The Best Carrot Cake in Toronto

If the Easter bunny had a favourite cake, we’d be willing to bet it’s carrot. In honour of the holiday, Mark McEwan puts everyone’s favourite vegetable-based cake to the test.

So don’t let self-isolation stop you from enjoying some sweets this upcoming weekend. Many of these spots are offering some form of takeout or delivery, including Bakerbots, Grodzinski’s and Harbord Bakery — so make sure to call ahead to place an order.

“I could eat the whole thing,” said McEwan, adding that this winning cake scored big in all categories. His first-choice cake nailed the key elements with its excellent icing, flavourful cake base and lovely, flower-like presentatin. 205 Delaware Ave., $32 for six-inch
McEwan felt that this cake was slightly overbaked and tasted a bit dry as a result. He added, however, that the icing and spices were on point for a classic carrot cake, and so he chose it as his runner-up. 1875 Leslie St., Unit 21, $30.95 for eight-inch
McEwan praised the texture, flavour and presentation of this cake. He mentioned that the icing tasted more like a buttercream than the classic cream cheese, and therefore felt that this cake missed the mark slightly as quintessential carrot cake. 3347 Yonge St., $55 for six-inch
McEwan complimented the beautiful presentation of this cake. He felt it couldn’t win the competition, however, because it didn’t taste like a traditional carrot cake. “If you were to close your eyes, you wouldn’t detect it to be carrot cake,” said McEwan. 1970 Avenue Rd., $50 for 10-inch
McEwan said that this cake’s actual flavour wasn’t nearly as pronounced as its bold, colourful frosting might suggest. Although he said the taste could use more punch, McEwan noted that its texture was pleasantly moist and tender. 1118 Centre St, Unit 3, $25 for eight-inch
McEwan said this cake had “very good icing,” as well as nice texture and flavour. The cake lost points for presentation, however, with McEwan mentioning that it looked too plain and the frosting wasn’t neatly decorated. 115 Harbord St., $22.80 for seven-inch