The best cakes and pies of 2023
I love desserts and eat a ton every year, against doctor’s advice. It’s just so hard not to give in, and I simply want to acknowledge how talented and creative our local pastry chefs are (that’s my valid excuse!). There’s no shortage of delectable pastries to be had in the metro. However, this hand-picked bunch, all of which were introduced just this year, is a cut above the rest, for me. In fact, it didn’t take much effort to recall them—proof that their taste left a good impression on my palate and memory.
1. Strawberry Velvet Cake by Homemade by RoshanRoshan Samtani’s holiday offering, the Purple Princess, an ube torte, is memorable, but her Valentine special edges it out simply because it is the best red velvet cake, ending my search after thousands of calories wasted. It should be made the classic standard. For one, her recipe makes the presence of high quality cocoa powder felt. The body is moist and tender without being heavy and hefty, and the cream cheese frosting is mixed with freeze-dried strawberries that have been pulsed to a powder, lending subtle tartness that not just adds another flavor profile to the whole dessert, but makes everything balanced. (@homemadebyroshan on Instagram)
2. Jagger Mango Avocado Gourmet Pie by Serendipity GourmetThis pie is a celebration of textures and our local fruits; that’s why it makes the list. Homemade French-style pastry cream and a smooth puree made from homegrown avocados (not the Hass kind which our country imports a lot of) are studded with almond Florentine nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, chewy cranberries and raisins and slices of ripe mangoes. The colorful ensemble is nestled in a buttery, flaky crust. It’s a pie that the bakers made to glorify our fruits, especially the avocados, which they believe to be of world-class quality. (@serendipitygourmetph on Instagram)3. Okey Dokey Hokey Pokey by Mama PappotAs soon as I had this cake, I already knew it would make my annual best desserts list. The Okey Dokey Hokey Pokey is a most welcome reimagination of the beloved coffee cake. And it was so sinful, I frequently dreamt of and craved for it days after. Two layers of mocha tres leches cake sandwich a medley of nuts—macadamia, almond, pecan and walnut—has been lubricated with an espresso salted caramel sauce. The cake is then dressed in coffee Chantilly cream and crowned with crunchy hokey pokey. (@himamapappot on Instagram)
4. Lychee Rose Cake by bBakeryGeraldine Santiago of bBakery is known for making character cakes as well as creations that are painted by hand. But it’s her glass cake that I fell in love with, especially the rose lychee kind, which she released last May (I’m a big fan of ispahan, after all). “During the pandemic, a Malaysian client asked me to create it,” she says. “He asked if I have heard of the drink called bandung. It has a strong rose fragrance. So I created it in my kitchen and thought of adding lychee.” The result is a mouthwatering ensemble of lychee, milk, gelatine and rose syrup. (@bbakeryph on Instagram)5. Signature El Born Cheesecake by El BornChef David Aparicio’s cheesecake is a family recipe made with two different types of cheese to achieve a delectable creaminess. It is a mixture of the famous burnt Basque cheesecake, fiadone (baked ricotta cheesecake) because it has a tang that comes in the form of lemon zest, and New York style because it has a crunchy cookie base. He adds a touch of Maldon salt to highlight the nuances. On special occasions, he also adds pumpkin cooked in the Josper oven, and the result is a super creamy cake with a spectacular charcoal and wooden touch. Heavenly! It’s on the restaurant menu but can be preordered whole. (@elborn.ph on Instagram)6. Kohi Sesame Brittle Cake by The Manila BakerTravel spurs inspiration, as is the case of The Manila Baker’s best cake this year—the Kohi Sesame Brittle Cake. During their travels across Japan, husband and wife Charles and Alisxandre Ayson encountered many different and new flavor combinations that have most definitely broadened their palate. That trip inspired this textural beauty—coffee chiffon cake using a blend of arabica and robusta beans, slathered with a white sesame and coffee mascarpone. A deep roasted nutty flavor is also added and achieved through their homemade white sesame seed brittle. It’s nothing short of delicious! (@themanilabaker on Instagram)
7. Chocolate Stout Cake by 105 D street Coffee is to brownies as beer is to chocolate cake. Yes, stout is the secret to robustly flavored chocolate cakes. It not only offsets the sweetness with a dash of bitterness, but it also adds a most welcome moisture. This Chocolate Stout Cake gives truth to this. It’s a dense and wonderfully malty treat with a cream cheese and whipped cream topping, which lends balance and light, contrasting texture to the hefty body. (@105dstreet on Instagram)8. Tablea Salted Caramel Entremet Cake by Patisserie Le Choux-ColatThis young brand is always willing, ready and able to serve a dash of elegance to your desserts, be it through fancy bonbons or gateau de voyage. Chef Ely Salar’s holiday entremet, the Tablea Salted Caramel Entremet Cake, is no different as, on sheer presentation alone, it already delivers in sophistication. The cake highlights his homemade tablea de Leyte, and it comes in different forms in this classy creation—moist tablea chocolate sponge cake, tablea cremeux and tablea wafer crunch. Completing the divine indulgence are milk chocolate salted caramel, dark chocolate ganache, and a sprinkle of Cornish sea salt. It was introduced as a Father’s Day cake, and has been turned into a Christmas delight with edible holiday decorations. @patisserielechouxcolat9. Banana Fromage by Flour Pot ManilaI’ve always admired chef Rhea Castro Sycip for her fresh and unassuming flavor combinations and use of local produce in her desserts, like her bibingka cake made with coconut panna cotta and kesong puti crumble. Or the mazapan de pili cheesecake. Just recently, she released the Banana Fromage, and as expected, it amazes, as well. Tagaytay banana crunch crust is layered with chocolate cheesecake, banana white chocolate mousse, whipped cream, then crowned with South Cotabato coffee cream. It’s another feather to add to her decorated cap. @flourpotmanila10. Buko Flan by FluffyummyThey have two versions of this dessert, a delicious and elegant interpretation of the Parisian flan—one is chocolate in flavor, while the other, my choice between the two, infuses vanilla custard with the humble Filipino buko pie. It eats like an egg pie, a body so smooth and delicate, studded with fresh coconut strips and the crispy, buttery nest it sits on providing that most welcome crunch. @fluffyummyph11. Polvoron Cake by CravingsThe name spurred curiosity, and I was initially doubtful whether they could give the famous dessert justice. I thought it would simply be a cake enrobed in milk powder. I should have known better, especially since it’s by Cravings, a brand that’s no stranger to this annual list. Two layers of sponge, very much like an angel’s food cake, are cemented and dressed in a creamy frosting, then corseted with white chocolate and topped with a polvoron crumble, which adds a delightful toasted milky flavor and a delicious texture to the light cake. @cravingsphils12. Brookie Crack Pie by Mrs. MakesA pandemic project, this home-based business that specializes in crack pie, a gooey and buttery original creation by Milk Bar, has won over loyal customers. This year, they introduced their cuppiecakes, a.k.a. pie-inspired cupcakes, a Cinapple Crumble Crack Pie, and this, my pick, the brownie with sweetened toasted cornflakes. What makes it a standout is that it’s not cloying, unlike many other crack pie interpretations, and the cornflakes give it the texture it needs. @mrsmakes_Follow the author at @fooddudeph on Instagram.
