Elizabeth Beekley's Palace Cakes Now Open Downtown

Grid View

[All photos: Avila, 9/3/13]

Layer-cakery Palace Cakes is the result of Elizabeth Beekley's craving for a slice of good old-fashioned yellow cake with chocolate buttercream. The co-owner of Two Tarts knew she wasn't alone, so she branched out from diminutive cookies and launched Palace Cakes to bring layer cakes made with real butter to the masses.

For a year, her creations were only available as whole cakes by special order. But last spring she found a space on the western edge of downtown where her new venture could have a home base and she could offer her goods by the slice. And with its open kitchen and big street-side window, the new shop, which opened today, allows Beekley to chat with customers while she's working the oven.

The space has powder blue walls, vintage cake stands and carriers, tea cups and bud vases, and menu items include chocolate chiffon cake with mocha buttercream, spicy triple ginger cake with crunchy candied ginger topping, French-pressed Courier Coffee, and tea from Jasmine Pearl. Beekley says each day five or so cakes will be available by the slice for around $5, with a couple others available as whole cakes for around $36. Expect classics like carrot cake made with pureed carrots, snowy coconut cake made with toasted-coconut-infused cream, and a towering streusel-topped morning coffee cake studded with fresh fruit. For cupcake lovers, she even offers a few of her cakes as dome-shaped "buckies."

The selection changes regularly and some of the buttercreams are seasonal. Right now a lemon chiffon cake is frosted in a gorgeous, purple-hued blackberry buttercream. Expect peach and plum to rotate through before fall sets in for good.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, though Beekley says she might open earlier if her breakfast cakes take off.
—Danielle Centoni
· Palace Cakes [Official Site]
· All Previous Palace Cakes Coverage [-EPDX-]