Fancy Cakes by Leslie
4939 Elm St, Bethesda, MD, 20814
Fancy Cakes by Leslie Menu
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Address :
4939 Elm St
Bethesda, MD, 20814 - Phone (301) 652-9390
- Website https://www.fancycakesbyleslie.com/index.html
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 10:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Delivery : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
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Thai T.
My first time there yesterday, and I have to say, I'd definitely come here over Georgetown Cupcake. The cupcakes here were very moist, icing was delish, and staff there are super nice and patient. I had the Nutella on vanilla cake, chocolate ganache icing on vanilla cake, and red velvet. The chocolate ganache was my fave bc I love choc ganache but the Nutella was also very good. The red velvet cake is tasty but I wish it had been cream cheese icing instead of vanilla(but I knew before I bought, I just had to try it!). Georgetown Cupcake is good if you want a big name but this mom and pop type store has better cake imo. Will definitely be coming back!
(4)Marry K.
Ordered a cake for my sisters birthday from here. I got a call back as they promised. I received the call back from Leslie herself who was very accommodating and extremely friendly. We chatted for a bit as she helped me with the final details of the cake. This cake was perfect! It was rich and very moist. I'm usually not an icing person but actually ate everything on my plate! Great service and decadent cake! Will be back for more...
(5)Andrew B.
We arranged for Fancy Cakes to do a fairly modest cupcake tree for a wedding and we were very pleased with the results. Nice moist cakes with plenty of options and very helpful staff. Their delivery range is also pretty wide, as they had no problem delivering to the Comus Inn 30 miles away for a flat rate. I work nearby, and drop in for a quick treat whenever I can now. They've got a great selection of cupcakes available if you're in the mood for one or want to pick up an assorted box. Their cookies are excellent, and if they had a neon "Hot Cookies Now" sign visible from the street a la Krispy Kreme I'd probably gain 10 pounds. If you're looking for something special and have an hour or more to devote to digestion try the "Man Cookie". One of the staff mentioned they originally started as a joke about excess and after a while they gained a cult following. How can you NOT try a cookie that has a cult following?
(4)Marisa B.
I unfortunately have not been able to try any of the cakes yet, but I love their chocolate chip cookies! Buttery and crispy around the edges, but gooey on the inside. I just wish they would make more varieties for me to try!
(4)Fat T.
Yes, price in on the high side but I can't imagine the overhead on this place being anything short of ridiculous for its location. Leslie is a very kind lady who will let you sample her cakes and go through all the pics to find the wedding cake you want. If you are not sure on a cake, I would start here. She uses high quality ingredients for her cakes.
(5)Taheerah B.
This place is too cute! My sister and I shared a man cookie, and we each ate a cupcake. Both of us are cupcake fanatics, and the cupcakes were tasty. The problem for me was the fact that they are smaller than some cupcakes that I have came across for the same price. I will come again only if I am in the area, but there is no way that I am making a special trip for it
(3)Vinka F.
Let me just start by saying that they have a great selection of pastries! The fresh macaroons are great and so are the cupcakes. It was my first time here so I didn't & couldn't try everything even though everything looked great and smelled divine!! I came in to buy a fresh cake for my husbands birthday which I hadn't placed an order for but most bakeries have on fresh, soft, moist ones on hand. They had extra cakes and were accommodating with writing whatever on it but the cake was anything but fresh. I bought the cake at around 4pm and didn't cut it until about 9pm and the cake was still hard and cold, that's 5 hrs later! These were not fresh cakes even though I asked if they were fresh and baked that day which I was told they were and I believed since it was a small 6in cake for $75. I would have given them 5 starts had it not been for the cold, hard cake which made it taste stale and the icing still hard not the whipped butter cream consistency I was expecting. Maybe their fresh to order cakes are better, we'll see next time I need a cake I'll order one instead of buying from the shelves.
(3)Chris H.
Once burned - never again! As a result of poor communication on their part, we did not have a cake for my daughter's birthday party. We ordered a cake for the party, or at least we tried to. They could not confirm our order on the Saturday afternoon we came in, as Leslie was not available, and we wanted a crown drawn on top (how hard is that really????). They did not call us back, and we called them several times over the next week, and finally they confirmed on our third call. We prepaid for the cake. We show up on Saturday for her birthday to pick up the cake and it's not there. They claim that they made it the previous Saturday and we did not pick it up. Also that they called us to "remind" us. No messages on my cell or home phones. They screwed up the date, as they just scribbled notes on a pad rather than writing up the order. In fact they could not produce the order form - I think that was the true problem - they charged us, but never wrote an order form. No cakes available now, and as Leslie apparently does not work weekends, they will have to talk to her later to see what can be done. After a few days, she offers to provide a cake for free later. WTF!?!? It is not free - we have already paid for it. You screwed up the order. A birthday cake for 30 seven-year-olds is not useful 2 weeks late. They refunded half the money for a $100+ cake when they lost the order. No customer service. Never going back and I work on the same block. BTW - Just Cakes helped us out, and we will be loyal to them forever.
