Two Little Red Hens Bakery

Two Little Red Hens Bakery
2nd Avenue just south of 86th Street

Need an awesome birthday cake in a pinch? How about three awesome cakes, for a 77-year-old, a 68-year-old, and a 2-year old, needed for a party at 3pm on a Saturday, and it's now just after 1pm? If you find yourself in a similar scenario, head on over to Two Little Red Hens bakery. In a word - Awesome! Their cakes are great, small, so beautifully decorated, in a ton of various flavors.

The space is small and cozy and busy, but not so busy that you can't breathe. My DH sat in the car outside waiting for me, and commented on how many people came in and out of the shop. Despite its busy-ness, the service I got was prompt and wonderfully attentive, as they patiently listed for me the variety of choices, even spending extra time in the back to find the cake flavor I whimsically asked for. Upon settling for three specific flavors (almond, strawberry shortcake, and gooey chocolate) I was shown a couple different versions of each cake so as to pick the "best" one. I was given ample warning that the strawberry shortcake was a day old, and when I went ahead and took it (I was desperate and my untrained eye saw nothing amiss) they gave it to me for half price. They inscripted each one beautifully, with the properly spelled names and appropriately matching/contrasting colors, packaged each one up with a white cardboard box and old fashioned string - despite the 30 minute car ride home they stayed in perfect condition, no frosting mushes on the side of the cakes.

And the taste? Awesome, again! All of them! The chocolate was a huge hit, I found the strawberry shortcake amazing and fresh despite its alleged old age, and while I did not fawn over the almond cake, most everyone else did (the taste was compared to marzipan, and the marzipan fans loved it while the marzipan-haters quietly shunned it). The true NYrs who attended the party gave the indirect thumbs up when they asked "Where did you get the cakes? Where is it located, what's the name?" and filing the info away for future reference.

Another note on the staff, all of whom were incredibly friendly and happy and smiling sincerely as if they really liked their jobs. That in turn made all the customers smiley and happy and glad to be there despite the mild chaos. Most customers did not go for the cakes but were buying the other baked goods - cinnamon rolls, crumb coffee cakes, large cookies, cupcakes.

The only criticism (and I had to think for a minute to find one) was the small space that gets crowded with merely five people in the space (not counting the seating area). Great space, great staff and service, great tasting and looking sweets - what is not to like??