Coutts Food: Britain's best cake shops

A cake that hits the spot these days may well evoke that era when mums were in the kitchen baking and little boys and girls were licking the cake bowl. Because there's something comforting, almost emotional, about the enjoyment to be had from eating a really good cake. But beware the impostors that masquerade temptingly as the real thing. They get dressed up with frills and colours but have no substance. A cake that does the trick is about more than just looks. It must deliver what it promises. Yet, there's no denying that appearances are important. Part of the pleasure of eating cakes starts at the point of decision. The point when you stand in front of the cake display and ooh and aah in your mind at the delicacies laid out like jewels in Tiffany's window. And a cake shop that delivers well on this front is, of course, French.

Masion Bertuax, in London's Soho, has that stylish yet slightly saucy feel about its cakes. It has been delivering pastries and cakes to satisfied customers since 1871 and seems as fashionably current now as it most likely did when it first opened. Tarts with glazed fruit shine opposite creamy cheese cakes and flamboyant meringues topped with ribbons of twirled chestnut. They do a mean almond croissant, which if you eat it warm from the oven is meltingly perfect. And as with most cake shops these days, you can sit and enjoy watching Soho's colourful life pass you by. While Bertuax's cake and pastries are born out of the traditional French school, the shop has always had its quirky side. Formica topped tables hark back to another era, the walls display an eclectic mix of memorabilia, and the occasional mini-theatre has been known to spring up in the small upstairs rooms. All of which somehow adds to the cake experience.

Tarts with glazed fruit shine opposite creamy cheese cakes and flamboyant meringues topped with ribbons of twirled chestnut.

Another cake shop of note in the capital is Konditor & Cook, which owes much more to the British style of cake making. With five shops now around London, the company was set up 15 years ago by Gerhard Jenne. It was a cake shop with a difference at the time and still manages to hit the baking spot. Jenne describes his cakes as 'the sort of cakes you would make for yourself if you had the time'. He says, "They are honest cakes. Everything's made from scratch with natural materials." But it's not just the ingredients that elevate his cakes, it's also the decoration. He likes to think of his cake decoration as 'contemporary'. "It's for the rock and roll generation," he says. So expect to see the hugely popular Magic Cakes decorated with anything from sheep to shamrock to hearts for Valentine's day. These sponge cakes are a hit and he supplies them individually designed for weddings and corporate events. Jenne says, "I've managed to make food a
bit of a gift" and sees cakes as the perfect alternative to that bottle of wine. Konditor & Cook's best sellers are the Boston brownies and the curly whirly chocolate sponge cake with vanilla bean frosting. Equally good is the chocolate gateaux with raspberry. The chocolate is dense and darkly smooth and then the raspberry kicks in, the tanginess complementing the richness perfectly. These cakes are very much British with a hint of something other. And although Jenne is German, he says 'he's never actually done German cakes' but comments that the quality control is probably German. This is something that might also be applied to another well-known cake shop and tea rooms, Betty's.

Betty's is a distinctly Yorkshire phenomena but it has its roots in Switzerland, and they like to refer to their cakes and food as Swiss-Yorkshire. When people visit one of Betty's six tearooms in the north they may not be aware that this family business was set-up in 1919 by a then Fritz Butzer who had arrived in Bradford via a small Swiss village and Paris. He trained as a confectioner and initially set himself up as Frederick Belmont, Chocolate Specialist, using the French version of his name, thinking it would sound rather more sophisticated to the English.

Hand baked is Betty's motto and they turn out a range of tempting cakes and pastries to seduce every palate. They have a bit of a reputation for their Fat Rascals , a rock cake with fruits and spices. The Stem Ginger Cake zings with ginger wine and almonds. And the Sloe Gin Fruitcake is beautifully moist and equally tasty. If you can't get to the tea rooms to sample their fare you can always order from their website and have a little bit of Yorkshire, by way of Switzerland, delivered to your door.

Jenne describes his cakes as 'the sort of cakes you would make for yourself if you had the time'. He says, "They are honest cakes. Everything's made from scratch with natural materials."

Still in the north, a tour of cake shops wouldn't be complete without a trip to Falko Burkert's baker's shop in Edinburgh. His shop Falko Konditormeister really does bring a piece of Germany to Scotland. This award winning bakery started out life on a farmer's market stall. But such was the appeal of his German/Austrian cakes that it wasn't long before he had his first shop in the city centre. Traditional craft baking is at the heart of this venture. And it's there to see in the stollen, fruit-studded kugelhof and cinnamon scented baumkuchen.

When you're hunting for the perfect cake, the one essential element is that it's handmade with passion. And in the month of hearts and roses why not delight your loved one with a cake for that Valentine's occasion. Giving something that's prepared with so much love and attention can only speak volumes.

For more information:

Maison Bertaux, 28 Greek Street , Soho , London W1D 5DD
Tel: 020 7437 6007

Konditor & Cook –visit www.konditorandcook.com for venues

Betty's - visit www.bettys.co.uk for venues

Falko Konditormeister - visit www.falko.co.uk for venues

By Michele Nevard