“Cake is happiness! If you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness!”
– C. JoyBell C.
Memories are made of cake. Particularly the cakes that punctuated our childhoods. We whip cake out at celebrations, occasions. Milestones. Despite the fact that the types of cakes that exist in the world are seemingly endless we all had essentially the same few cakes. Swiss rolls. Bob The Builder Cake. Caterpillar Cake. Black Forest Gateaux. Ice Cream Cake. Fresh Cream Cakes. Butterfly Cakes. Fairy Cakes. Rice Krispie Cakes. And, weirdly, Mini Rolls and Jaffa Cakes. Those cakes, apart from the obvious M&S ones, all probably came from an old school bakery. Your local one. Back in the days when every estate (or neighbourhood if you’re posh) had a local butcher, baker, grocer. Before the Spar/Mace/Centra-ification of popping to the shops.
Maybe I’m waxing nostalgic here but Before Dublin dove headfirst into modern third wave coffee and new wave Viennoiserie/Panetteria/Boulangerie culture, we had our own distinct school of baked goods. Cream buns, cream slices, cream doughnuts, coffee slices (with cream, of course), and éclairs brimming with fresh cream were the cornerstones of this tradition. Apple tarts, jammy cream doughnuts, gingerbread men, scones, and bakewell tarts were equally emblematic.
These bakeries are the ones where you got your birthday cake. These are the places you and your Ma’ would go to cheer you up after the dentist, the doctor, or after your parent teacher meeting. These are the spots you grew up going to with your nan after mass. Or as a treat with your aunt after getting your school shoes. These are the spots where you and your cousins would run riot while your ma’s caught up. These places still exist. They’re still damn good. Here’s some of the best in the business right now:
8. Country Bake,
Dalkey
No gimmicks, no nonsense, just solid, honest-to-the-deity-of-your-choice baking.A fixture in Dalkey, Country Bake upholds this cream forward baked tradition while being surrounded by more new wave movers and shakers showing that these different school of thought and tradition can coexist peacefully and prosperously. Their cream cakes are legendary, and their Too Good to Go bag is much sought after among the local youth. Everything is made with fresh Irish dairy and served with a generous dollop of cream and jam. Whether it’s a classic cream slice or a jam-filled sponge, every bite is a reminder of a time when baking was about care and craft, not just convenience. This small but mighty bakery has been a go-to for locals and day-trippers alike, offering that rare combination of quality and charm that seems increasingly hard to find.
Go For: The Victoria Sponge is required eating here.
7. The Bread Shop
Oldbawn shopping centre, Tallaght
The Bread Shop stands as a bulwark against the homogenization of taste. Nestled in the heart of Tallaght it has been a cornerstone of the local community for years. cornerstone of the local community for years. This is old school recipes with old school charm that embody a time when community wasn’t a marketing slogan. Their Gur cakes, in particular, are a testament to their dedication to quality, taste and damn fine tradition.
Go For: A Gur Cake
6. Anne’s Bakery
North Earl Street & Mary Street
Since 1974, Ann’s Bakery has been a stalwart fixture on Mary Street; it’s a rite of passage for a particular genre of Dubliner. A taste of inner city culture that you could blink and miss. Known for its traditional recipes, excellent value and personal touch. Their eclairs are filled to the brim with rich, fresh cream, while their sponge cakes boast a light and fluffy texture that melts in your mouth. The cafeteria style encapsulates a sort of 80s Dublin that money can’t buy. The tea is actually good, plus they don’t skimp on the butter or the jam. They’ll always help a last minute lassie out with a ‘Happy Birthday Dad’ and make you feel less shit about yourself for forgetting to order it in advance.
