This Old-School Bakery At East Street Makes The Best Chocolate Cakes In Town

If you’ve grown up in Pune, chances are you’ve had to have eaten a Cake-n-Counter cake – either at your own birthday, or someone else’s. Here’s a little more info on one of the city’s best cakeries.

Passionate about baking since a young age, Vinita D’Souza started baking out of her home in 1981, taking orders for cakes. She studied a course at the Food Craft Institute in Pune, before opening her own shop – Cake-n-Counter – in 1986. From fancy three-tiered wedding cakes with handcrafted flowers {made out of royal icing} to cartoon-themed birthday cakes and scrumptious pastries, Cake-n-Counter has done it all. It’s been over 30 years since, and though they’ve it scaled back a bit, their cakes are just as heavenly as ever.

From luscious chocolate cakes, walnut-chocolate cakes, black forest, rich coffee cake, and pineapple chiffon – there are plenty of favourites to choose from. Everything is baked fresh daily, in their bakery above the shopfront. Vinita says she might retire soon, but will keep baking for as long as she is able to. We say, get your hands on her cakes ASAP! The rich chocolate cake with buttercream frosting is to-die-for. These may not be like the modern cakes you see at new bakeries, but they are deliciously full of love, character, and memories.

One-pound {starting at Rs. 380 per 455gms} and single slice pastries {Rs. 70} are available at the shop, daily. The cakes stay fresh for 24hrs at room temperature, and for upto a week if refrigerated {if you don’t devour them instantly, that is}. They do not make eggless cakes, and a non-refundable advance of 50% of the whole cost is payable on all orders. You would need to order a day or two in advance, and pick up the cake from the shop itself, as they don’t do delivery. The shop is in a small lane connecting East Street and MG Road, around the corner from 1000 Oaks.