(1)Susie B.
Was at this bakery last week. A little confused about some of the past reviews. First of all this bakery is the same price or less then other bakeries in the area. Leslie, the owner was actually in the shop midday on a Sunday. She was very friendly to my family. I saw her greet all customers that walked in. We tried a few different items. Everything was great. Her chocolate chip cookies were incredible . Leslie takes pride in her bake goods. Her cupcakes are so much better then Georgetown cupcake.
(5)Eric B.
Fantastic cookies. And very good cupcakes. Better than Georgetown, but overpriced as usual around here.
(3)Kelly T.
Both the Oreo cupcake and the rice krispie treat were possibly the best I've ever had! And they're open late!
(5)Tara L.
Aesthetically, the baked goods here are absolutely gorgeous. In fact, the cakes in the window on display are so beautiful, that I've been lured in here a number of times even though each prior experience was mediocre. Perhaps it's personal preference, but I can't handle cupcakes with a ton of thick, slightly hardened icing. Both times I've eaten here, this had been my experience. I've tried both vanilla and chocolate cupcakes on separate occasions and this was my experience both times. If aesthetics is a greater priority, then I would definitely recommend Fancy Cakes but if you're just craving a slice of indulgent bliss, I'd probably make a different recommendation.
(3)Anna S.
Try the cardamom cupcake with cream cheese icing, accompanied by a small shot of Swiss drinking chocolate - delicious. At $3.25 a pop, cupcakes are priced a little higher than the area average, but that extra $.25 gives you a lovely little fondant flower to murder with your teeth. Leslie is also super generous with free samples, especially late in the day. The last time I was there, she asked me if I wanted to try some gingerbread Bundt cake, then passed me a huge slice on a napkin. Mmm, hyperglycemic.
(4)Hallie M.
I have a weird magnetic force that pulls my body into any cupake shop, so after a long day of shopping I needed a cupcake to round out my day. When you walk into Fancy Cakes, it's nothing special. However you can see that they make everything on site which is a nice touch. Also, in our cupcake crazed world where they all look so cute and chic, these don't look so amazing but I still felt like I had to buy one. I ultimately decided on a red velvet, and it was EXTREMELY red which I really love. Let me just say that I have had PLENTY of cupcakes in my time and ALWAYS feel the need to try out everyone's red velvet but THIS ONE??? OH MY LORD. I have never sunk my teeth into anything SO MOIST. The cake was perfection, and in this one you could ACTUALLY TASTE THE HINT OF COCOA. That has NEVER happened to me before (and it's supposed to because it's made with some cocoa powder). I think I texted every one of my friends whilst eating this delicious cupcake to brag about it. UGH it was so good.
(5)T M.
Just ordered a graduation cake and it was delicious. All the guests were in awe. They lost a star because the fondant was not as great as some of her other cake I have seen and she would not make an accompanying cookie or treat with the cake. I would definitely use them again
(4)Nikki C.
In general, I've liked Fancy Cakes, although occasionally their frosting is too sweet (and too thick) and overpowers their baking skills. However, they have some awesome flavor combinations in rotation, my favorite being S'mores. In the 5 or 6 times I've been there however, I've often found their staff to be rude/distracted/inattentive, although I suppose that doesn't effect the quality of the cupcake. And to be fair, it will always be better than the over-rated and over-priced Georgetown Cupcakes across the way.
(3)Stephanie T.
OMFG they just charged me $7.50 for two fricken cupcakes. It better be crack filled...or at least orgasmic. Is this normal? I heard that cupcakes are the "in thing," in this region but geeze $3.25 each? And this is coming from a girl that just moved from Hawaii (where everything thing is more expensive except Asian food). Okay eating the "carrot cupcake with butter cream" now...hmm...really good, not too sweet. Kay next the "yellow cake with chocolate and butter cream"...blah, carrot one was better. Bottom line: Good place for dessert in Bethesda considering there's few in the area. If you can justify paying so much for cupcakes than go for it.
(3)Kim K.
