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Flavors

Cake Flavors and Fillings, Chosen for the Occasion

A summer garden reception and a January birthday do not want the same cake. Start with the menu below, then I'll help you narrow it down. Select flavors come gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan.

Flavors & Fillings

The menu

Every cake is tasted and approved before it leaves the studio. Pair any flavor with any filling, or ask us to develop something specifically for your day. For a gluten free, dairy free or vegan cake, the flavor and the filling both have to be available in that option.

Signature Cake Flavors

Almond
most popular weddingavailable GF · DF · V
Caramel Swirl
Champagne
available GF · DF
Chocolate
Chocolate Chip
available GF
Coconut
available GF · DF · V
Cookies & Cream
available GF
Lemon
available GF · DF
Marble
Orange Velvet
available GF · DF · V
Pink Champagne
available GF · DF
Red Velvet
Snickerdoodle
available GF · DF
Strawberry Swirl
available DF · V
Tiramisu
Tres Leches
Vanilla Sprinkle
most popular kids partyavailable GF
Very Vanilla
available GF · DF · V
White Chocolate
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut

Special Order (additional fees): Apple Spice, Carrot, Gingerbread and Pumpkin White Chocolate

Fillings (Cake Only)

Almond Cream
available GF · DF · V
Bavarian Cream
available GF
Buttercream
available GF · DF · V
Chocolate Bavarian Cream
Chocolate Buttercream
available GF · DF · V
Chocolate Hazelnut
available GF
Cinnamon Sugar Crunch
Coconut Pecan
Cookies & Cream
available GF
Cream Cheese
Dulce De Leche
Espresso
available GF · DF · V
Honey Drizzle
available GF · DF
Lemon Curd
available GF · DF · V
Mint Chocolate Chip
Mixed Berry Cream Cheese
Orange Cream
Peanut Butter
available GF · DF · V
Raspberry
available GF · DF · V
Salted Caramel Drizzle
Strawberry
available GF · DF · V
White Chocolate Chunk
GF · DF · Vegan
Available on request

Fillings are for cakes only. Adding a filling to cupcakes is an additional charge.

Special Order (additional fees): Cherry and Mango

More than one filling per cake is an additional cost.

GF available gluten free · DF available dairy free · V available vegan. Each is a separate modification and they cannot be combined. See the gluten free, dairy free and vegan menu.

A cake that looks right and tastes ordinary has failed. Flavor gets the same attention here as the design does, and nothing leaves the studio untasted.

Every flavor is chosen alongside its filling rather than picked off two separate lists. That is the part people underestimate — a lemon cake is a different cake depending on whether it meets lemon curd or raspberry cream, and the pairing is a design decision as much as the tiers are.

If you have a flavor in mind that is not on the list, say so in your inquiry. Custom flavor development is part of the service rather than an upcharge, and it is one of the better parts of ordering a cake that was made for you.

How we think about flavor

Our Flavor Philosophy

A few things we hold to.

Complex Yet Harmonious: A flavor should not be one note. You might taste the chocolate first, then the vanilla behind it, then the butter — all of it working together rather than competing for attention.

Balanced with Sweetness: The best cake in the room is rarely the sweetest. We balance sweetness against bitterness in chocolate, tartness in fruit, or spice in the specialty flavors, which is what keeps a cake from wearing out after two bites.

Aligned with Fillings: Each cake flavor is considered next to its filling options rather than after them.

Memorable: Your cake should be remembered for how it tasted as much as how it looked. Guests linger over it, ask what is in it, and do not quite manage to reproduce it at home.

This is also where we sometimes say no. Some combinations sound good in theory and do not work in practice, or will not hold up in the format you need, and we would rather tell you before the day than after.

The Classics, Done Properly

Any studio can chase a novelty flavor. Executing the classics well is the harder test.

Vanilla Cake is a classic for a reason — a soft, balanced crumb and a clean flavor people remember from childhood. It is also the most flexible base we have, which is why it sits under so many designs.

Chocolate Cake is built for richness without heaviness, and can be taken darker or lighter depending on what the rest of the cake is doing.

Carrot Cake is warm-spiced and properly moist, with or without nuts. Sophisticated rather than aggressively spiced.

Each of these can be made gluten-free or vegan without giving up the texture that makes it worth ordering.

Custom Flavor Development

Share any flavor preferences in your inquiry, along with inspiration photos or a description of what you are after. We confirm what is available and match the cake and filling options to your design and your event.

Frequently asked

How many flavors can my tiered cake have?

A tiered cake from Marin Cake Studio can carry a single flavor throughout or a different flavor in each tier. Many clients use the tiers to offer variety — vanilla in one, chocolate in another.

What filling works best with my cake flavor?

Marin Cake Studio recommends filling pairings based on the cake flavor you choose. Lemon cake works with lemon curd or raspberry cream; chocolate takes salted caramel or espresso; almond pairs with almond cream or mixed berry. Ask for a recommendation and we will suggest two or three that suit the design as well as the taste.

How ordering works

The practical part, up front

Lead time

2 weeks typical

To reserve

50% deposit holds your date

Pickup

1545 4th Street, Suite C · San Rafael

Serving

Marin County · San Francisco · Napa · Sonoma

Most orders are booked about two weeks out. If your date is sooner than that, get in touch anyway — we sometimes have room.

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