The Best Cake Delivery

Wednesday, January 15th

2025 Cake Delivery Reviews

Bake Me a Wish!

• About 60 cakes to choose from
• Options include traditional layer cakes, cheesecake, coffee cake, sheet cakes, and more
• Gluten-free options available
• Prices range from $40 to $130
• Shipping is $23 or less
• Many cakes have thousands of 5-star reviews
• Personalization options on some cakes
• Can upgrade your delivery with birthday candles, a dozen cookies, or a teddy bear
• Fresh, on-time delivery guaranteed or your money back
• In business since 2005
• "A-” rated by the BBB

Have you ever moved far away from home and wished you could get that treat you love delivered to you? The founder of Bake Me a Wish! totally understands. Back in 2004, he wanted to send his mom some tiramisu from NYC, but there wasn't a single bakery willing to deliver it to her across the country. In the 19 years since then, Bake Me a Wish! has become a go-to source of not just cakes but an amazing lineup of other treats, all available for delivery nationwide. The bakery has been featured on Dr. Phil, Fox & Friends, Oprah Daily, and Taste of Home.

So much more than traditional layer cakes

Bake Me a Wish! has the best variety of cakes we've ever seen. Most of its rivals on our list just stick to a basic layer cake, or maybe they throw in a fruitcake during the holidays. Not this bakery. You'll certainly have options for layer cakes here, but why not consider a sheet cake, a coffee cake, or a cheesecake while you're at it? Plus, this is one of the few bakeries we found that has options with personalization; you'll see those as you browse the Bake Me a Wish! website.

Could use some filter options

Speaking of browsing, that's the one downside we found here: there are no filters to make it a little easier to zero in on what you're looking for, among the 60-ish cake choices. Not that it makes for a bad time to scroll through such delectable desserts, but having a way to look just for chocolate cakes or jump right to the gluten-free ones would be helpful. (We'll take a complimentary cake delivery for our helpful suggestion, Bake Me a Wish!)

About 60 cake varieties

We surely didn't mind doing the research, though, so here's what you need to know about this amazing cake delivery company. As we mentioned, there are about five dozen cake options to choose from, ranging from classics like carrot cake and double chocolate, to regional and seasonal flavors such as Victoria sponge cake and hummingbird cake.

Budget to bougie

Prices run the gamut, as you might expect when the range of treats goes from basic coffee cake to ultra-decadent cheesecake: $40 on the low end and $130 on the high side. So, don't miss out on the opportunity to save 15% on your Bake Me a Wish! cake order. Just look for the pop-up offering that discount in exchange for your email address; they promise not to send you any spam to go with your treats.

Lots included for free, but upgrades are available

Once you've picked a cake, Bake Me a Wish! will give you some upgrade options, like a teddy bear, birthday candles, or a dozen cookies. (Those options don't change even when you select a different occasion, so don't be caught off-guard when you select "sympathy” as your event and still see birthday candles and celebration stuffed animals on the upgrades list.) But, your cake will automatically be packaged in a nice gift box and include a personalized card, and we love that Bake Me a Wish! doesn't charge extra for those touches.

Affordable delivery, and satisfaction guaranteed

How about delivery? We were pretty amazed that we could get next-day, Saturday delivery for just $22.99. This cake company carefully packages your sweets with dry ice, ice gels, and plenty of packing so that they stay secure, using UPS as the carrier. Bake Me a Wish! guarantees that your cake will arrive fresh and on-time. If not, you'll either be given a refund of your shipping costs (if the cake is still in good condition) or a full refund (if your cake is damaged). Just let them know within 14 days of delivery to be eligible for that refund.

Thousands of 5-star reviews from delighted cake-lovers

We have absolutely nothing bad to say about Bake Me a Wish! when it comes to reputation. The bakery has an "A-” rating from the Better Business Bureau and just five complaints filed there in the last three years. Plus, with nearly 2,000 ratings for the store on Google alone, averaging a close-to-perfect 4.7 stars out of 5, Bake Me a Wish! is obviously beloved by its customers. Reviews praise the store's approach to customer service, the dependable delivery, and, of course, the delicious cakes. For more on that last point, it just takes a quick peek at the Bake Me a Wish! website to confirm it: many of the treats have thousands of 5-star reviews. (We'd be going with the Chocolate Mousse Torte Cake ourselves, with 5,600+ ratings and a 4.62-star average...)

#1 option for cake delivery

Among all of the cake delivery options on our list, Bake Me a Wish! is the easy favorite. There just isn't another bakery that can rival the selection, customer service, and reputation for right-on-time delivery and cake quality. Whether you need a cheesecake for your boss' birthday or something sweet to celebrate an anniversary, Bake Me a Wish! has you more than covered. The hardest part will be deciding which one to order first. Bake Me a Wish! earns a perfect 5-star score from us.