To All Those Brides and Grooms Looking For a Wedding Cake Specialist: A few reasons why no one should go to Fancy Cakes by Leslie: 1. Lack of customer service from both owner and employees. How can we expect attentiveness from the employees when the owner herself is not friendly. My family and I walk in the store to purchase a wedding cake only to have waited a good minute for someone, who turned out to be the owner, to actually help us. We made an appointment for a cake tasting and instead of assisting us, Leslie looks at the clock when I tell her that I made an appointment for a certain time. Why does she need to look at the clock, how is that relevant to my appointment? Are wedding cakes not profitable for cake companies anymore? 2. Felt as if we, the customers, are insignificant. Leslie just hands me a form and tells me to fill it out without any formal introductions. If you are the owner shouldn't you treat all the customers as a potential client, especially if an appointment was made a week in advance? Are some customers more important than other? Leslie surely made my family feel that way. Another customer who was purchasing a birthday cake received more attention from both owner and from our consultant. 3. Instead, they let us know of the down payment we would have to make and how much we would have to pay three weeks prior to our wedding. It would have been nice if they took the time to ask us about our wedding venue, color scheme, and any other information they would need to design a wedding cake. They did let us know that they would charge us a 65 dollar delivery/setup fee and that they do not pick up the flowers if we decided to add fresh flowers to our wedding cake. 4. The taste of the provided cakes did not live up to my expectations. The options are: 6 creams (lemon, raspberry, cookies n cream, chocolate, classic american cream, and swiss cream); fruit, if desired in-between the layers of the cake; and 4 cake flavors (classic white, almond, chocolate, and tiramisu). The creams that are placed between the cake was extremely disappointing. I felt as if I would have been settling if I decided on a cake. With the cakes starting out at $5.95 to $6.25 per slice for each guest, you never want to feel like you are settling. 5. Overall, the experience was horrendous. Terrible customer service from the owner herself made the whole experience worse. You would think in today's world where any negative experience would be seen all over the internet, the owner would be smart enough to realize that customer service is key to a successful business. 6. My advice: do a little more research and find a cake shop that is equally friendly and delicious. There are plenty of other speciality cake stores in the area that are willing to provide great customer service. I hope this helps any bride or groom looking for a place to purchase their wedding cake(s).
(1)Raycal B.
I got a couple cupcakes from here one night when I was going to pick up my son in Bethesda. They were very tasty. They have a lil cupcake bar where can sit and eat your cupcake and drink. Right in the heart of Downtown Bethesda. Good Location. Good Customer Service. Good cupcakes. Give em a try. Not the best I've ever had but very good nonetheless.
(3)M. B.
Favorite cupcakes BAR NONE!! They are small morsels of heaven. Was so impressed with the taste and designs that I also had Leslie design two cakes for special occasions. My guest were raving..taking much bigger pieces than anyone should if they have any pride especially at an elegant occassion..they didn't care. It was a fight for the last bite
(5)Kiranj P.
Verdict: Expensive, but good Pros: Mostly everything I've tried has been delicious, excellent cake designs Cons: Expensive, cupcakes, though delicious, aren't necessarily the prettiest, macaroons have been dry on occasion We got our wedding cake from Leslie and she did a great job! We ended up having two tastings and an excellent step by step guide to constructing the wedding cake of our dreams. The only difficult choice was choosing one of the HUNDREDS of incredible designs. We ended up getting a smaller cake and supplemented our order with 200 cupcakes - big mistake (logistically at least). The cupcakes were so good that some obnoxious guests ended up getting one or two of each flavor leaving absolutely none for over half of the guests. Aside from some pain in the a$$ guests, both the wedding cake and cupcakes (for whoever got them...) were a huge hit at our wedding. Living in Bethesda, we come here admittedly more often than we should and prefer Leslie's cupcakes over Georgetown's. There's never any wait, all the flavors are excellent (my personal favorites are the PB&J and brownie cupcake for its actual brownie-like texture). The only downside is that the cupcakes are pretty expensive at a whopping $3.25 each... Overall, my favorite item is the Man Cookie - two giant choc. chip cookies sandwiched together by creamy peanut butter. A heart attack with every bite but its amazing! Overall, though Fancy Cakes by Leslie doesn't have all the glitz and glamour associated with Georgetown Cupcake, in my opinion its more than a suitable alternative. You're also not limited to just cupcakes since it's a full service bakery that allows you get whatever baked good you so desire. Definitely give it a shot!
(4)Belle X.
better than Georgetown cupcakes any day of the week. Cookies, cupcake, you name it! The staff is friendly and greets you with a smile. Yes overpriced, but this is freaking Bethesda that we are talking about. Everything is overpriced.
