Weddings Summer 2013 > Planner

City Cakes

251 West 18th St., nr. Eighth Ave., lower level; 646-688-2286; citycakesny.com

These French Culinary Institute–trained cake experts specialize in sugar-paste flowers, fondant design, and buttercream and royal icing. They turn out whimsical cakes in bold flavors like Caribbean brandy and rich chocolate mocha. From $8 to $25 per serving.

City Sweets & Confections

261-267 Canal St., nr. Cortlandt Alley, Ste. 206; 917-817-1058; citysweets.com

Deborah Lauren uses fine ingredients to create over 50 flavors of artful cakes, often adorning them with delicate sugar flowers. A Champagne cake with three-berry filling is particularly popular. Alec Baldwin tapped this team to create his wedding cake. Prices upon request; by appointment only.

Colette’s Cakes

72 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood, N.J.; 973-762-4546; colettescakes.com

Acclaimed baker Colette Peters will create a couple’s ideal cake even if that means something shaped like a skyscraper or gussied up with Swarovski crystals. Fillings include chocolate truffle and passion-fruit buttercream. From $10 per serving; $800 minimum.

Collette Foley Specialty Baking

Bayside, Queens; 646-246-6402; collettefoley.com

This Queens-based culinary whiz sculpts stunning, polished cakes that range from classic confections bedecked with real flowers to modern creations with geometric appliqués. Unusual filling options include Nutella mousse, passion-fruit curd and kumquat-caramel marmalade. From $7.75 per serving.

CupcakeStop

732-614-1721; cupcakestop.com

Don’t want a traditional wedding cake? CupcakeStop can provide baked goods or, for a fun twist, send its truck to dole them out. Choose from more than 60 varieties of cupcake, including red velvet, s’mores, or apple martini. Prices upon request.

Dominique Ansel

189 Spring St., nr. Thompson St.; 212-219-2773; dominiqueansel.com

The former pastry chef of Daniel uses traditional and avant-garde techniques to create works like an all-pink caramel croquembouche and a Jack-and-Coke-flavored groom’s cake. Groom’s cakes from $8.50 per serving; wedding cakes from $12.

Eat Cake Be Merry

917-576-3015; eatcakebemerry.com

Liz Shim’s clean designs with bold pops of color are a hit among the country-club set and are perfect for summer weddings. A three-tiered white cake with bright-pink flowers and green leaves evokes a Lilly Pulitzer vibe; she ornamented another creation with a preppy-looking monogram. From $10 per serving; $600 minimum.

Elegantly Iced

102 President St., nr. Columbia St., Columbia Waterfront; 718-938-9062; elegantlyiced.com

Sugar sculptor Lindsey Gamble pushes limits with her daring designs, which often include real-looking sugar flowers. She uses ingredients like French butter and Tahitian vanilla beans. From $10 per serving.

Elizabeth Hodes Custom Cakes & Sugar Art

212-942-6000; elizabethhodes.com

Hodes’s cakes come adorned with her stunning (and edible) decorations, such as sugar-cast lime wedges with straw, roses with pepper berries, and water lilies with cattails. From $11 per serving.

François Payard Bakery

116 W. Houston St., nr. Sullivan St.; 210 Murray St., nr. West St.; 212-995-0888; payard.com

The downtown bakery of the legendary pastry chef crafts classic French cakes with an American twist, like a creamy five-tiered cake covered with pastel macarons. A favorite is the madeleine, a vanilla pound cake with lemon curd and raspberries. From $10 to $25 per serving.

Heather Barranco Dreamcakes

212-920-9777; heatherbarranco.com

Barranco meticulously hand-paints showcase-worthy cakes with flourishes, ranging from a metallic, multicolored peacock to a pattern of soft-peach peonies. Flavors like spicy-cardamom cake and French liqueur-framboise drizzle keep the inside interesting as well. From $8 to $17 per slice.

Ladurée New York

864 Madison Ave., nr. 71st St.; 646-558-3157; laduree.com.com

You no longer have to fly to Paris to indulge in these world-famous macarons. Ladurée’s first NYC location serves its signature treats in an array of flavors and colors to match your wedding palette. Order the traditional croquembouche or hand out boxes of these bite-size delights as reception favors ($5 to $25).

Lady M Cake Boutique

41 E. 78th St., nr. Madison Ave.; 212-452-2222; ladymconfections.com

Lady M’s signature wedding cake is a light-as-air pile of crêpes sandwiched between layers of custard with a hint of cherry liqueur and a caramelized top, garnished with real flowers. A three-tiered version starts at $550.

Lael Cakes

484-358-9305; laelcakes.com

Brooklyn-based pastry artist Emily Lael Aumiller (who trained as an artist before apprenticing with Sylvia Weinstock) specializes in vegan and gluten-free custom cakes. Incorporating unique flour blends (coconut, quinoa, and almond), local fruit, and veggie-derived coloring, Aumiller’s creations are easy on the eyes and palate. From $12 per serving.(ecofriendly)

Love Street Cakes

646-657-0424; lovestreetcakes.com

Baker Archana Rao attended the Culinary Institute of America and produces cakes with a graphic, modern feel. Her creations showcase her hand-painted designs and special attention to color and texture, each one catering to her client’s taste and the occasion. Frosting flavors include peanut butter and brown sugar. From $8 to $15 per serving; $350 minimum.

Lulu Cake Boutique

146 E. 37th St., nr. Lexington Ave.; 212-203-3151; everythinglulu.com

Creating deliciously beautiful cakes is what creator and company owner Jay Muse does best. From traditional confections to intensely detailed showstoppers, each cake is made the day of the event to guarantee it tastes just as good—if not better—than it looks. From $7 to $18 per serving. (good value)

Made in Heaven Cakes

530 Third Ave., nr. 13th St., Ste. 2F, Gowanus; 718-788-2727; madeinheavencakes.com

Culinary prowess and art-school educations come together at this family-run bakery, owned by Lisa and Victor Zagami. Brides favor the golden-vanilla cake with vanilla mousse and chocolate ganache; the shop’s signature flavor remains chocolate devil’s cake with cappuccino mousse. From $10 per serving.

Madison Lee's Cakes

At Cousin John's Bakery, 70 Seventh Ave., nr. Berkeley Pl., Park Slope; 718-622-7333; madisonleescakes.com

Specializing in botanically correct sugar flowers and piped lace work, this designer uses old-school techniques and innovative styles to create a couple’s fantasy wedding cake. Flavors range from a sophisticated chocolate ganache to the childhood favorite, funfetti. From $10 to $20 per serving.

Margaret Braun

212-929-1582; margaretbraun.com

Braun’s dazzling creations are modern, architectural, and vibrantly colored. For chef Bobby Flay’s nuptials, the cake featured creamy orange and yellow stripes with a sugar chalice on top. Braun decorates each cake herself, so expect prices to run into five figures. Prices upon request.

From the Summer 2013 New York Wedding Guide