David's Cookies

• 10 cakes to choose from
• Options include classic layer cakes, seasonal flavors, and a deep dish cookie "cake”
• Prices range from $59.95 to $67.95
• No gluten-free options
• Shipping is $6.95 for standard and $39.95 for expedited
• Cakes have hundreds of 5-star reviews
• "A” rated by the BBB
• In business since 1979

David's Cookies began in 1979 with a focus on fresh, premium cookies and has since grown into a beloved brand offering a wide range of baked goods. Known for their delicious cheesecakes, brownies, and pastries, the company combines quality ingredients with convenient delivery options - all certified kosher by the Orthodox Union and made in their SQF-certified bakery.

Delicious and affordable

If you don't spot something in the inventory at David's Cakes that makes your mouth water, do you even have a sweet tooth? These cakes are all affordably-priced from $59.95 to $67.95, and they range from classics like carrot cake and red velvet, to colorful and fun layer cakes in rainbow colors or pink-and-blue marbling. The cakes are pre-cut and serve about 14 people. However, we didn't spot any gluten-free or vegan options here.

Hundreds of reviews on some cakes

Although there are only 10 cakes to choose from at David's Cookies, they've got a ton of positive reviews. We initially found it a little... interesting... that some of them have the exact same number of ratings (508 for the Premier Milky Caramel Galaxy Cake and the Rainbow 10” Layer Cake and the Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cake), but you can see in the reviews themselves that they're just grouped like that - and, when available, the review tells you exactly which of the cakes the comments were for.

Just $6.95 for standard delivery

David's Cookies takes great care to get their cakes delivered in great shape. They freeze them in commercial freezers immediately after baking, and they're shipped in Styrofoam coolers with ice packs. And, speaking of delivery, we appreciate that this company doesn't charge an arm and a leg for such careful packaging: you'll pay just $6.95 for standard delivery, scheduled for the date of your choosing, or $39.95 for expedited shipping. But, when we were placing our order on a Friday, standard shipping would get our cake there on Wednesday, and expedited was only a day earlier - so paying the extra $30+ might not be worth it. Just plan in advance and your cake should get there without a problem for the standard delivery cost.

You'll have to add extras on your own

You can also add a gift message during the checkout process, but it's optional. We're not going to lie - with all of the additional sweets and treats that David's Cookies sells and ships, we were surprised not to be offered any of them as an add-on while we got our order entered, but there's nothing that says you can't include them on your own.

5-star ratings in abundance

And reputation? It's all green flags for David's Cookies. The Better Business Bureau gives the bakery an "A” rating, and there were only two complaints filed with the BBB in the last three years. In the compiled ratings displayed by Google, this company has earned 5-star ratings from nearly 90% of customers, and that's spanning over 1,500 reviews. Comment after comment says that orders arrive on time, well-packaged, and fully flavorful. It's true that most of those compliments mention cookies and not cakes, but you can trust the 5-star ratings on the cakes themselves on the David's Cookies website.

Excellent choice for cake delivery

David's Cookies comes in as one of our top cake delivery services. We docked it a bit because this bakery doesn't quite have the variety of our #1 pick - fewer flavors and no gluten-free options - but there's no reason not to confidently order a cake for delivery from David's Cookies. Enjoy your treat (or the hearty thanks from your cake's recipient).

Caroline's Cakes

• Over 40 cakes to choose from
• Options include 4- and 7-layer cakes in a variety of Southern favorite, classic, and seasonal flavors
• Gluten-free cakes available
• Prices range from $70 to $100
• Shipping is $25 for UPS 2-Day Ground or $75 for UPS Next Day Air
• Can add candles, a cake stand, and birthday sprinkles
• Serving cakes for over 40 years

If you've never tried a 7-layer cake from the South, well, bless your heart. Caroline's Cakes would love to give you the chance to experience that kind of cake-y goodness for yourself. The namesake and founder, Caroline Reutter, perfected her processes in her home bakery - check out the "About” page on the website to see how she used to leave her cakes on the front porch for pickup, with customers leaving their payment in a red tin in honor-system style. Her son Richard has continued the tradition, and now Caroline's Cakes delivers throughout the US.

40 flavor choices

We're really impressed with the flavor selection at Caroline's Cakes. Some will probably be familiar to you, like red velvet, lemon, and vanilla. Others might be unfamiliar to you if you're not from the South, and still more are specialties offered just by this bakery. Take a look at this sample list of temptations:

• Caramel (7-layer): Caroline's Cakes' signature cake, it consists of yellow cake layers and caramel icing
• Hummingbird (4-layer): a spice cake layered with pineapple and banana, filled with cream cheese icing
• Sweet Potato (4-layer): a seasonal specialty with cream cheese icing
• Montana Gold (4-layer): chocolate cake and caramel icing
• Pink Champagne (4-layer): champagne-flavored cake with rosé-colored buttercream frosting

And, if you need gluten-free options, Caroline's Cakes has them. We found them on the last page of the cake listings. While none of the cakes sold here are cheap, priced from $70 to $100, they do serve 14-16 people.

Delivery is spendy but secure

How about the delivery aspect? We think it's pretty neat that Caroline's Cakes shows you a whole unboxing video right on the cakes' product pages, so you know exactly how your cake will be packaged and how to "take care of it” for optimal freshness. Cakes are shipped Monday through Thursday via UPS - and it's not cheap. Expect to pay $25 for 2-Day Ground and $75 for Next-Day Air.