(4)Lale y.
Be warned people of Bethesda...cakes look lures you in, price makes you take a step back, taste makes you cry in disappointment. It is tasteless cake under the look and looks, once you taste a slice you realize that you made a big mistake. Food coloring, shortening and sugar are used generously. If you are going for the look cakes are fabulous. Maybe just display and get another cake (even if it is from a grocery store) to serve.
(1)Sahar R.
The first time I experienced fancy cakes, I had just moved to Bethesda that day, so to assimilate to my new neighborhood I was rolling down the street with in a pink lili pulitzer outfit, jcrew pumps and purse dog. It was midnight and right outside this store was a table covered in cupcakes. I have to admit I may have been drunk but I was not hallucinating this time. Apparently according to the owner lady, Leslie, all the cupcakes were "free". For about three seconds I contemplated if cupcakes could be laced with roofies. I decided against it since a) the lady looked nice b)why would a girl roofie another girl c) bethesda is like a really preppy version of Canada and it has no crime. I picked a mocha cupcake. Omigod, the frosting was delish. Like a cup of coffee with oodles of sugar and cream in a gel form. Yum. I might pay for a cupcake some day. And I woke up the next morning and remembered the night before, and wasn't in a tub of ice with missing organs. So the cupcakes are not tampered with.
(4)Trevor M.
In Homer Simpson voice...."Mmmm, Cakes" Cake...ahh, from the Viking origin kaka...also known as s**t in another language. Cake...once used as a form of torture by the English. Cake, the band...who sang about short skirts, long jackets. Is Cake...love? Is Cake definitively from Georgetown? Here, it's just good...fancy...just for a name sake...ok. Go, get a cake for your wedding. Do you just want a cake? Do you want more than Hostess? yeah, you know that you do. Wonderful carrot cake cupcake? Wonderful Red Velvet cupcake. What makes a cupcake? Is it the moisture of the cake in it's own self contained medium? Is it the amount of frosting that makes it look like the grand tetons of frosting with the unnecessary, but albeit it bit of fondit on top to make it...dare, i say...fancy. Damn it, people...It's cake...it should have an element of fanciness to it. it should be a little ah, ok...it should be beautiful and cute. not cute in the japanese sense of "hello kitty" but it should make a 6'4", 300 pound man who's been logging all his life...want to say..."awww, cupcakes." Then this is your place...it's a workshop...it sells cake...but now, most importantly...to keep up with the times...it has a "decorate your own cupcake" bar it's a like a make your own bloody mary bar for children without the alcohol...or blood...wait, there is the red velvet. But, is it good? It is tasty? It is what you want to crave when 7-11 is too far away from Bethesda? yeah. Go there...have fun...smell the sugar and go into a diabetic shock. it's worth it.
(4)angela n.
Move over, Men's Pocky. The "Man Cookie" might be the world's most astoundingly delicious product with a sexist name. With a huge diameter the size of CD, it had tons of creamy chocolate ganache sandwiched between two thin, chewy chocolate chip cookies. My friend, upon finishing the store's last one, declared that he "now has nothing left to live for." My $2 chocolate mini-cupcake was so elaborately decorated, with frosting swirl so smooth, and multi-colored crystals arranged so meticulously, that it must have been made by tiny artisan leprechauns. When I chomped it, it felt like destroying a Faberge egg (but sweeter). They even make cupcakes for dogs (topped with little bone-shaped dog cookies). Our friend's dog gave it two paws up.
(4)I A.
My friends and I got cookies and cupcakes and dang we went crazy with these. We were craving them after we were all out. My favorite was a cookie with pecan clusters, it was sooo good. I can't believe I didn't know about this place before. The service was really great even though we went there late at night. The atmosphere too is really fantastic. The cakes on display looks too good to be handmade. I took off one star because I have yet to try their cakes.
(4)Ms Nique S.
I first met Leslie at an ISES expo. She was speaking in one of the classes and even bought cupcakes with her as a show and eat! I was so bummed I didn't get a cupcake that day. Anywho, I got over it when I visited the bakery. I adore these cupcakes. As soon as you walk in the smell hits you and all you can say is mmmmmm. I even go in sometimes just for the smell. The lemon is my cupcake of choice. I suggest you try it! :-)
(4)Fenny L.
