The 411 on Max's Cakes #
Address: 1007 B St.
Hayward, CA
Website: https://maxscakesofficial.wixsite.com/maxscakes
Phone: (510) 397-6496
The Vibe: Max's Cakes is one of those local spots that I became familiar with during the pandemic, when I took a break from writing reviews. Now that The Gourmez has been refreshed, I figured this was a great time to highlight some of the best spots I've frequented over the past few years. Max's Cakes is the first! The space is always nicely decorated, especially for holidays.
I don't have a picture of their Halloween décor, but it also deserves a special shout-out. Can't wait to see Valentine's! Max' s Cake's owner, Max Soto, has appeared on a few food shows, even winning an episode of the Big Time Bake in 2020. Not too long afterward, he opened this bakery in downtown Hayward.
They make absolutely beautiful custom cakes, but the daily offerings for walk-ins are slices of cake, cupcakes, and mini cheesecakes. You can also order coffee drinks to go with them and enjoy them in the bakery.
My Take on Max's Cakes #
The Food: The horchata cheesecakes are my personal favorite. I called them "mini" above, but they are large enough to split between two people.
They are super creamy, with spice and a bit of rice milk grit for texture. The creaminess of the topping mixes exactly right with a slightly dry cheesecake layer, showing thoughtfulness in how to make each element work together well.
I recently had the caramel frappuccino cupcake and loved it, too.
Lots of delicious creamy coffee flavor in the cake portion of the cup, and the thick caramel layer went almost all the way down to the bottom. Will definitely order that one again.
The toastiness of the burnt almond cake took it from tasty to extraordinary.
And the limited-edition Samoan cake was full of rich flavor from its bitter coffee-chocolate notes that you know the caramel and coconut complemented well. Recommended for fans of the cookies!
I appreciate how well this bakery knows the ratios of toppings to cake to fillings to crust!
Would I Go Back? I always come up with a reason to! It helps that they are right next door to The Bistro, one of our favorite beer spots in the area. So I can grab myself something sweet from Max's and just take it next door to enjoy with a beer. For example, this hummingbird cupcake!
So fluffy, with the right ratios of spices in the batter and cake to frosting. I only wished for pineapple in every bite.
The one complaint folks may lodge against Max's Cakes is that they won't necessarily offer your favorite flavor on repeat. But as I love trying new ones, that's not a complaint from me.
Most recently visited 23 November 2024.
