Any friends called Elaine here? “Elaine, Elaine, Elaine… You know they’re gonna get you” (Okay, unless you are of a certain era, you probably won’t know this song. Back to topic…)
I assumed Elaine Bakery was named after, well, Elaine. Turns out there is no Elaine. According to the person serving me, the name is actually a combination of the owner’s wife’s and child’s names.
So, there goes my theory of sister Elaine baking cakes somewhere at the back.
Elaine Bakery & Cafe is a relatively new cake café at 18 Cross Street (neighbours with The Test Kitchen), focusing mainly on chiffon cakes, fresh cream and fruit combinations.
(The style reminds me of those offered by Vicbakery at One-North Eden and Joy Cake at Holland Village.)
The shop itself is compact, with most of the attention naturally going towards the cake display, while only three small tables with two seats each are available for those who want to eat in.
The full cake range sounds considerably large, with flavours such as Taro Mochi ($12), Jasmine Shine Muscat ($12), Black Sesame Nuage ($12), Matcha Yuzu Reverie ($12), Berry Nocturne ($12), Pineapple Bliss ($11), Lychee Lumière ($11) and Pandan Éclat ($11).
HOWEVER, I was told that the sliced cakes are offered on rotation, usually with around three flavours available each day, and by the time I arrived there were only two left.
So the Lychee Lumière ($11) and Pandan Éclat ($11) effectively chose themselves.
Between the two, I preferred the Lychee Lumière, which came with vanilla chiffon, cream and fresh fruit including lychee, strawberry and grape.
The chiffon was soft and light, while I have always found lychee to work well with light cakes, with its familiar, perfumed fruitiness. A pleasant, easy-going slice.
The Pandan Éclat ($11) also sounded promising to me on paper, combining pandan chiffon with coconut panna cotta and fruit.
The sponge itself was light, and there was that familiar pandan-coconut pairing underneath, though I thought there was quite a lot of cream going on (actually, on the Lychee Lumière too).
After a few bites, some of the pandan fragrance became less distinct beneath all that creaminess, and I would personally have preferred a little less of it so the pandan could come through more clearly.
That said, this probably comes down to what you look for in this style of cake. Those who enjoy generous layers of fresh cream may have fewer complaints.
Drinks are kept relatively straightforward, with Americano, Latte and Cappuccino at $4, alongside options such as Berry Bliss ($6.50), Avocado Banana ($6.50), Premium Jasmine Passionfruit ($5.20), Green Apple Plum Cooler ($5.20) and Black Sesame Latte ($5.90).
There are also cookies if you want something smaller rather than committing to an $11 slice of cake.
Remember that Elaine has only six seats in total. Come with five friends and there is a reasonable chance somebody may be eating cake standing up.
Elaine Bakery & Cafe
18 Cross Street #01-14, Singapore 048423
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 6:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun
Other Related Entries
The Test Kitchen (Cross Street Exchange)
Vicbakery (One-North Eden)
CAKEBAR (Novena Square 2)
Baker’s Gym (NEWest)
Joy Cake (Holland Village)
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