While my brother was getting insanely lost trying to find Ren's Ramen (although, I don't know how, as we practically grew up in this neighborhood!) he stumbles upon Leslie's and thought to appease his desperately hungry and increasingly annoyed sister (me) with birthday cupcakes. Although I'm not a fan of cupcakes or of sweets, I do have to say - it's hard to be annoyed at my brother when he shows up with a grin on his face, and a box of Halloween themed cupcakes. Plus, I was halfway through my bowl of ramen, so I was definitely in a good mood. Heh. Food shall heal all wounds. After the delicious yet salty meal at Ren's, we broke out the 4 cupcakes: red velvet, almond/amaretto (I think), chocolate and double chocolate. The red velvet was fluffy and sweet, but not sickening so, and the almond/amaretto cupcake was equally delicious. Unfortunately, the overwhelming butteriness of the frosting in both of these cupcakes, completely took over. If I hadn't had a bite of the cupcake parts first, I would have denounced both cupcakes. As it were, the cupcakes themselves were tasty, but the frosting did not do them justice. The a regular chocolate cupcake, and a double-chocolate were very "meh" to me. Overly sweet and rich, these cupcakes were just too heavy for me to take more then a small bite from each. So up to this point, I am waffling between a 1 star or a 2 star review. There were a few good things about them, but too many things were wrong with the cupcakes for me to be more generous. But Fancy Cakes by Leslie had a secret weapon (the "Fancy" in the name isn't just for show, after all): edible glitter. Yes, these cupcakes were all liberally sprinkled with glitter. Like a bad Janet Jackson song, I can not resist anything that sparkles. It's like...ummm...well...a moth to a flame burned by the fire...blah blah blah. So yeah...glitter is definitely a bonus. However, I was slightly (OK...*VERY*) disappointed that my poo didn't come out all sparkly. Because I looked. With camera in hand, in hopes of capturing elusive photos of glittery poo. Alas...nothing. Yes, I know it's gross, but hey, all in the name of Yelp, right? Perhaps I can not blame the glitter, but my overly powerful digestive tract that can absorb anything. Heck, it's even been known to absorb corn kernels, so you know my intestines are like...hard core. So thanks to the glitter, I confidently give them 2 stars. Perhaps they will work out their kinks before the next time my brother shows up 45 minutes late to lunch, and I can give them a higher rating.
(2)Aarti B.
The chocolate ganache cake pops are AMAZING! The glittery sprinkles are really cute. It's a pretty penny, but well worth it. Whenever I'm walking down Bethesda Row and looking for dessert, Fancy Cakes is my favorite place to go.
(4)Catherine R.
Good cupcakes. No line like at Georgetown Cupcakes. Pricey, but it's Bethesda. When I want to pay too much for a cupcake, I go here.
(3)Izzat A.
My DC cupcake quest continues. I tried the red velvet cupcake and carrot cake cupcake from here yesterday. Definitely the priciest cupcakes I've tried here ($3.25) but they weren't bad. Red velvet was a disappointment but the carrot cake was pretty good. Not as good at GTC, but better than Baked and Wired. Prolly won't come back to get cupcakes but their cakes look amazing though.
(3)Brittney W.
I've known about Leslie's for quite sometime, because I often pass it during my runs. It always looked like a place i wanted to try, due to the marvelous cake displays in the window. So one day because the line at Georgetown Cupcake was ridiculous i decided to give Leslie's a try. When I first walked in I was greeted by Leslie, she engaged me in lite conversation and was very friendly. Afterwards i walked over to the counter to choose my cupcake, and to my surprise the cupcakes were a whopping 3.25!! That was the major turn-off for me, after I picked out my pistachio cupcake and paid I sat down to try the cupcake. And to my dismay It was just ordinary...nothing extremly delicious or to die for...and certainly not worth 3.25. I was very dissapointed with my experience and will certainly not be wasting more money there.
(2)Grayce F.
Pecan pie squares are amazing! Have a huge sweet tooth so purchased cupcakes and the "man cookie". I never thought I could say this, but butter cream frosting on cupcakes were well....too buttery. Tasted of fresh and whole ingredients though. Overall ambience of establishment is modern but cozy eclectic. This is your one of a kind home style cakery
(4)Ross M.
In Bethesda, you can stand in line with 20-30 people and get a very good cupcake at Georgetown Cupcake. Or you can walk just a short block away to Fancy Cakes and stand in zero line and get an equally, if not more, delicious cupcake. I have yet to be unhappy eating a cupcake here and am not sure I ever will. The staff is friendly and doesn't mind if you hang around and eat there... and I usually do... leaving fat and happy with a frosting moustache gracing my face. My only wish is that they had a few more vanilla cake options.
(4)Tim S.
