Cakewalk in Berlin, Germany: Vegan Sweets and Major Treats from Two Cake Gumshoes

 

Recently, not one but two of our favorite people went to Berlin on separate occasions: Melisser, perhaps better known as the Urban Housewife (visit her site now!), was able to report back on the vegan baked good scene (though for the nonvegans, some of the establishments listed below have dairy options as well); below that, Cake Gumshoe Bridget weighs in on her thoughts on Berlin's overall baked good scene in her signature sweet style. Here's what they saw and tasted on some seriously delicious-sounding trips:

Cakewalk in Berlin Part 1: Seeking Vegan Sweetness in Berlin
By Cake Gumshoe Melisser

Berlin is a big city known more for its sausages than Vegan-friendly sweets, but after a bit of sleuthing I'm happy to report there's many places to get your dessert on with no animal products involved! From Prenzlauer Berg to Friedrichshain, then down in to Kreuzberg, take a walk down vegan lane in vibrant Berlin, Germany!

(Cakespy Note: The following are arranged from West to East, with the route that you might walk in mind)

Maja's Deli: Adorable cow banners declaring, "Holy Cow, it's Vegan!" hang from sunny yellow walls, while tulips in bottles adorn every table. This tiny all vegan cafe serves delicious food, but also has a large rotating selection for baked goods coming fresh from the kitchen all day. Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, brownies, & tarts: they're all there! While I can't recommend the cheesecake, the Apple Raspberry cake I had was lovely & many of the other baked goods looked to die for! Maja's Deli, Pappelallee 11, 10437, Berlin; online at majas-deli.de.

Hans Wurst Vegancafe: Just a few blocks from Maja's, Hans Wurst scraps the sunny vibe in favor of a sleek one with hardwood floors, large windows, & modern seating. While the main focus is on 100% organic, 100% vegan food, Chocolate Mousse & other desserts are available daily. Hans Wurst Vegancafe, Dunckerstrasse 2a, 10437, Berlin; online at hanswurstvegancafe.blogspot.com.

Cupcake: A dreamy retro styled bakery in Friedrichshain, Cupcake is one of the most gorgeous cupcake shops you'll find anywhere! The owner Dawn is an American gal who moved overseas & opened her shop, the first of its kind in Berlin! A daily rotating Vegan cupcake or two is available alongside the non-veg versions. Additionally, they've been known to have vegan pie! To wash everything down, grab yourself some soy milk or coffee with soy. We still think about the awesome Chocolate cupcake with fluffy Peanut Butter buttercream; so dreamy! Cupcake, Krossener Strasse 12, 10245, Berlin; online at cupcakeberlin.de.

Caramello Eis: Not feeling like baked goods? How about some vegan ice cream? Caramello Eis will cure your craving with a large selection of fruit flavors or options made with soy milk such as Latte Macchiato, Hazelnut, or Walnut! Just be sure to ask which options are vegan, so you get what you came for! Caramello Eis, Wühlischstraße 32, 10245, Berlin; online at caramello-eis.de.

Cakespy Note: We know that sometimes you need something savory to work up an appetite for cake--if that's the case, Melisser says run, don't walk, to Vöner, located at Boxhagenerstr. 56 for some Seitan Döner fresh from a rotating grill placed in freshly baked bread filled with veggies & spicy sauce! 

Veni Vidi Vegi: An absolutely animal-product-free haven for vegans! Veni Vidi Vegi is a small, all vegan grocery store with tons of sweets & other goods for sale! Here you'll find the Nutella-like spread Chocoreale, White Chocolate bars, Rice Milk Chocolate bars, Gummies, cookies, brownies, & other prepackaged delights. They also have a freezer with lots of vegan ice cream bars & pints. Be prepared, they only accept cash. Veni Vidi Vegi, Pücklerstr. 32, 10997, Berlin; online at veganladen.de.

Yellow Sunshine: Known as a vegetarian & vegan fast food spot, amongst the veg*n burgers & seitan currywurst you'll find options for your sweet tooth as well! Tiramisu is made in house daily, although it's not always ready when you are, so call ahead if you're insistent on consuming it. They also have chocolate & caramel soy puddings, plus other grab & go sweets. It's a great place for a quick bite before heading next door to Wild At Heart to catch a band or a beer (or both)! Yellow Sunshine, Wiener Straße 19, 10999, Berlin; online at yellow-sunshine.com.

Cakewalk in Berlin, Part 2: A Love Letter to the Baked Goods of Berlin  

by Cake Gumshoe Bridget

What do you think of when you hear Germany? Schnitzel? Steins of Bier? Well, that's what I thought too until I arrived in Berlin where the air is filled sweetness and the streets are paved in chocolate. Okay, so I may be exaggerating a tad, but Berlin is Germany's hidden treasure trove of pastries and sweets. Bakeries line cobble stone streets offering every sweet you can imagine. From the Berliner Doughnut (a chocolate creme and black cherry jam filled pastry) to the Apfelstrudel, an almost sickly-sweet flaky pastry with caramel apple filling. But heed my advice and bring a friend along to share because all of the sweets that I came across were of unearthly proportions. On my second day in Berlin feeling fatigued from the Fredrichstrasse boutique-y shopping district and in need of a afternoon pick me up I stumbled across a baby blue building with a sign reading Cupcake Bakery (not to be confused with Cupcake from above). To my surprise the cupcake trend has gone transatlantic. Inside the bakery looked like a scene from a fairytale, pastel colored plates and bowls and baking ingredients filled the shelves and a pleasantly plump woman behind the counter with a toothy smile. After a few minutes of awkward translations I walked out with a chocolate cupcake with pink frosting and a Tobias, a chocolate German ale, which the woman insisted I have. Beer and chocolate? I was a bit skeptical but after my first bite along with a sip of Tobias I couldn't remember a time when I thought beer and chocolate didn't go together. Moral of the story? Next time you take a trip to Germany skip the Oktoberfest and go straight for the pastries.

