DAAN GO CAKE LAB

During the past year, while we haven’t been able to celebrate in person, my favourite way to connect with family and friends has been with dessert. A surprise cake or box of macarons delivered on a birthday or anniversary has been a treat to send and receive. While we’ve tried a variety of bakeries in York and Peel region, Daan Go Cake Lab is my favourite. Their online ordering system is easy to use and they were one of the first bakeries to offer delivery options. My friends and I have sent dozens of their character macarons between us all.

Daan Go’s new online store offers a variety of their signature cakes, whole and slices, different box sizes of macarons, cookies and even their new bottled drinks! I like being able to pick each macaron flavour in a box or choose assorted. Delivery windows are 3 hour time slots and the shipping cost is calculated by distance. Our house is a bit far from their Scarborough location, so for Alivia’s birthday I ordered macarons to be delivered to my in-law’s house in Markham. In-store pickup is also an option.

So far, in addition to their macarons, we’ve tried the Matcha Crepe Cake, 3:15 Hong Kong Milk Tea Cake and Strawberry Shortcake (an in-store exclusive). Alivia loves the character macarons, in addition to being adorable, they’re airy and all of the flavours are delicious without being overly sweet. With the cute designs though, it is sometimes impossible to guess the flavour without referencing the picture booklet (where seasonal or special flavours aren’t always included). It’s not an issue for me, but challenging when we are trying to avoid certain eczema triggers for Alivia. There’s currently 19 flavours available, from Asian inspired ones like Black Sesame and Hong Kong Milk Tea to classics such as Salted Caramel and Pistachio.

The Matcha Crepe cake was divine. Stacked perfectly with layers of light cream rich in matcha flavour, this cake reminded me of my love for this delicate and labour intensive dessert. Stephen used to bring me back slices of Lady M regularly when he worked in Boston. Until we can travel again, Daan Go’s crepe cake (matcha and Thai milk tea flavour) is a great indulgent treat.

Overall, I loved how the desserts at Daan Go are decadent yet light, aesthetically adorable and well priced. I can’t wait for their new Richmond Hill location to open this summer to try out even more of their signature cakes. Tiramisu, Peach Garden, 24K Mango, I need more birthdays in a year.