It's tough to come up with a rating for these guys. We hired them to do our wedding cake, it was exactly what we ordered and tasted phenomenal. So, 5 stars in that regard. However.... This place is a perfect example of why artistic types should hire someone to run their business. The first meeting/tasting went OK, and Leslie's staff was friendly and competent. Leslie herself initially struck us as a little...off. But the cake was tasty, so we signed the contract, gave her the deposit, and went on our way. 2 weeks before the big night, we emailed her to get the remaining amount owed. That set off an email conversation read like an Abbot and Costello routine, with her asking the same questions over and over that had already been answered in the contract, and us just looking at each other saying, "seriously?" Also, she told us they stop delivering at 5, even though our contract specifically stated a 5:30 delivery time. But in the end, it all got sorted out, and everything came out fine. Customer service wasn't bad, per se, just weird. And a little frustrating. so 2 stars in that department. I guess that gives an overall rating of 3.5.
(4)Stephanie S.
I ordered a cookie cake from Fancy Cakes By Leslie and they exceeded my expectations! They had great customer service, answered calls/e-mails promptly, and completely brought my decoration vision to life! I would definitely recommend them for any cake/sweets purchase.
(5)Jerica D.
My friend, daughter, and I were walking along this area to see the different shops and restaurants, when my daughter noticed all the beautiful wedding cakes in this window. They also had a cupcake sign in the window, so I decided to give them a try. There were about 10 or so different cupcake selections, and a few other baked goods. I decided to try the lemon cupcake. The cupcake itself was very moist and the lemon icing was ok. This isn't the best cupcake I have had, but it was ok.
(3)Ellen L.
my brother and sister-in-law picked up some frosted deliciousness for dessert after our family dinner at home. anyone who knows me knows that i cannot pass up a bite of a cupcake, even if my tummy is full! they brought 5 cupcakes: +white with raspberry buttercream and filling (x2) +chocolate with dark chocolate ganache +white with peppermint frosting +chocolate with peppermint frosting my thoughts: -each of the cupcakes was decorated very elegantly with a holiday themed sugar decoration and the frostings were swirled beautifully -the white with raspberry was light and fluffy, and i enjoyed the raspberry buttercream frosting inside and on top of the cupcake. -the chocolate with ganache had a light cake with a very thick and rich dark chocolate ganache frosting. i really enjoyed the high cocoa content of the ganache. -while i'm not a big fan of peppermint, i wanted to try this just for the heck of it, plus these were the december seasonal flavours. the peppermint frosting was minty, and not too heavy, and blended well with both the white and chocolate cakes. in general, i felt that each of the cupcakes was a bit dry as far as the actual cake was concerned. if i bit into just the cake part, it was a bit dry in my mouth, but if i bit into the cake with the frosting at the same time, the combination tasted good. also, the sugar decorations were way too sweet and quite hard on the teeth. after a small bite of one of the decorations, i gave the rest to my husband. at $3.75 a cupcake, i'd say this is on the pricey side considering the cupcakes were standard-sized and the amount of frosting was also average (as opposed to larger cupcakes with larger dollops of frosting found at other bakeries).
(3)Larry G.
Looka here bruh... If you haven't had the "Man Cookie" from here... Getchu one ASAP. It will change your life! I haven't had anything else from here but any place that can develop this cookie has to do everything right! #YassBishYass
(4)Dawn H.
I decided to throw my daughter a surprise Bday party and because of the Holiday weekend, no luck in finding a baker. Called and spoke to them and requested a quick turnaround. She stated she'd have to call Leslie and confirm. As promised, she called back in 2 minutes stating that it was a go. I directed her to the cake on their website, and asked for custom colors .. A few minor change details. I picked the cake up on Sunday at noon (the exact time that they promised) and WOW!!!! The cake was beautiful and let me just tell you that the red velvet inside was amazing and a hit at the party. Let me also give props to the wonderful gentleman who offered to bring it to the car for us -- thank you again. Even though I live in Loudoun Cty VA, this is worth the drive. This will also be my choice for her graduation cake in 2016. Leslie and Team -- thank you. Dawn
(5)Rachel P.
Amazing always the best cakes. The most beautiful designs. Leslie has designed and made versace cakes, Ralph Lauren polo cakes, a baby grand cake, princess cakes, bling cakes, candy cakes. You name it she can do it!! Fabulous works of art that taste as wonderful as they look!! It is always the centerpiece of my parties!!
(5)Shane C.
