Best places for cake in Manchester

If you want to snag a snack from Pollen, you’ll need to move quickly. This bakery has had people queuing up, enchanted by the sweet scent of sourdough, from the moment it opened its doors at New Islington Marina. While most famous for its croissant-muffin hybrid ‘cruffins’ and sourdough loaves that can be found in independent restaurants everywhere, Pollen has a huge selection of treats, including cupcakes, pastries and cinnamon buns, with flavours constantly changing every week. Think Mulled Plum and Almond Tart or Spicy Apple Crumble Cake. And these cakes are so fresh that once they’re sold out, Pollen closes its doors for the day – job done.

What do you get when you cross a cocktail bar with a chocolatier? Cocoa Cabana is a quirky café by day, bar by night serving up a delicious selection of truffles and treats from the heart of Ancoats. This venue has a reputation as a chocolate lover’s haven, serving handmade chocolates, cakes and an incredible 25 different flavours of hot chocolate. The cake display is everything you’d expect from the creators behind the decadent Chocolate Afternoon Tea – pastel-coloured creations line the countertop waiting to be sliced for eager guests. We hear they’ll even make your birthday cake if you ask nicely.

Everyone knows Tib Street, the famous Northern Quarter strip dotted with vintage shops, boutiques and quintessential Mancunian businesses – Northern Flower florist, Matt and Phred’s jazz club and Butcher’s Quarter to name just a few. Tucked away on Tib Street since 2017, Siop Shop is a bright and airy café, owned by superstar bakers Blawd and famous for its coffee and doughnuts. Is a doughnut a cake? We’re not sure, but the feathery pillows of dough are delicious. The self-declared ‘souped-up Greggs’ has a range of eclectic doughnut flavours, including Mince Pie and PB&J, alongside the classic raspberry jam and vanilla custard. Often vegan and always tasty, they make the perfect sugary companion to Siop Shop’s punchy coffee, sourced from local roasters.

While a tapas restaurant might not be the natural choice when it comes to scoring a slice in Manchester, La Bandera offers an impressive dessert menu that would put any café to shame. The family-run restaurant, inspired by the Canary Islands, prides itself on the freshest ingredients. This is possibly the only eatery in Manchester where you can finish a Mediterranean spread of prawns, chorizo, squid ink croquettes and patatas bravas with a slab of triple chocolate cake. There are also the likes of baby Nutella doughnuts, oven-baked banana cheesecake and the firm Spanish favourite, churros. Our only advice? Always save room for dessert.