The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers

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Review

324 reviews

#51 of 2,244 Restaurants in Indianapolis$$ - $$$, Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

+1 317-257-2253+ Add website

Hours

Sun

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Mon

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Tue

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Wed

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Thu

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Fri

11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Sat

11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

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Ratings and reviews

4.5

324 reviews

#51 of 2,244 Restaurants in Indianapolis

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

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Women-owned

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PRICE RANGE

$5.00 – $30.00

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

6515 Carrollton Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220-1616

Broad Ripple

+1 317-257-2253

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Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?

Yes

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Women-owned

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About

When you arrive you walk through French doors, sparkling chandeliers over head, antiqued mirrors, French inspired furniture, beautiful seasonal decorations, gorgeous cakes on French porcelain platters topped with glass domes. Gwendolyn's shops offer the most incredible experience from ‘The Best Quiche You Will Ever Have’ to homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, even a true French Croque Monsieur. Behind the kitchen window you can see the master bakers gently sieving non-bromated flours from Vermont, there are large pots of French & Belgian Chocolate melting on the stove, cakes baking in the ovens and decorators frosting the most exquisite cakes. Gwendolyn’s Cake Bake Shop's have become the destination of Indiana for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and all the special occasions life offers. 'Dream it, Do it'-Marty Sklar.

PRICE RANGE

$5.00 – $30.00

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks

FEATURES

Delivery, Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Dog Friendly, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

324 reviews

Excellent

208

Very good

Average

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Terrible

Jillnthefort

Fort Wayne55 contributions

Simply Amazing in Every Way!

Sep 2021 • none

This was my second visit to The Cake Bake Shop. Both were borderline magical. This particular trip was for business. The 10 of us dined in a private room suitable for up to 10 people. It was as lovely as the main dining area and gave us the privacy we desired. The service was awesome. We felt our server was dedicated to our group the entire time we were there. We shared the charcuterie board that was served on a tiered round server. See picture below. I had the caprese sandwich w/ small side of arugula salad w/ lemon vinaigrette dressing. I've tried to copy the dressing at home. I don't see the caprese sandwich on the online menu, so it might be seasonal. On my first trip I had the broccoli quiche. Both the sandwich and quiche were delicious. The quiche crust was as good as the quiche itself. They know pastry! I loved the Pixi Fetti Cake so much the first visit that I couldn't help but get it again this time. The frosting is indescribable and I like anything with almond extract. It's also pretty as can be. See the picture below. So many items are available for purchase and what an amazing story about the founder. Pictures are plastered all over the falls with she and tons of celebrities. If you have a special young lady in your life or are looking for a fun girlfriends day trip, this is worth the money and drive. We travelled 2 hours just for lunch. I could go on and on.

Written October 5, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Debra B

8 contributions

Good brunch/Scrumptious Deserts

Feb 2020 • friends

Sandwiches were fair. Cucumber had the best flavor. Chocolate cake was my favorite. My absolute favorite at other places is Carrot. But, Cake Bake removes raisins and nuts, whut? Red Velvet frosting is good. Served gluten free chocolate cake (not pictured) but friend said it was the best she's ever had! From the Bakery to go, I got dream bars, lemon bar and a slice of key lime. All 3 were mouth watering delicious. Thankfully I don't live near. Could easily be my go to calorie break down moments more than I'd like. I'd probably create a reason or two.....

Written February 29, 2020

Khow34

1 contribution

Stale macarons

May 2022 • couples

I live in northern indiana and have visited the Carmel location many times. My boyfriend had other business in the broad ripple area so i was so excited to visit this location. My boyfriend has never had “the cake bake “ experience and it happened to be my birthday so we visited around mid afternoon. I purchased my usual, a slice of cake and several macarons, i wanted to try each flavor you had available that day. This was all purchased “to go”. We arrived home about 2 hrs later, and the macarons were extremely stale. They were so hard, we couldn't eat them. I was devastated. I will still visit as often as i am able too, because I've had the macarons in the past and i know how yummy they can be. Im only typing this to bring awareness so this doesn't happen to me or anyone else again…not sure if there is a way to check for freshness. Thank you for reading this.

Written May 6, 2022

Queli K

4 contributions

Nice place but. ..

Sep 2020 • family

We were a party of 9 and our waiter was no where to be found. We were sat in an area that was partially opened it was was so hot I was surprised no one asked if it was okay since it seemed like they had indoor seating available. I ordered a drink and never received it however it did appear on the bill and I would have asked the waiter but once more, no where to be found. 15 mins after our meals arrived we had to wave him down to let him know we never got silverware. Service was so slow and we were not checked on frequently. We were there for 3 hours. Then instead of asking us how we'd like our check we recieved one large check and once we told him it was supposed to be divided, credit cards were charged incorrectly and multiple times (refunded). My fiancé almost choked on a piece of plastic that he found inside of his apple pie luckily they removed the cost from the check. We had been looking into coming to this place for a year to celebrate a birthday and nonetheless it was very disappointing. My family is very forgiving and tipped more than what was suggested but I believe you work for your tips. Don't let that large tip make you think service was great because they understand you have bills to pay.