This place was awesome I called inquiring about a cake the lady on the phone told me the options & how many people it would feed when u called to make an appointment the guy told me someone would give me a call soon to set up & they called me the next day. When I arrived it did not take long for someone to help me & she was very nice. On the day if I picked up my cake a lady behind the glass asked if I needed help carrying the cake to the car which I thought was very considerate my daughter loved her ladybug cake & it was sooooo good I actually wanted to take the whole cake home & not share lol I would sooooo recommend this place to anyone & I actually have thank you fancy cakes by Leslie you guys are just amazing I've never been to a cake place like this in my life.
(5)Melissa M.
Absolutely blew me away on my wedding day...! In the beginning, I made a reservation to taste cake at another vendor but accidentally went to Fancy Cakes thinking that was my appointment. I am so glad I made that mistake. They were willing to give me free cake tasting and to go over designs even though they were busy helping other customers. I hate how I forgot the woman's name but she was extremely nice and let me take two designs to put on the cake. She helped me choose the perfect wedding colors, mint and gold. On the wedding day, I wasn't able to see the cake until the cutting and I was amazed in the details! I didn't want fondant and I was worried the details wouldn't look right but boy was I wrong.. AMAZING!!!!! Everyone took pictures of the cake and kept wanting seconds. I had three flavors (cookies and creme being my favorite) and they were delicious. I can't wait to go back to the store for my anniversary cake. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
(5)Marivic L.
What a pretty cake! As an amateur baker, I know how difficult working with fondant can be - that's why I don't do it. The fondant was placed perfectly on this cake and, bonus, it tasted good! I pretty much love the look of it but not the taste because other places make it too sweet. This place doesn't. I'm also not typically into buttercream because it it generally too dense and tastes like I'm eating a stick of butter. Here, it has a pleasant taste with great texture. The cake was a dark chocolate with dark and medium frosting. Separately, and together, each layer tasted great. I don't know how much this cost, as my friends bought it, but it sure did taste good. I think I'll stop by to try some of their cookies next time. Happy Valentine's Day!!
(4)Carolyn C.
I walked into this place randomly on a lunch break. I was a little turned off from the homeless man begging for cookies and/or change outside the window. Obviously if a man wants cookies instead of change they have to be THAT good, right? So I entered positively and wasn't let down. The menu is extensive, from cookies to macaroons, cakes, cupcakes and DOG TREATS! That's right! A place that has fresh homemade puppy treats. SO CUTE. Had to buy two for my Mom's Yorkshire Terriers. For myself, I purchased a small box of macaroons. They were to die for. Besides the yummy menu and cute décor of the little bakery, you could see right into the back of the bakery which was really cool. At the time there were three women and a few young girls decorating a super large cake (looked like a decorative wedding cake). The cake was gorgeous and looked amazing. I would recommend the macaroons and puppy treats.
(5)Perry P.
I have long said that this place is the winner of the cupcake wars. Ever since cupcakes became a thing, I have tried them all. I think Leslie's win the best overall combination of components - cake, icing and variety. All the cakes have a perfect crumb -- moist and tender but not crumbly. It doesn't fall apart as soon as you bite into it. The icings are great too -- lots of choices of buttercreams, ganaches and others. The decor on the cupcakes are cute too. I was hesitant about the glitter at first, but now I think it sets them apart from all the others. I am not really a fan of the fondant cut-outs, but if they use those to tell the cupcakes apart, I understand. I also personally hate sprinkles and they use a lot of sprinkles -- minor quibble. We ordered a large birthday cake in 2013 and it was beautiful and delicious. We asked Leslie to design the cake to match the color and design of our party invitations and it was beautiful. Expensive, but it was the hit of the party. You get what you pay for after all. We also love stopping in the store late in the evening and chatting with the ladies. I think this is a great example of a small shop that has its owner there and that likes interacting with its customers.
(5)Ebie B.
LOVE this place!! Leslie is great and her staff is fantastic as well. My personal favorite is the Peanut Butter and Jelly cupcakes. If you're in Bethesda I highly recommend stopping by, it will be well worth your time. Keep up the great work guys :)
(5)Irene L.
Popped in for a look and the chocolate chip cookies looked very good. Bought one and it was amazing. Definitely would come back for the cookies.
(4)Christie R.