Go For: Quite possibly the best banoffee pie of your whole entire life
5. Mannings Bakery
Thomas Street, Tallaght, Blanchardstown
Classic as they come, Manning’s is a family bakery that came to life on Thomas Street in the fifties. Slinging top notch occasion confectionery for over 60 years, this is quintessential Irish baked goods at their best. While they are oldschool they’re not compeltely unchanged. They move a little with the times wihtout sacrificing their sense of self. Grrowth in a good way that includes a bit of pistyachio cream from time to time. With locations in Thomas Street, Blanchardstown, and Tallaght, this family-owned bakery has become synonymous with quality and tradition. As anyone who has ever tasted one of their buns will tell you; they taste pretty damn good and always served with traditional Dublin hospitality.
Go For: A slice of the cake of your choice and a damn good cuppa
4. Catherine’s Bakery
Meath Street
Situated on Meath Street in the historic Liberties area, Catherine’s Bakery is beloved in the way only long running local spots can be. It’s a daily ritual for many locals to get their cake and cuppa and has been, long before the internet birthed ‘sweet treat’ culture. Their commitment to tradition, quality and community is evident in every cake they offer. Catherine’s Bakery is heritage, wholesome and quintessentially Dublin.
Go For: A French Fansy that will make you feel so loved you might heal your relationship with your inner child.
3. Clarke’s Bakery
New Cabra Road
This place is the stuff of legend. It’s a cornerstone of Dublin’s collective memory. Anyone who grew up in the catchment area has a story about this spot. Anyone who has ever just poppied in to see what all the fuss is about has never been let down. Clarke’s Bakery has garnered a reputation for its delectable baked goods and friendly service. Weather intentional or subconscious Clarke’s is a defiant stand against the erasure of character in Dublin 7. They do all the classics and have regulars with weekly orders. On top of all the creamy goodness come Pancake Tuesday they serve lemon and sugar classics that would transport ya back to 1996 and running amok with your mates on the last day before lent.
Go For: To be a part of the intergenerational fabric of Dublin and a bag of scones.
2. Thunders Bakery
Swords, Santry, Phibsbrough, Drumchondra, Donaghmede, Coolock, Clontarf, Crumlin
Thunders is a dark horse of a Bakery. It stormed onto the mean streets of Dublin in the summer of 1969 and has since become an icon. For many, it’s the birthplace of their first birthday cake, a tradition that transcends generations. Their cream cakes, rich and unpretentious. Founded by Mr. & Mrs. Thunder, the bakery began with a single shop in Upper Drumcondra and expanded over the decades. This is another one that’s not immune to a bit of growth. They were one of the first to adopt red velvet cake when it was risisng and you’ll also find a bit of Biscoff if you dive deep enough; but they don’t neglect their cream slcies for the sake of a little trend. With 8 locations across Dublin they have become a Dublin example that proves expansion doesn’t have to come at the cost of authenticity.
Go For: Thunders ‘Buns in the Oven’ set which is actually 6 cakes for €22.
1.Phoenix Bakery
16 Baggot Road Dublin 7
This is a golden treasure. Something I’d have called a hidden gem if that term hadn’t been co-opted by the internet and lost all meaning. This is an independent locally owned and operated bakery with everything they make fresh in house by the team every morning.
This is the bakery of my youth. I think if you lined up all the cream cakes in Ireland I could pick this one out with my eyes closed. So I am incredibly biased, but I am not steering you wrong.
They’re a cash only business but sure all adventurous girls(businesses) do (don’t take card). There’s a sense of self and security that comes from a legacy business being cashless. They don’t need the tap,tap,tap of new business they are secure in their place in the world, in their locals, in the ATM machine next door. The policy is a charming defiance in an increasingly digital world. This place hasn’t changed an iota since my youth. In the best possible way. Phoenix Bakery remains a comforting constant, a reminder that some things are perfect just as they are.
Go For: Their OG cream cake and a transcendent experience.
Dublin may have embraced sourdough, laminated pastries, and patisserie-level desserts, but its love for fresh cream cakes endures. These bakeries not only offer delicious cream cakes but also serve as custodians of Dublin’s rich baking heritage, ensuring that traditional flavours and methods continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.