Consider some extras

You'll also be able to add some gift-y features to your cake delivery. On the cake product page, you can add a cake stand, candles, or birthday sprinkles to the package for that extra touch. Once you've added the cake to your cart, you can put in a message for your recipient (including your name), and then any special delivery instructions you want the team at Caroline's Cakes to take into consideration.

Popular bakery

On the whole, customers love this bakery. With more than 1,000 store ratings on Google that average an impressive 4.8 stars, Caroline's Cakes demonstrates consistency in the quality of its treats and in the speed and accuracy of their delivery. We didn't find a listing with the Better Business Bureau, but that's not cause for concern - especially when 92% of this store's customers are giving it a 5-star rating, with comments like "Caroline's Cakes always delivers something special” and "Perfectly packed and in an airtight tin for days and weeks of enjoyment”.

Check out the cake reviews

Still not convinced? Just look at the reviews on the cakes themselves and you'll be ready to click "order now”. The classic Caramel Cake alone has over 116 reviews, with a 4.74-star average. The only complaint we ever see? "It's too sweet.” Well, as they say in the South, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

Highly recommended for cake delivery

Caroline's Cakes is one of our top choices for cake delivery - they're one of the only options on our list that specialize in cakes and in mail-order, so you know they've got their systems down pat. While you'll need to shop around a bit if a layer cake isn't what you have in mind - maybe you're thinking of a coffee cake or a fruitcake? - there's really something for everyone here. Caroline's Cakes earns a very good rating and our enthusiastic recommendation.

Harry & David

• About 50 cakes to choose from
• Wide range of options, including traditional layer cakes, ice cream cake, cake pops, and much more
• May not have gluten-free options
• Prices range from $24.99 to $105+
• Delivery fees around $19.99
• Some cakes have numerous 5-star reviews
• "A+” rated by the BBB
• In business for over 100 years

Harry & David offers a variety of gourmet foods, from their signature Royal Riviera Pears to chocolates and baked goods. Founded nearly 100 years ago, they've built a reputation for high-quality treats that are often given as gifts or enjoyed during special occasions. With a broad selection of items available for delivery across the country, they make it simple to send something tasty to someone you care about. Whether you're looking for a thoughtful gift or just want to enjoy something special, Harry & David has been a popular choice for many. They're also part of the 1 800 Flowers family of brands, so you'll spot options from many of their "sister” sites in the inventory, like Wolferman's and Shari's Berries.

Partners with many bakeries

What's really interesting to us is how many of Harry & David's cakes are sourced from other bakeries we evaluated. Not only will you see the brands in their own family, but also ones like Send A Cake and Bake Me a Wish. Just keep in mind that you might be adding a layer of customer service if you order cakes from those vendors through the Harry & David site.

Pay attention to availability

Finding the right cake here is really easy: we love that Harry & David has options that no one else does - like ice cream cakes by Carvel - and that you can use the filters to indicate your price range and occasion that you're celebrating. And, as you browse, it'll be easy to see which cakes are available to ship now and which ones have a wait. We were a little surprised to see some classic options, like a carrot cake and a confetti cake, not available for shipping until two months in the future - but with about 50 cakes to choose from on the Harry & David site, there were plenty of alternatives. As a side note, we didn't spot any offhand that were gluten-free, so you might need to buy your cake elsewhere if that's a necessity.

Check out each cake's reviews

One of Harry & David's best-selling cakes is the Ultimate Chocolate Cake. Priced at $69.99, it lands right in the middle of the cost spectrum here ($24.99 to $105+). It's a layer of brownie fudge cake and another of New York-style cheesecake, separated by a decadent fudge filling. Across 220 reviews, it averaged a fantastic 4.6 stars. Reviewers said it was a practically sinful sweet treat, and a few people mentioned that they were repeat buyers. We also like seeing that Harry & David reps take the time to respond to any less-than-favorable comments with an apology and an offer to make things right.

Watch the shipping

Pay attention to the shipping details, once you've finally chosen the right cake to send. On that Ultimate Chocolate Cake, for example, the details said that express two-day shipping was included, so only the regular shipping and processing charges would apply. That cake was fulfilled by Harry & David directly, but you may encounter differences when choosing a dessert that's coming from one of their partners. We were charged $19.99 for shipping on the chocolate cake, and it wasn't clear if it was eligible for the Celebrations Passport program: when you pay $19.99 for the first year (and $29.99 in subsequent years), you get free standard shipping across all of the brands in the 1 800 Flowers portfolio... on eligible products. Keep an eye out for that too.

Use the gift-giving tools

As you'd expect from a company that specializes in gift-giving, there are a lot of tools in the checkout process that can make your life easier - and your recipient's more joyful. You can opt for a reminder for this occasion next year, add a free gift message, or include a personalized and printed greeting card (for $4.99). We didn't spot any add-ons or upgrades when we ordered this cake, which is unusual for Harry & David: when making previous purchases, we were usually tempted with extras like Moose Munch or balloons.