Written September 13, 2020

gwendolynrogers

Dear Queli, Thank you for leaving us your feedback from your visit. We apologize we did not exceed your expectations that day! We would love to have the opportunity to discuss this with you further and renew your faith in us. Would you be willing to either call us at (317) 253-CAKE or email cake@thecakebakeshop.com so we can put in contact with our General Manager? Thank you!

Written September 15, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lindsay

Cincinnati11 contributions

Save your money, only go for desert

Oct 2020 • family

Waited a month for my reservation and I have a lot of feedback. First and foremost, we ordered over 6 different slices of cakes and none of them tasted fresh, though they were delicious. The food was way over priced, baked items such as bread were delicious- the crab cakes were 18$ for one, and had the consistency of canned tuna- I didn’t even finish it. I got the green goddess salad and it was missing toppings it was supposed to come with and tasted just OK- my friend paid $34 for the salmon and barely touched it. She had a fly in her coffee, the first glass of wine I ordered cost $15 and was spoiled because it was expired. With all these issues that were beyond our control, the waiter didn’t really offer us any damage control for the poor experience. All in all before tip the bill for 3 of us was $400. The food here is seriously seriously seriously overpriced. I eat at a lot of 5 star places and this is not a 5 star restaurant. The ambiance is beautiful and the treats are very good, but it’s quite obvious the famous Gwendolyn is not baking these cakes and they are not made fresh. This place is overrated for the price and the wait to get in. You pay for the experience, my daughter felt really special. But it’s not worth the money to go back or visit regularly.

Written October 19, 2020

Lad2971

23 contributions

Did not live up to expectations

Feb 2020 • couples

I have several friends who have visited and all with positive reviews. My husband and I visited yesterday. We got a piece of cake and coffees to go. The piece of cake was small, not large like I have seen in other pictures. It was also a bit dry, not moist at all. The s’mores mocha latte did not have much flavor and was Luke warm when served. For the $28 we spent it was not worth the hype.

Written February 10, 2020

Lol

1 contribution

Just wow.

Jan 2020 • family

I took my brother there for his birthday it was. 2 hour drive. We got the cakes it was 15 dollars per slice. The bakery was amazing with great Decore we tried the cake and it was extremely dry. It wasn’t worth it at all. I’m surprised Oprah even comes here to eat a dry cake. This was false advertising on your part. Suggested by some friends but they probably never even had any of it. It was dry as a bone like I’m serious. DRY AS A BONE.

Written January 2, 2020

Nicole B.

2 contributions

Horrible Customer Service and Lackluster Product

Oct 2020 • none

The customer service I received at this establishment was by far some of the worst I've ever experienced, especially for one of this caliber. I believe Gwendolyn is resting on her laurels to keep people filing through the door. Quality of product is by far subpar and continues to dwindle as this business gains more notoriety. The cake slices have become thin and dry. The workers there are rude and brusque. The magic of the atmosphere has lost its wonderment as the things that make a good business last have been thrown out the window for superficial acclaim.

Written September 19, 2021

Lynne G

Fishers6 contributions

Go for the decor, not the food

Sep 2021 • family

I was super excited to try Cake Bake after all the hype. The decor is over the top fairy land magical and all the decor details were spot on. The food though, not so much. I ordered the quiche and soup. The quiche was a huge slice but it had been heated up under a warmer and the top was carmelized/charred like a toasted marshmallow. The pastry crust was tough and shattered when you cut into it. The tomato soup tasted like Campbell’s tomato soup made with water-thin and acidic. We looked at all of the desserts on offer but chose to pass based on the poor quality of the meal. I wasn’t up for the risk of spending $17 for a slice of cake that looks pretty but might be mediocre. I won’t be back.

Written September 14, 2021

Sphillippe2@gmail.com

Carmel1 contribution

Datenight

Aug 2020 • none

What a disappointment. We will never go again. It was crowded, noisy, and simply wasn't an environment that was inviting or welcoming. Food was unremarkable, in fact was so worried the desert would not be good, I ordered ice cream, thinking they couldn't mess that up too badly. All in all, I would give it a two out of ten. Uniforms were in keeping with an earlier period, nonetheless, didn't compensate for everything else that was out of sync.

