Cake World Bakery
Oreja
Concha
Carrot Cake
Tres Leches
Last visited two years prior Cake World Bakery continues doing good business in DTLV, the Panaderia at 220 North Maryland Parkway flying well below Las Vegas’ PR-driven radar despite being located at that same address for over two decades.
Not to be mistaken with the similarly named Cake World on North Tenaya Way, the focus of both spaces on Mexican Pan Dulce and custom-orders but entirely unrelated, Cake World Bakery is owned and operated by Juan Castenada who immigrated from Guanajuato in 1959, the son of a baker eventually picking up the family trade after a couple of career changes and never looking back after opening the single-story blue shop in 2002.
Certainly not a part of town frequented by tourists or even middle-class locals, though the slow gentrification of East Fremont including the likes of nearby PublicUS has created a cultural shift that makes the small Bakery’s barred windows seem a bit overly-cautious, guests entering Cake World Bakery will immediately find themselves greeted by either Juan or one of his family members, a pair of racks decked out in Pastries separating seating from the kitchen while chillers reside to the right full of Cakes and Beverages.
More English-fluent than other Panaderia in town, both in person and over the phone, it was after several minutes indecision that an order was arranged in addition to two Birthday Cakes for separate occasions.
Inexpensive as those familiar with such places might anticipate, a half-dozen Pan Dulce and the two Cakes tallying just $65, it was home that items were cut and tasted, the Concha starting things off and better than any other in Las Vegas while Elephant Ears crackle with Butter beneath caramelized Sugar.
Saving the Cakes for last, Carrot with Raisins beneath Cream Cheese Frosting dense and moist, fans will be happy to know that Chef Castenada’s many years in the business have yielded a textbook Tres Leches recipe that arrives soaking-wet while maintaining textural complexity thanks to smooth Custard between layers of Cake and the addition of chopped Strawberries.
www.cakeworld1.com