Feedback is usually positive, but not always

How does Harry & David do in consumer opinion? To start, the company has an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau - which is what you'd hope to see from a retailer that's been around for over a century. Feedback is a little more mixed elsewhere, ranging from a 1.2-star average across 950 ratings on Trustpilot, up to the 4.2-star average on Google ratings that came from over 16,000 reviews. Some of the reviews left within the week leading up to this evaluation were deeply unhappy, referencing sympathy orders that not only didn't arrive in time for the memorial service, they arrived over a week later. Time and again, recent reviews expressed big-time frustration with orders that had no updated delivery info and then came well after when they were needed. In other words, you can order that birthday cake... but will it come in time for the party? That's not a given with Harry & David.

Good enough but with some room to improve

We're willing to give Harry & David an above-average rating, largely because those ratings on the individual cakes they sell are really positive. That means that at least some of the time, the cakes are arriving and they're delicious. And, this company is big enough and well-connected enough that you can expect that, sooner or later, they'll apologize and make things right in some way. On the other hand, there are several bakeries on our list who take care of all of the baking and fulfillment in-house, and they're doing a much more consistent job of getting their cakes where they need to be - on time. We'd suggest keeping Harry & David as a backup choice, but look at its higher-ranking rivals first.

We Take the Cake

• About 20 cakes to choose from
• Options include layer cakes in classic and seasonal flavors, bundt cakes, and bouquet cupcakes
• 3 gluten-free options, 1 vegan
• Prices range from $45.95 to $93.95
• Free shipping on most cakes
• "A+” rated by the BBB
• In business since 1997

We Take the Cake is a mail order bakery based in South Florida, in business since 1997. They've been featured on three Food Network shows (including Unwrapped, Road Tasted, and Challenge), and mentioned in The Miami Herald, CNN Money, Entrepreneur Magazine, and InStyle. This is one of the only cake delivery options on our list that will ship a hand-decorated, hand-mixed cake anywhere in the country.

20 flavors to choose from, including gluten-free and vegan options

So, what kinds of cakes do you have to choose from here? First off, we're happy to say that if you need a gluten-free or vegan treat, We Take the Cake has you covered. Just click on the tab for Gluten-Free and you'll find two chocolate layer cakes and a golden/vanilla layer cake, each priced at $89.95. Next, in the "regular” section (labeled "Cakes & Cupcakes”), you'll be tempted by Oprah's Favorite (yes, THAT Oprah) Key Lime Bundt Cake and several other bundt flavors for $45.95, a multitude of 4-layer cakes including Fresh Strawberry and Peanut Butter Cup for $89.95, and possibly some seasonal favorites like Christmas Ornament for $93.95. The only one that wasn't available during our visit was the Luscious Lemon 4-Layer Cake: it was sold out.

High-quality ingredients

It's very reassuring reading the ingredient lists on We Take the Cake, too. Their cakes are always made from scratch, using real butter, fresh eggs, whole milk, and so on. In other words, there won't be anything you can't pronounce. Most cakes serve about 8-10 people.

Goldbelly is just the order-taker

You may notice this bakery's affiliation with Goldbelly, a company that specializes in delivering local, gourmet goods nationwide. We weren't particularly excited to see that relationship, because we've found not-so-great things said about Goldbelly in other categories we've evaluated. So, we were very glad to get a prompt response via email from We Take the Cake: the rep explained that Goldbelly simply is the order processor for their cake orders, but they're baked and fulfilled in-house in their Ft. Lauderdale location. Whew!

Free shipping in the continental US

Another bit of good news? We Take the Cake ships just about everything for free, though you'll have a surcharge if you're sending a treat to Hawaii or Alaska. That makes these cakes very competitively-priced, given that many rivals charge an extra $10 to $60 for delivery.

Pay attention to the delivery calendar

While you can check possible delivery dates right on each cake's product page, you'll have to wait until the checkout to confirm the one you prefer. That's because orders with multiple products may not have the same availability, and you'll be given the corresponding open dates when you finalize your cart. On the triple chocolate cake that caught our eye, our recipient could get it in just two days, or on Tuesdays through Fridays in future weeks. You'll see a surcharge of $20 on Saturday deliveries, just FYI.

Gift message via email only

Also during checkout, you can add a gift message, including your recipient's email. No pricing info will be displayed on their message, and they'll only reach out if there's a delivery issue.

Customer sentiment is hot and cold

We Take the Cake has an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau, with no complaints filed there. Fantastic! But, we're a bit surprised not to see anything negative on the BBB site, because this bakery's reputation in other places (like Yelp, TripAdvisor, even its own Facebook page) has taken a few hits. We saw several photos of cakes with smashed sides, reviews describing delivered cakes that didn't taste so great, and some overall complaints about how the customer service team handled the issue (offering another delivery or a store credit instead of a refund). On the other hand, there were also quite a few compliments for these cakes, praising the taste, the on-time and damage-free delivery, and the experience of working with the bakery. It's a bit of a mixed bag for We Take the Cake, reputation-wise.

Just average among cake delivery options

All told, this bakery earns a middle-of-the-road rating for its cake delivery service. The flavor selection isn't the broadest or the narrowest we've seen out there, the customer service isn't the best or the worst, you get the idea. We Take the Cake could be an option if you don't find the dessert you're looking for from a higher-ranked cake shop on our list, but this isn't our first choice for having a treat delivered and being reasonably sure it's going to arrive in perfect condition.

