Holland Village has changed quite a bit over the years.
Some of the old names have disappeared, and the Lorong Liput stretch now feels like it is constantly introducing another café, like Six Hands, Cafe Idaki and Joy Cake.
Yup, Joy Cake is one of the newer arrivals, occupying a street-level unit between familiar eateries (next to Hiang Ji Roasted Meat & Noodle House).
There is even a “dog parking” sign by the entrance, which may be one of the more literal ways to announce that a café is pet-friendly on the outside.
Joy Cake is founded by pastry chef Nikita, whose pastry experience spans more than 16 years and includes time in Beijing and Europe.
The counter reflects that background, with rows of Basque Cheesecakes, Tiramisu, puddings and elaborately decorated whole cakes.
The cakes are undeniably pretty. Some customers seem to come specifically for its Tiramisu Collection, featuring Classic Italian Tiramisu ($15), Mango Passionfruit Tiramisu ($16) and Berry Manor Tiramisu ($18).
There is also a selection of Basque Cheesecakes in flavours such as Vanilla & Calamansi ($14), Classic Blueberry ($14), Pineapple Coconut ($14), Coconut Latte ($14) and Cinnamon Apple ($14).
Prices seem to be a notch higher than the usual.
I went for the recommended Dark Chocolate Blueberry Crème Brûlée Cake ($12), which came with dark chocolate sponge, blueberry mousse, custard and fresh berries, finished with piped cream and a caramelised crème brûlée layer.
There were parts I liked. The chocolate sponge was soft, while the blueberry brought enough tartness.
However, the cream-to-cake proportion felt rather generous, and I would have preferred the chocolate flavour to come through more prominently.
The Madagascar Vanilla Caramel Pudding ($12) had a smooth, delicate wobble, with visible specks of Madagascar vanilla and a caramel sauce that brought some welcome bitterness.
The drinks menu has a rather interesting theme called The Six Chapters of Life, with names such as First Encounter ($10), Reunion ($9), Delight ($10), Together ($9), Quiet Joy ($9) and Return to Essence ($8.50 hot, $9 iced).
I ordered Together ($9), an Orange Vienna Latte made with espresso, milk, cream and orange zest.
The citrus fragrance worked well with the coffee, though I also thought there was slightly too much cream for this cup.
Joy Cake catches the eye with pretty bakes, though a little fine-tuning to the cream balance would elevate the cakes and drinks more. I will be back to try the other cakes.
Joy Cake
25A Lorong Liput, Singapore 277735
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
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