for a collab or a freebie — we were going to pay for everything and still give them free exposure by posting about it. But instead of being welcomed, we were judged, stereotyped, and honestly… disrespected.

The staff member named Lana (yes, L-A-N-A) treated us like we didn’t belong there. She questioned if we could afford a cup — a cup — ignored us, walked away while we were trying to speak, and constantly acted like she “couldn’t understand” our English.

Let me be clear: we’ve lived in the U.S. for over 6 years. We’ve never had a problem being understood. This wasn’t about language — it was about attitude, and very clearly, racism.

At one point, we told her we were ready to order the main dish. She said “okay,” and then never came back. For an entire hour.

I even pointed to the drink I wanted on the menu — and she brought me a whiskey. Be honest: what are the odds three women sitting at a girly dessert spot at 3 PM are ordering whiskey? Yeah, exactly. It felt like she was doing it on purpose.

We eventually had to ask for a manager. And instead of help, we got a dry, rude, “What do you need now?”

This place is all about looks — cute décor, sweet treats, pink everywhere — but the way we were treated was bitter and cold. It felt like we were being pushed out quietly, just for existing in that space.

And what makes it worse? There are immigrant workers in this shop, but they’re all hidden in the back. Not in front. Not where the customers are. Lana — working front of house — made it clear who was “allowed” to be seen.

In a country already struggling with racism and division, you’d think businesses would do better. But this place? Just another example of how sweet things can still leave a bad taste.

I’m sharing this here and in my video so no one else has to go through what we did.

The Cake Bake Shop is a fairy tale come to life and the desserts are just as dreamy. From the color palette, the architectural details, the over-abundance of (faux) flowers and crystals, to the staff uniforms (costumes, really), the shop conjures a fantasy. Their staff is committed to serving the full fantasy. The Marie Antoinette, the peanut butter pie and the chocolate cake all get 2 frosted thumbs up.