Edible Arrangements

• 22 cakes to choose from
• All cakes are mini-cakes
• Options include classic cake flavors with add-ons like chocolate-covered strawberries and fruit bouquets
• Prices range from $34.99 to $187.98+
• Many options are available with 1-hour local delivery, depending on recipient's zip code
• Free next-day delivery and on future dates
• Same-day delivery just $9.99
• Can pick up online orders in store for free
• No surcharge for weekend delivery
• Lots of add-ons available in checkout

Edible Arrangements has been delivering fruit-based gifts and treats since 1999. Famous for its fresh fruit bouquets and chocolate-dipped delights, the company has expanded to include indulgent options like cheesecakes, cupcakes, and yes, cakes. With over 1,000 locations worldwide, Edible Arrangements offers same-day delivery in many areas, making it a popular choice for last-minute surprises.

Mini cakes plus extras

All of the 20+ cake options at Edible Arrangements are mini-sized, meant to be more of a celebration for one or two than a treat to serve a whole party (although EA says that the cake serves 3-5, we don't think these cakes would stretch quite that far). While their cakes are smaller than those from other bakeries, they're perfect for pairing with other goodies like fruit arrangements or chocolate-covered strawberries. And that's what you'll see as you scroll through the possibilities: it's usually a little vanilla or chocolate cake, matched with some balloons, a fruit bouquet, or even a flower arrangement.

Options for every budget

As far as prices go, you could go super-budget-friendly or extra-extravagant when you order a cake-and-more from Edible Arrangements. The least-expensive option is the Chocolate Edible Cake with Strawberries, with a starting price of $34.99 and available in an upgraded, fancy gift box for $39.99. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll find the Birthday Cake, Balloons, and Flowers Gift Bundle. It comes with a mini cake, a fruit bouquet, a bouquet of flowers, and three balloons; it's priced at $187.98.

Super-affordable whether you choose same- or next-day delivery

When you've chosen the package you want to send, you'll be asked to set a delivery date - and again, that's where Edible Arrangements shines as one of the only same- or next-day cake services on the market. After setting the date, you'll choose whether you want to order online and pick it up at your local store (which is always free), or you can opt to have it delivered. Next-day and beyond are always free, but same-day delivery is only $9.99. Impressively, Edible Arrangements offers free delivery on weekends: most rivals don't even offer Saturday or Sunday as a possibility, and when they do, you can count on there being a surcharge. Not here.

Almost two dozen upgrades on offer

As you work your way through the checkout, you'll be shown add-on options available at the Edible Arrangements store you assigned to your cake delivery. For our local shop, that included premium cookies, a teddy bear, upgraded flowers (a vase), gourmet nuts, and more, for a total of 21 choices.

Get help with your gift message

And, Edible Arrangements offers lots of help in the gifting department. Not sure what to say in your personalized, complimentary message? Just specify the occasion and click "write for me” and see if you like the sample sentiment. Want to add a personalized greeting card, maybe even with a photo? That's just $5.99.

Reputation could use some work overall

So far, so good, right? Unfortunately, Edible Arrangements doesn't have the flawless track record we'd prefer to see when choosing a cake delivery service. That includes an "F” from the Better Business Bureau for not responding to 200+ complaints filed on their site. You'll see similar feedback on Trustpilot (1.5-star average across 360+ ratings) and Yelp (2.6-star average spanning nearly 25K reviews). However, your experience with Edible Arrangements will depend almost entirely on the reliability of the location serving your cake's destination, and some individual stores have a much better reputation than the company's collected reviews (that span all 1,000 locations nationwide).

Good enough option if you need a cake delivered today

We're willing to give Edible Arrangements a somewhat tentative rating. Yes, there's a chance you could wind up disappointed if your delivery is handled by a less-than-fantastic store - but you could also have a mini cake delivered the same day, and most of the options on our list can't touch that timeframe. We would recommend looking into the reviews for the Edible Arrangement storefront that is likely to serve your recipient's area; if it checks out, and if you really need a cake to get there today or tomorrow, this could be worth a try.

Send a Cake

• About a dozen large cake flavors and eight mini cake flavors to choose from
• Large cakes fulfilled by David's Cookies
• Mini cakes available with surprise box element
• Prices range from $49.95 to $69.95
• Shipping fees around $20
• Some gluten-free and vegan options available

Send a Cake is pretty easy to understand: the company's mission is right in its name, after all. James, the owner of Send a Cake, created the business to make it easy and affordable to deliver memorable gifts that center around everyone's favorite celebratory treat.

Best-known for pop-up surprises

The first decision you need to make at Send a Cake is "large or mini?” The 3” mini cakes are the hallmark of the business - because you can order them in special surprise boxes that erupt with confetti, flying butterflies, or your choice of a bunch of other fun features (including music). It's like the ultimate pop-up birthday card... with cake! These are usually priced around $50.