Written September 2, 2020

renee b

Fort Wayne2 contributions

Disappointed

Mar 2020 • couples

I was excited to share these desserts with my husband whom has never had their cake. We got our selections to go, as we were staying at a hotel very close to the shop in Broad Ripple. He ordered the salted caramel cake. The cake was dry but he did enjoy the frosting. I ordered the coconut cream pie. The filling was good but the crust was very tough and rubbery. I guess I should have stayed with cake. For almost $45, I expected to be more impressed and satisfied.

Written March 8, 2020

Kimberly R

1 contribution

Disappointed

Feb 2023 • friends

Positives: Dainty decor, and our waiter (Austin) was very attentive. The warm baguette that came with the soup was very good. The soup was okay. Negatives: Seating was extremely cramped and too close to other diners. We had a 1:00 reservation and they were out of quiche. If everything is freshly made it should have been available. The food was pretty bland. The Turkey-Gruyère sandwich looked like thin slices of lunch meat and a thin slice of cheese. The Cavapatti did not have much flavor either. We each took a slice of cake home, and I had the Tiramisu which is seasonal. The only taste was a vanilla sponge type cake. There was no coffee or cocoa taste, and while the icing was a delicate creamy texture, again, it had little taste. The tab for a pasta dish, a sandwich, two cups of soup, and two slices of cake was $ 111.00 including tip. For that amount I expect better tasting food, and with a small menu everything should be available and made fresh on site.

Written February 4, 2023

Lindsay D

Indianapolis1 contribution

Cake Not at All Worth It However...

Sep 2020 • none

The atmosphere was adorable. I felt like I was at Walt Disney World. The adult version of Cinderella’s Castle. The sparkling lavender lemonade was exquisite. The Avocado toast appetizer was so unique and yummy. The quiche was perfectly fluffy and moist. The fancy ham sandwich was amazing. The millionaire cake, the Oprah mint cake and the cookie dough cakes were dry. The cookie dough, yummy, not cake part but dough part. The cookie on top of my slice was a slightly salty, in a good way, chocolate chip cookie. The frosting on the cookie dough cake over time tasted more and more like slightly flavored whipped butter. I would totally return for atmosphere, drinks, apps, entrees and go anywhere else for dessert.

Written September 12, 2020

Bob W

14 contributions

Save your money and go elsewhere!

Aug 2023 • family

Absolutely a waste of money. My family of 5 went here due to all of the hype. We purchased the carrot cake, lemon blueberry cake, apple crumble and a chocolate chip cookie. We knew it was expensive so the $70 tab didn't bother us. What did bother us was how mediocre all of us thought of the desserts. The cookie was supposedly rate as the best chocolate chip cookie in all 50 states. Absolutely not. It honestly wouldn't be in my top 10. The apple crumble was overwhelmed by the cardamom leaving a horrible aftertaste. The carrot and blueberry were simply underwhelming. Overall, we won't be coming back as the price to quality ratio is simply not worth it.

Written August 5, 2023

Susan B

30 contributions

A Magical Experience

May 2024 • family

I have to wonder if some of the "bad" reviews were made competitors, as I cannot even fathom what would prompt such bad press for the Cake Bake Shop. We visited on the Friday night of Race Week, and we did have a reservation for four. The Cake Bake Shop is in a smaller renovated home in a neighborhood in the Broadripple area of Indianapolis. It is very cute and quaint outside, and absolutely magical on the inside! I am not a real "girly girl," but I loved it! White table cloths, nice silverware, lots of soft twinkling lights, and whimsical decor. It is NOT a large space, so I would not think that you would expect to seat a large group together in the restaurant area. It was raining, so we did not check out the patio. The seating was comfortable, the service was impeccable (Lilia) and the food amazingly good. It is a classy place, please don't show up in flip flops and tank tops! Two of us had quiche, and it was the tastiest I have ever had. The crust (which I usually shun) was delightful and full of flavor. The sandwiches ordered and consumed were also delicious. Now, on to the desserts-every bit as wonderful to eat as they are to look at-and they are beautiful. We had Neapolitan Cake, Blueberry Lemon Cake and French Silk Pie-all outstanding. The pieces of cake are three layers and generous. Yes, we paid $17 for a piece of cake, but I LOVE cake and was prepared to do so. I have no regrets, and I look forward to eating more cake here! This is a perfect place for tea and dessert, a small birthday party or bridal shower, or a nice dinner and dessert. I do not feel it is a place to take small children or babies, as there just isn't room. I would not have liked to listen to a crying baby or loud toddlers while in here. Did I say I would go back? Yes, yes, I will go back. We talked about our adventure in cakeland all the next day, so like a good movie, the experience keeps popping up in our minds.