Bert’s Bakery

| RESTAURANT REVIEW: BRIDAL CAKES |

Bert’s Bakery

A few years ago, at my own wedding, we opted to just do a dessert table and went with an assortment of different handheld desserts. It was great, but I have always felt left out for never having a proper cake tasting.

Elizabeth Precopio

Elizabeth Precopio is a hairstylist by day and 24/7 food enthusiast. She visits restaurants in the Kalamazoo area and blogs about her experience at feedmekzoo.com

So, I decided to take it upon myself to experience that long-missed cake testing by visiting Bert’s Bakery in Kalamazoo. I promised myself I would grab several slices of cake in order to declare the best one for a wedding, even though it wouldn’t be for mine. I was greeted by the owner of Bert’s Bakery, Amy Dyer, who was able to tell me more about the cakes, and the business. For my tasting, I went with six slices of cake: Any less felt like I wouldn’t get enough of a variety, and any more might throw me into a crazy sugar high or sickness. There were 11 options and let me tell you, every slice was a hard choice to make. And anyways, those six slices quickly turned into seven, because Dyer insisted I try it! (And who says no to more cake?) My cake tasting trial happened at home. I unpacked my box of cake and stared in wonderment at the glory of cakes that lay in front of me. I started with the slice the owner suggested.

It was an ALMOND POPPY CAKE WITH VANILLA BAVARIAN CREAM. I don’t know why I didn’t initially choose this one, but I’m so glad she insisted I take it home with me. It was delightful! Light and sweet, but not too sweet. You could definitely taste almond, but it was a subtle almond. Both the cake and the cream were light and airy.

Next, I tried a VANILLA CAKE WITH

RASPBERRY FILLING AND VANILLA

CREAM. Another delicious choice! The raspberry was tart and sweet, but there was only a touch of it so it came through in a way that balanced the cake beautifully.

The VANILLA CAKE WITH LEMON FILLING I tried next was similar in that the tart balanced the sweetness, but in that slice, the lemon flavor was much more subtle.

These first three were so delicious, it was hard for me to only try a bite (or two) and not eat the whole piece.

I went on to try the VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM. This is my (and possibly many of yours) favorite flavor combo and I’ve got to say, Bert’s really knocked it out of the park. The chocolate was light enough that it blended well with the vanilla cake. I don’t know that I would pick this for a wedding cake, but it will most definitely be my next birthday cake.

By now I was feeling the sugar, but I had to push on!

My next taste was the RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. This is another go-to combination of mine and boy oh boy, did this taste good. The cream cheese frosting is super sweet, but not super heavy like many other recipes can be. The cake was also flavorful while still being light and airy. It was definitely the sweetest of the bunch (in the best way possible).

Last but certainly not least was the GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE. It was one of the better German chocolate cakes I have had! I absolutely loved the toasted coconut in the cream, and it added such a great texture to the whole cake. The cake was moist, and it had an amazing flavor. After that, I went on the MARBLE CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL CREAM. This had such a unique flavor that I had to check my notes to remind me what the cream was. As soon as I saw it, I could immediately place it. The marble cake was a great blend of chocolate and vanilla and the salted caramel cream added a nice touch that gave it a unique and tasty flavor.

Every single one of Bert’s Bakery cakes was a complete knockout for me. I’m glad I didn’t have to choose any for my actual wedding. However, if I was choosing one for a wedding, I would likely pick the almond poppy cake. Runner up: either the raspberry or lemon. But honestly all were amazing. Whether or not you have a wedding coming up, I highly recommend you do your own cake tasting. I’m so glad I did. I now have a favorite cake for every occasion and will most definitely be getting them from Bert’s Bakery!