About 8 mini-cake flavors

Once you've chosen which surprise style you want, you'll choose a cake flavor. The mainstay here is the chocolate chip bundt cake with fudge frosting, but for an upcharge of $5 to $15 (depending on the flavor) you could go for red velvet sparkle cake with cream cheese frosting, strawberry shortcake with an edible candy bow, a gluten-free lemon cake, a vegan carrot cake with vanilla frosting, and several other flavors.

Large cakes also offered

But, if you want to send a cake that everyone can enjoy, you'll want to look in the "Traditional Large Cakes” section of this website. Unfortunately, there are no vegan or gluten-free cakes in this section, but you can choose from traditional flavors like red velvet and chocolate fudge, something international like the Viennese Sacher torte, or celebrate Pride with a jumbo rainbow layer cake. Prices range from $56.95 to $69.95. You can also scroll down a bit further to drool over Send a Cake's cheesecakes. They carry the classics like original New York style and strawberry, but we were intrigued by flavors like mango and triple chocolate.

Shipping is reasonable but not displayed right away

How about shipping? When you go to enter the desired delivery date, you'll be able to see if any of the dates on the calendar will come with an extra $20 overnight delivery fee. On the next screen, you'll be asked if you want to add shipping protection with Route; while we're not the biggest fans of tacking this on just so customers can qualify for a refund if something goes awry (we think that ought to be a given if you're offering good customer service), it's becoming more common with smaller businesses. But, you're still going to have to work your way through several more screens of checkout - including your info, your recipient's, and the gift message you want to include - before you're told how much the delivery cost will be. On the Premier Chocolate Overload Layer Cake we picked, the "shipping and processing” fee came out to be $20. That's pretty standard for shipping a whole cake across the country, but we'd like it if Send a Cake made that more obvious upfront (since we found a few complaints from customers who felt like they wound up paying way more than they had expected by the time they checked out).

They're not the bakery

We have some concerns of our own when it comes to Send a Cake. Those first popped up when we noticed a striking similarity between the photos here and the ones on the site of another cake retailer on our list - David's Cookies. We're talking "the exact same images”. When we reached out to Send a Cake via email - who responded within the hour, which was impressive - they confirmed that David's Cookies is where their cakes come from. Essentially, Send a Cake is just a storefront serving treats from David's Cookies. But there is zero mention of that on the Send a Cake website.

Not transparent enough

From there, it moves from sins of omission (never mentioning that they're not making their own treats) to ones of commission. On the Send a Cake website, their "About Us” page says that their products are shipped from their offices in Seattle. However, the email from their representative admitted that "the actual cakes come from the Jersey store”.

BBB isn't impressed

We're not the only ones who raise a skeptical eyebrow in Send a Cake's direction. The Better Business Bureau gives the company an "F” rating for failing to respond to 27 of the 60 complaints filed against them. The reviews left on the BBB site aren't encouraging either, averaging just 1.5 out of 5 stars across nearly 50 ratings. One of the most disturbing ones we read there was from a customer trying to send a cake for what might have been her grandfather's last birthday: Send a Cake said the treat had been delivered when nothing ever arrived; if it hadn't been for the customer's purchasing additional insurance through Route, she wouldn't have been given a refund (and her grandpa still didn't get anything for his 83rd birthday...).

Still has hundreds of thousands of 5-star reviews

On the other hand, Send a Cake has a staggering 147,000 reviews on Trustpilot, and over 110,000 of them are five stars. Most of those glowing reviews are from customers who didn't go for the large cakes but rather the mini cakes in a surprise box that shoots out confetti and other decorations. Those seem to be a huge hit (although we can't confirm where the little cakes are coming from: David's Cookies or somewhere else?), and lots of people are delighted by being able to put the contents back into the box and make it "explode” all over again.

Honesty would move them higher on our list

We're not quite sure what we think about Send a Cake. It's hard for us to wholeheartedly recommend any company that isn't 100% transparent about how they're doing business, especially when they're using a big-name competitor's products and putting them out there as their own (while charging $2 to $10 more for them). And yet, over 100K 5-star reviews isn't anything we can easily overlook. All of that combines to earn Send a Cake a slightly below average rating from us, with the potential for that to improve if they ever pull back the curtain and make it clear that they're in partnership with David's Cookies for at least some of their cakes.

Magnolia Bakery

• 4 cakes to choose from: confetti, chocolate, carrot, red velvet
• Prices start at $54 to $60
• $35 for priority overnight shipping
• No gluten-free options
• Some personalization options available
• In business since 1996

Magnolia Bakery began in 1996 in NYC's West Village, featuring cakes, cookies, pies, and pudding that got everyone's attention in the neighborhood. This bakery now has locations throughout New York, one each in LA and Chicago, and even in some more far-flung locales like Qatar and India. To share their love even further, Magnolia Bakery has a tasty selection of treats that can be shipped wherever you'd like them to go.

Just 4 flavors of cake

At first glance, the selection of cakes at Magnolia Bakery seems pretty scant, especially when you set the filter to just show the options available for nationwide delivery. There are only four flavors to consider: confetti, chocolate, carrot, and red velvet. But, as you start clicking on those cakes, you'll see that the possibilities expand a bit.

