If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake!

Actually, we're not baking because we know that there are so many great bakeries close by. We all know that SusieCakes, Hansen's, Sweet Lady Jane, and Porto's are great places to get great cakes, but if you're looking for something different and amazing, check out these five bakeries.

Vanilla Bake Shop

512 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401 310.458.6644 vanillabakeshop.com

Amy & Jeremy Berman create cupcakes, decorated specialty cakes, seasonal items, cookies, icebox desserts, tarts, cakepops, doughnuts, and our favorite category: elopement cakes. Decadent flavors, elegant styles...but what we really want, having been married for years to gorgeous women, is the wedding cake sampler gift box. This and a bottle of Veuve could be date night.

Top Tier Treats

11511 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064 310.478.1971 toptiertreats.com

Formerly Jamaica's Cakes, (Jamaica Crist, we were wondering where you went!) Top Tier has conventional and vegan options, plus a great espresso bar and amazing cinnamon rolls. But we digress...we love the cakes and the amazing decorations. They also have cupcakes, cookies, pies, cheesecakes, and more. The vegan cakes come in 12 different flavors, or you can build your own--special order these even if you aren't vegan, because they're worth it.

Lido Bakery

3001 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 310.545.8955 lidobakery.com

Ernesto Valenzuela started Lido Bakery with his mother, Evelinda. Together, we had a dream of bringing back what had become a rarity: the neighborhood bakery and they never looked back. Of course the cakes are amazing, but they also have killer tarts and pies. We have trouble keeping our hands off of the wedding cookies and the cream cheese puffs.

Cake Monkey

Mid City, 7807 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036 323.932.1142 cakemonkey.com

"Enjoy life, eat cake." is the perfect tagline for this place. Their signature mini layer cakes are perfect single serving things of beauty, making it easy for us to order a bunch of different flavors, including gluten-free and vegan cakes that might just turn you. Yes, they do full size cakes as well and can make any wedding into a dessert-fest. Also, they a special something called the cakewich that is a must try.

House Of Gluten

To order: houseofgluten@gmail.com houseofgluten.minimartapp.com

House of Gluten is a cottage bakery in Glendale, CA, run by pastry chef Hannah Ziskin, formerly M. Georgina's pastry chef. When the pandemic hit and the restaurant closed, she started baking in her home. Listen to these flavors: Wildflower Honey + Slow Roasted Peach + Peach Leaf, Olive Oil + Passionfruit + Bay Leaf, Carrot + Toasted Pecan + Cream Cheese, Strawberry + Sherry + Vanilla Bean! It's a tiny menu, but if you've ever tried Hannah's creations, you know it's special and magical.

If you’re still humming that tune, here’s the Lawrence Welk Lennon Sisters’ version. {CLICK HERE}