Continuing on from our feature on cakes that make your WFH and stay-in dining sweeter (click here for Part 1, where we feature true-blue cake-makers), we cast the spotlight on these three here that can more than make it with their bakes: a bona-fide Heritage Brand that’s been around since the 1920s, a “fruity” and “tarty” Japanese pâtisserie, and a homegrown cafe that’s “nuts” about healthy and allergy-friendly food.
Polar Puffs & Cakes
There are very simple reasons why this SG bakery chain is beloved amongst young and old, with some 30-plus outlets found all across the isle: It’s affordable, familiar, ever-dependable and consistently delish pastries and cakes, of which there are supposedly some 100-plus varieties of confectioneries. A few brief facts about it, just FYI: The biz was founded by one Chan Hinky in 1926; was known as Polar Café at 51 High Street, one where the politicians, lawyers and businessmen used to hang out at way back when; it opened its second outlet only in December 1986; and was renamed Polar Puffs & Cakes only as recently as 1995!
Have your cake and eat these:
If you ask someone what their faves at Polar Puffs & Cakes are, it would most likely be its Curry Puffs ($2), Custard Puffs ($1.40) and Sugar Rolls ($1.30 for a slice), preferably the ones with extra sugar sprinkled on top. If you haven’t tried any of them, you have been missing out on a taste of pure nostalgia. – so just go buy ’em, stat. For the kids, they would so-go-crazy over the character-themed cakes (from $4.20 for a mini), that feature cutesy characters such as the Minions, DC superheroes, Doraemon, Hello Kitty and more; the bakery offers such a mind-boggling range of creations in different designs and sizes, that your child will be absolutely spoilt for choice. But, our (completely subjective and biased) reco would be its Old Polar cake ($41.40) that’s currently only available online. Made of light sponge, buttercream and jam, it’s an old-school sweetmeat that ought to be regarded as the brand’s secret signature cake.
Polar Puffs & Cakes, multiple locations, polarpuffs-cakes.com; www.facebook.com/Polar.Puffs.Cakes
BONUS: SAFRA members receive 10% off with minimum spend of $10 at Polar Puffs & Cakes. Click here for more information.
Fruit Paradise
This dessert specialist may be known for its fruit tarts, but it does offer a smaller but no less yummy selection of cakes. Besides, we ought not discriminate against all sorts of sweet treats – if it looks like a cake, smells like a cake and tastes like a cake, it’s a cake (self-justification 101). Anyway, the Japanese pâtisserie’s fruit tarts are essentially lightly sweetened cream topped with fruits on a crumbly crust/base. They are freshly-made every day, free of additives and preservatives, and – the top reason why they are so popular – look so vibrant and gorge, that they are Insta-perfect works of edible art in themselves.
Have your cake and eat these:
As mentioned, Fruit Paradise’s speciality are fruit tarts, and of their extensive range, it promotes the Mixed Fruits Tart (it has 9 different fruits, including grapefruit, kiwi fruit and green apples, on it) and Mango Tart (all from $64 for a 19cm tart to $95 for a 23cm tart) as its best best-sellers, with slices going for $10. What else deserves your love: its Chocolate Banana Tart that has thick slices of bananas and almond sprinkles on a chocolate base, and its newest creation, the Lychee Rose Tart, a Mother’s Day special that’s made of strawberries, berry mousse, lychee rose cream, custard mousse and lychee. As for cakes, it offers an Original Cheesecake ($70 for a 20cm cake) and a chestnut-flavoured Mont Blanc cake (from $64 for a 19cm cake to $95 for a 23cm cake). But, the best of both worlds (tarts and cakes) in one are its Zuccotto Cakes (Mixed Fruits, Mango Strawberry and Banana Caramel; all from $95 for a 23cm cake), large mounds of soft and creamy sponge cake top-loaded with lots and lots of fruits.
Fruit Paradise, multiple locations, fruitparadise.com.sg; www.facebook.com/fruitparadise.singapore
BONUS: SAFRA members receive 10% off à la carte menu at Fruit Paradise. Click here for more information.
The Oatberry Café
What this is: A plant-based eatery first opened in 2019 by Oatberry, a local brand founded by a husband & wife team to promote nutritious, healthy, all-natural and vegan, granola and oats products that are especially beneficial for folk with multiple food allergies (the products are made to be allergy-friendly, too). But, you won’t just find granola and oats here. The café serves a variety of organic açaí bowls, sourdough toasts, salads, vegan smoothies and speciality coffees, and can provide vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, peanut-free, and allium-free options, too (no promises, but the cafe staff will try their best-est to accommodate). And yes, it has a tasty cake for the dessert-craved, too.
Have your cake and eat these:
At the moment, it offers this one cake: Açaí Celebration GF Cake ($45 for a half-sized and $89 for a full-sized). And, because it is lovingly handcrafted with health in mind, it is free of gluten, dairy, egg, peanut, soy and artificial sugar, and is also vegan. But, it doesn’t mean that it’s taste-free. The 12-inch cake features organic açaí sorbet on an Oatberry Original Gluten-Free Granola crust that’s made with vegan butter, and is topped with fresh fruits such as kiwi fruit, strawberries and berries. What’s more, the café also offers complimentary Oatberry Original Gluten-Free Granola topping and side portions of coconut chia seed pudding and pure macadamia butter if you want that extra yummy-yummy for your tummy.
The Oatberry Café, multiple locations, www.oatberrycafe.com/en_SG; www.facebook.com/theoatberry
BONUS: Father’s Day Special – SAFRA members receive 15% off Açaí Celebration GF Cake at The Oatberry Café. Click here for more information.