2 different cake sizes

To start, the cakes come in different sizes. A 3-layer, 6” cake can serve 6 to 8 people, while the 9” version serves 25-28 (!). Amazingly, there's not a huge price difference between those sizes: using the red velvet cake as an example, the smaller version is priced at $60 and the bigger one is $85. However, not every cake size is available for nationwide delivery, so keep that in mind.

Some cakes can be customized

The next perk that Magnolia Bakery offers on its cakes that you won't find everywhere else? Customization. The options vary by cake - for example, the red velvet cake lets you add a custom inscription of up to 22 characters in the color of your choice, while the chocolate layer cake only offers "Happy Birthday” in green. Some cakes show options that aren't available for delivered cakes, though, so don't get your taste buds in a tizzy thinking you can get the cream cheese icing version of that red velvet cake; delivered versions only come with whipped vanilla icing.

Fast delivery

But, once you figure out which cake you can order and all of the customizations you'd prefer, add it to your cart so you can select a delivery date. We were impressed that we could order a cake on a Friday and have it arrive at our recipient's location by Tuesday. That's also the part of the process where you can add a gift message or skip that part.

Shipping fees are expensive

Buckle up when it comes to shipping fees: on a 6” cake, we were charged $35 for priority overnight shipping (even though it wouldn't arrive until Tuesday; we figure that means it would be baked and sent on Monday, which makes sense). That also doesn't include the $3.15 in Route shipping protection that was included by default; you can uncheck that box if you prefer, but like many small businesses, Magnolia Bakery won't cover issues with their shipping carrier without that extra insurance.

Lackluster feedback on cake delivery

How about this bakery's reputation? The company earned a "C-” from the Better Business Bureau, but it was for failing to respond to the three complaints filed with the BBB in the last three years. (Hardly a track record of abject failure...) We found plenty of love for Magnolia Bakery in other places, with lots of mentions of the store's beloved banana pudding. But cake delivery? Those comments were harder to find, and unfortunately, when we did find them, they were from disappointed customers. One person said that the cake arrived on time and in good condition, but it tasted freezer burnt. Another said that her son's birthday cake, ordered a week in advance and with special overnight shipping, never made it; as she put it, "There are no redos on birthdays. Candles can't be added to an apology.”

Doesn't spell out a guarantee

That leaves us wishing that Magnolia Bakery were a little more specific with their satisfaction policy. As it stands, it says that if you have an issue with your online order (your cake arrives in bad shape), you should reach out by email as soon as possible, and issues are handled on a case-by-case basis. That's not exactly a promise to make it right, and we're not thrilled with the email-only customer service approach either.

Not our favorite option for cake delivery

If you were ordering your cake online for local pickup, we could recommend that you give Magnolia Bakery a try. Most people who try their treats at one of their in-store locations have nothing but good things to say. However, for cake delivery, this shop only comes in with a below average score here. The flavors and sizes are more limited when shipping cakes, the delivery fees are really high, and there's not enough reassurance from Magnolia Bakery that they'll make it right if you've spent in the neighborhood of $100 to get a cake delivered and something goes wrong.

Milk Bar

• 6 cakes to choose from
• Options include layer cakes in several flavors
• Gluten-free options available
• Prices range from $62 to $140
• $15 for standard shipping, $30 to $65 for express
• Free standard shipping on orders of $100+
• In business since 2008

Milk Bar is the creation of Christina Tosi, an award-winning pastry chef profiled on the Netflix documentary series "Chef's Table”. Both her in-person Milk Bar locations and her online store are a representation of her professional training and her personal love of the home baking vibe, ranging from her signature "Compost Cookie” to Milk Bar's layer cakes with unfrosted sides. In business since 2008, this cake company delivers nationwide.

Cakes and shipping are costly

When you first visit the Milk Bar website, you might get a special offer. We found a pop-up discount of $15 off $80+ when we gave them our email address. You'll want that discount, because the cakes here are priced from $62 to $140. And, since shipping will cost you $15 if your order isn't at least $100+ (or $30 to $65 if you want to send the cake express), it's a good idea to grab any savings you can.

Limited flavors, but gluten-free available

You won't have to scroll through dozens of cakes to decide which one you'd like to send: Milk Bar only offers six or so to choose from. Good news, though: among those are some gluten-free choices if you've got someone with sensitivities. At the time of our most recent visit to the Milk Bar online store, the cake selection included Birthday Cake flavor (in both regular and gluten-free), Quadruple Chocolate, and a seasonal Pumpkin Coffee-Cake cake. That wasn't really the flavor panorama we like to see from an online cake company, if we're being honest.

Too many complaints

We're sorry to report that Milk Bar has earned an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau for failing to respond to 6 of the complaints left there. That's not a ton, but we were also unhappy to see that 30% of the 200 reviews on Google were only 1- and 2-star ratings. People complained about customer service not responding to phone calls during regular business hours (we too were sent to voicemail), cakes that didn't arrive on the day of the celebration even after paying $36 for two-day delivery, and treats that arrived dry and crumbly and seemed overpriced.