Sweet advice indeed. 

Comments

[Lina]

delicious cupcakes for me to eat all over the world!

[The Caked Crusader]

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGH!
Why did I look at this when I'm feeling soooo hungry??? I am a fool....

[Celine]

ich definitely want to be a Berliner now!

[C.L.]

Oh YEAH! Germany is definately a foodie paradise. My family and I would visit there every summer when we lived in Italy a few years back and it is Heaven! I think we all gained at least 10 lbs by the end of our visits...but it was worth EVERY calorie! Thanks for the walk down memory lane. You guys rock :)

[VeggieGirl]

Ah yes, Melisser's recent trip to Berlin was filled with LOTS of deliciousness; and I also enjoyed reading about Cake Gumshoe Bridget's take on the "sweet scene," as well - so much goodness!

[Aran]

Another delicious "espionage" report. I love taking a peek in people's kitchens and I particularly love the glass jar display in Cupcake Bakery. Soooo cute!

[glamah16]

AHHH your going global. Im my travels this year I too will be on the lookout for your guys.Seitan Doner sounds interesting. I like regular Doner.Its the spice that makes it good.

[Vegan_Noodle]

My list of bakeries around the world is growing!! I loved Berlin the last time I was there, but would love it even more now with vegan cupcakes and a seitan doner!!

[EB]

I LOVE that a cupcake chic from the US pulled a pioneer move and opened up a shop. Very cool.

[E.A. Aleksandroff, alias GT]

Wow! Seriously, wow! Thanks for such an awesome herbivore-friendly Cakewalk! The peanut butter-chocolate cupcake sounds to die for, but that apple pie looks great too!

[Deborah]

Although I don't have a trip planned or anything, I would love to go to Berlin one day. Now you are giving me more reasons to want to go!

[cakewardrobe]

You're so lucky! You're like Carmen Sandiego for Cupcakes!

[Jessy and her dog Winnie]

Yum! Im hungry for cupcakes!

[Jade Is Green!]

Oh yum. Rest assured if I ever visit Berlin these will be on the 'to do' list. But skip the Oktoberfest?! Skip BEER? You my friend are crazy. Crazy as a narwhal...and I mean LOOK at those things...they're pretty crazy.

[Octavine Illustration]

i have family friends going to berlin for the year very soon...i'm sure they will greatly appreciate this post i will be sending them!~ and i love the illustration up top.

[CupcakeLady]

One day I have got to check out Berlin. Man, I wish I took some cupcake pics when I went to Paris last year.
:(

[Cakespy]

Lina: Yea! Cupcakes and pastries EVERYWHERE!

Caked Crusader: Yes, you're a fool! This site is tooth numbingly sweet, you should never come when you're hungry!

Celine: Me too!! I am so jealous of both of them!

C.L.: Lucky you!! If you're gonna gain weight, it's best to have it gained in such a way--sweet, creamy, delightful baked goods.



Veggiegirl: Don't you just despise them both?? Or at least want to have been stowed in their luggage? :-)

Aran: yes, I am jealous of both of their awesome trips! Sounds like quite the place for pastry lovers!

Glamah16: Interesting note about the spices! So true, I'm sure that even NON vegetarians / vegans might enjoy the seitan version!


Vegan Noodle: yeah, so many awesome new places to visit next time!!

EB: I agree--finally an export we can be proud of! :-)

GT: yeah, it all pretty much sounds awesome to me!

Deborah: you must! And you're so much closer than the CS headquarters in Seattle!!

Cakewardrobe: Where in the World is Matt Lauer? PSHAW! Where in the world is Cakespy!

Jessy: Go get one!

Jade: I concur. That was my little sis Bridget speaking--I say there must be some allowances. Pastries first, but don't SKIP Oktoberfest! :-)

Octavine: ooh!! Have so much fun!! Can't wait to hear what inspires you there!

Cupcakelady: Oh well, I think I see a good reason for you to go back!!

[Christina]

Yummy! The cupcakes look perfect!

[Ricki]

Who'd have thought so many vegan options existed in Berlin?? Great review--those choc/PB buttercream cupcakes look amazing!

[edamame]

Your site is the devil in my heart to have a big impact on power. Devil whispered to me. Mmm that you sweetly what to eat when you put the results, I'm fighting the devil I resign. Yes, I was in the diet....(T_T)
From Japan
http://food-soybean.blogspot.com/

[Grace]

veni vidi vegi = one of the most clever names ever.

what's this apfelstrudel and why have i been oblivious to its presence? it sounds fantastic. i hope i don't have to get myself to berlin to try some...

[diva@theSugarBar]

hello there! i just discovered your blog. all the pictures are awesome. i'm going to link you, if you don't mind :) will be back for sure.x

[katiez]

I've been wanting to go to Berlin...
Now I REALLY want to go to Berlin!

[noble pig]

I am always hungry when I leave here for sweets!

[familiabencomo]

You know.... Now that *this* is your full-time job, you can expense a trip to Berlin (or anywhere for that matter!!!) - it's a tax write-off. Let me know if you need to "hire" someone to carry your luggage ;). The best part about pastries abroad is that they have a unique foreign (duh!) flavor & you walk so much during the day that there is no guilt attached to these little sweets.

Great post, thank you, dear.

xoxox Amy