Layer Cake Bakery
4250 Barranca Parkway
Suite I
Irvine, CA 92604
layercakebakery.com
Ordered:
Red Velvet Cupcake
Turkey & Cheese Croissant
Blondie
Chocolate Eclair
Review:
I rarely go this far into Irvine, but was prompted to visit Layer Cake Bakery once I found out it was one of the only places around that sold blondies. “Great!,” I thought, “I don’t have to look for parking in LA.”
Layer Cake Bakery sits at the heart of Stonecreek Plaza, nestled between Pho Bac and Tapioca Express. On nice days, you will see people enjoying light lunches at any of the creepy Irvine Company tables laid out front.
Exterior:
The inside of the bakery is very nice, too. Clean, uncluttered, generally peaceful on the afternoon I went. There is a large glass case displaying some smaller cakes, cake slices, etc. Next to the case, you will find other baked goods that don’t need refrigeration (double chocolate cookies, biscotti, and blondies) Behind the cash register is a limited but attractive lunch menu consisting of sandwiches, teas, and salads. We ordered some sweets, and a croissant to go.
Red Velvet Cupcake:
The Red Velvet Cupcake was moist, and topped off with a generous swirl of eggy swiss meringue cream cheese buttercream. If buttercream is your thing, then you will appreciate that they use real butter. If you are looking for something lighter and more subtle, you may want to stick with a traditional French bakery. Layer Cake is definitely more American.
Turkey & Cheese Croissant:
The Turkey & Cheese Croissant was our favorite. The cashier toasted it up to perfection for us, which was very nice of her. I’m not sure what kind of cheese they used (will call and update that soon), but it was very creamy and melted beautifully. It may have been a combination of different cheeses, as the mixture was mild (but not tasteless like some lower quality swiss varieties can be) and a tad sweet.
Close-up of Turkey & Cheese Croissant:
Would have liked to get a bit more turkey, but still very good. Don’t know if I will drive all the way out here again any time soon, but if I do, the Turkey & Cheese Croissant will probably be on my list.
Blondie:
The Blondie was the whole reason for my coming out there. I was pretty disappointed in it. It was hard and crusty, but overwhelmingly sweet in the middle. Also it was not in a bar shape, but baked individually in a paper lining that resembled the shape of a disposable coffee filter. Kind of hard to eat. I took one bite, and put it away. It is probably around my kitchen somewhere unless it’s been thrown out.
Chocolate Eclair:
The Chocolate Eclair was kinda iffy, as well. The chocolate shell had a nice snap to it, but was unpleasantly thick. Also, they either cooked their egg yolks during the process of making pastry cream or overcooked the pastry cream itself. The result was a very thick cream with chunks in it.
In conclusion, Layer Cake Bakery is on-and-off. I would come back here for lunch if I find myself in the area. I don’t think I will be coming back for baked goods simply because I am looking for something more spot-on.
Rating:
5.5 out of 10 spoonfuls
Value:
$
Did you ever find out what type of cheese was in the turkey and cheese croissants? I have been looking for a recipe or someone who knows for so long and no one knows.
According to them, it is mozzarella. Hope that helps!