The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Cake makes everything better – fact. Eager to try some of the best cake shops in town –the few that are rather away from Cairo’s never-ending cupcake craze—we headed to Zamalek’s cosy bakery and cake specialist, Cake Café.

Cornered in a side street next to Gezira Sporting Club, Cake Café has maintained its small two-storey space, with the ground floor housing few seats and an impressive cake display showcasing what’s on the menu; the upper floor, meanwhile, has a more homely  feel, thanks in part to its small library of books and board games display.  

With an impressive collection of cakes, cookies, cupcakes and cocktails –think pumpkin ginger cake, chocolate fudge, Oreo cheesecake, pecan tarts and chocolate chip cookies— it took us some time to settle on what we’ll opt for; especially that many of the items we aimed for – including the pineapple-banana spiced Hummingbird Cake and Pumpkin Ginger Cake– were not available at the time of our visit. 

We instead went with Apple Cinnamon Cake (32LE) and Zucchini Carrot Cake (32LE) alongside two cocktails; Kiwi Splash (32LE) and Green Banana (32LE).

Starting with the apple cinnamon cake, we loved the cinnamon kick that hit with every bite, but by far the best thing about was how soft, and fluffy it, was – a sign of freshness and, more significantly, the skill that has cemented the venue as one of the best and most enduring in Zamalek.

Unfortunately, the zucchini carrot cake didn’t fare as well. Firstly, there was an imbalance of flavours; the ginger was overwhelming and it was overall dry in texture, despite the presence of a moist component like zucchini the flavourful, if a little too strong, cream cheese crust.

Our cocktails were, surprisingly, what stole the show, boasting refreshing flavours and spot-on chunky consistency. Bursting with fruity flavours, the kiwi splash was a mixture of mild grape, complimented by the sweeter flavour of the kiwi, while the green banana cocktail was just as good, with an overpowering banana flavour concealing the kiwi kick.   

Our visit to Cake Café wasn’t without fault, but there’s a reason that it has been steady ship throughout the years, even with the influx of ‘concept bakeries’, if you will and baked-good-trends (we’re looking at you, cupcake). On Facebook, you’ll find Cake Café using the words ‘simple’ and ‘elegant’ – and that’s exactly what you get here. The efforts of Cake Café are channelled into the kitchen and not gimmicks and fads.