Cakes aren't worth the money

Even on the reviews posted to the Milk Bar site itself, sentiment is lukewarm at best. That 6” Quadruple Chocolate Cake we mentioned? It only had a 3.2-star average across 23 reviews; again, people complained that the cake crumbled too much when it was sliced, and one person described it as "not remarkable at all”.

Mediocre for cake delivery

Given that Milk Bar only has 6 cakes, with maybe 3-4 flavors to choose from, and they're all pretty spendy, we're not super excited about ordering here. It's not the worst cake store on the market, but it's not even close to the best.

Williams Sonoma

• About 50 cakes to choose from
• Options include traditional layer cakes, coffee cake, seasonal favorites and international treats
• Gluten-free, vegetarian, kosher, and organic options
• Free shipping with Reserve membership ($99/year)
• Standard delivery fees of up to $24

Williams Sonoma specializes in high-quality kitchenware, home furnishings, and gourmet food. Founded in 1956 in Sonoma, California, by Chuck Williams, the brand quickly became synonymous with upscale cooking and dining essentials, offering everything from professional-grade cookware to stylish dinnerware that appeal to both home cooks and professional chefs. The company also stands out for its cooking classes, exclusive product lines, and commitment to timeless design, making it a go-to destination for anyone looking to elevate their kitchen or entertain with style. And yes, they do offer cakes for delivery.

Terrific variety of cake flavors

Depending on the time of year, you'll find around 50 different cakes to choose from at Williams Sonoma. From what we can tell, the most "well-stocked” time of year is the winter holiday season, where you can get everything from Dresden Stollen with Marzipan to a "Twas the Night Before Christmas” reindeer-themed layer cake. Fortunately, this store keeps a selection of classic options year-round as well. You could opt for a two-layer tiramisu, a classic 3-layer carrot cake, or a "test kitchen” 3-layer vanilla cake any time of the year.

Prices from under $20 to nearly $180

How much will you spend on cake at Williams Sonoma? Most options are between $50 to $80. But, on the lower end of the price spectrum, we spotted Frau Helga's Stollen (serves 7) for $19.95, and some super-cute Sugar Plum Holiday Cake Pops (set of 8) for $34.95. On the other hand, if you need enough cake to feed a small army and you've got the cash to match, Williams Sonoma has several large options priced at $179.95 that can serve 16-22 people. Those include the 3-layer red velvet cake (beautifully decorated with frosting roses all the way around), 3-layer lemon blueberry cake, and even a gluten-free 3-layer chocolate cake. (This is also a good time to mention that there are gluten-free, vegetarian, kosher, and organic treats on the menu here.)

Shipping fees around $25

How about shipping costs? The only way to get free delivery is to join Williams Sonoma's Reserve service, at a price of $99/year. That will get you no-cost standard shipping for a year, a subscription to their recipes app, and four free virtual cooking classes. Otherwise, expect to see a shipping cost tacked on at the very last step of checkout; on a $179.95 cake, our shipping and processing fee was $24.

Email-only gift messages

During the first stages of the checkout process, you can check the "Add Gift Options” box if you'd like to enter a free message. Interestingly, Williams Sonoma only delivers these messages via email, "due to the types of items” (cake). No other cake retailer on our list seems to have an issue with including a printed message, so that struck us as odd. That could be due to the specific cake we chose (the 3-layer red velvet cake), because it was indicated as "vendor shipped”.

You can't set a desired delivery date

Know what else Williams Sonoma doesn't do? Give you a choice of delivery date. No matter which cake we picked, we were given an "estimated date” of about a week in the future. We're all for planning ahead, but it's not very convenient to specify an approximate timeframe when buying a treat for a special occasion. That also eliminates Williams Sonoma as an option if you want to plan way in advance: you can't schedule a future delivery here either.

No reviews on cakes here

Although we love the beautiful variety of cakes at Williams Sonoma, we have our misgivings about actually ordering one here. First off, there are absolutely no reviews on any of them - because this store doesn't have a place for shoppers to leave them. Could you imagine paying $189.95 for the Five-Layer Pumpkin Shaped Cake without having any idea if it tastes overly spiced or tends to arrive a little worse for the wear? We can't.

BBB gives them an "F” for poor delivery reputation

Cake reviews would be really helpful here, because the sentiment towards Williams Sonoma overall is negative. That starts with an "F” rating and over 3,500 complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau. In fact, the BBB points out a strong pattern: this company delivers things extremely late or not at all. That's one thing if it's a bed pillow - annoying at best. But when it's a birthday cake? Not acceptable.

Food doesn't arrive on time for important events

We even searched through the 300+ reviews left on Trustpilot (which average a sad 1.3 stars out of 5, by the way) for references to "cake” and even just "food”. The vibe? "Never buy food from them. They ruined our Christmas.” People ordering well in advance of major holidays were left with a table full of guests and no food to serve them.

Don't order your cake here

Bottom line? Williams Sonoma advertises beautiful cakes... that may not ever be delivered. Instead of getting your taste buds working and your hopes up by browsing their website, you'd do better to skip this company and order from a higher-ranking rival (and maybe one that specializes in cakes). Williams Sonoma is almost guaranteed to leave you disappointed.