I must applaud them for taking on and executing an extremely strange request: I brought in a fake rat that they happily hid within the layers of cake as a prank for my bosses birthday. It was a hit! It has been sitting on display, serving as a conversation piece, since the party last week. Before placing an order, have the entire design scheme planned out in your mind! I was expecting some sort of guidance/suggestions/take my idea and run with it during the design process. Nope. They were more than happy to do whatever I asked, I just had to come up with the ideas. Even simple ideas increased the decorating budget quickly. I admit, the average customer will be ordering for a personal event they are more passionate about. They also won't be rendering their cake inedible by shoving furry fake animals into the center. However, I do feel slight buyers remorse on the 2 dozen cupcakes that accompanied my "rat cake". They were very minimalistic. Just cake and a swirl of frosting. For the price they are charging, a few drizzles, bits of candy, etc like *the place down the street* would have been welcome. I wouldn't bother paying the extra fee for liquor in cupcakes, it wasn't detectable. Overall, they got the job done for what I needed. Based on my experience, their strength lies in custom, customer idea driven full size cakes. I would go back when in a pinch for off the wall requests since they handled it so well.
(3)Greg B.
Wonderful spot to pop in and get a delicious treat! They also make the most incredible cakes!!!
(5)Mel Y.
i really wanted to like this place much more, but with my experience i really couldn't give it more than the 2 stars i gave. this is why: 1. when i got there, whomever i was consulting with was just not friendly. there was no friendly introduction of who he was or anything; just a blank stare. it was ME who initiated the whole process and ME who did all the talking. the whole consultation he kept going back and forth to some person in the back asking her EVERY SINGLE QUESTION i asked him. WHY put someone in charge of something they know NOTHING about? he could have easily and quickly just sent that person in the back to come up front and do my consultation. 2. as i was still in the process of making my order, Leslie herself walked in and whomever it was i was consulting with asked her questions in front of my face and they discussed things as if i wasn't even sitting RIGHT THERE! also, Leslie was less than cordial to me. there was no sense of welcome or appreciation of my business at all. it was as if she was too busy to care about her customers. she then huffed herself away as if she could care less about me and my business. what made me truly upset was that she was not listening to what i wanted - i said it didn't matter how many people the cakes would feed, what mattered to me was how big the cakes would be. she kept insisting on "how many will it feed?" she just did not seem to care to listen to what i wanted! 3. i brought in specifics about my order. sample photos, a font that i SPECIFICALLY requested and color swatches of the specific colors i needed for my twins' 1st birthday cakes. i was VERY detailed about every little detail i needed them to make sure was taken care of. BUT when my sister-in-law picked up the cakes, they weren't exactly what i wanted. the font for my twins' name was NOT in the font i specified and NOT in the color i specified! what was the point of me bringing all the details and spending the time to make sure they were all taken care of if they weren't going to do it the way i wanted? 4. while the cakes were still presentable, i wasn't happy with the taste of the cakes. i had their cakes before and remember liking how they tasted when my sister-in-law ordered them in the past. but this time around, the cakes were dry and their buttercream was sub-par. the buttercream just tasted like straight butter with no other flavoring or sugaring. overall, while the cakes were presentable, i would never go back to order a cake from here ever again because of the poor service. service is a big and important part of a business no matter what the industry. i really wanted to give them a good review cause of all the great things people had told me about them... but with the horrible experience i had, i just couldn't. they really left a horrible taste in my mouth and made the start of my twins' 1st birthday party a sour one just cause of this whole thing!
(2)Nicole R.
5 stars for Leslie's cupcakes & chocolate chip cookies. Yep, they're that good. - The customer service is much better - They offer many cupcake flavors and they're WAY better than Georgetown Cupcake. I love the yellow cake with buttercream frosting. I bought a cookie & cupcake last night & was on a sugar HIGH the rest of the night. Their baked goodies are perfect. Fresh, chewy & addictive.
(5)Nailani N.
It was the bottom of the ninth. My sister's 30th birthday was just around the corner (Tuesday) and I had yet to get a cake for her. Saturday was the day i began to take this seriously. After doing a little yelping, I discovered Fancy Cakes by Leslie and decided to give them a try. After poking around on their website, I settled on idea for my sister's cake. A cake made to look like a bottle of her favorite wine!(which is Malbec) it was genius. There was one problem. I called fancy cakes and let them know my idea, they told me custom cakes start off at $375. o_0 I might as well have gotten her a cake from costcos. I then asked how much would it be to hide an actual bottle of wine in the cake and they told me Leslie would give me a call the beginning of the next business day. I'm taking one star away because Leslie never called me nor did I deal with her throughout my experience. The next day I called (as soon as they opened) and received no answer. I called three or four times just to be sure. My fifth attempt someone finally answered the phone. I decided to nix the wine-in-the-cake idea and just go for the cake shaped wine, it was just cutting it too close. The lady was real sweet about making my cake dream a reality. She advised me to send in pictures of the wine and promised to have it ready day of. I'm so glad I chose Fancy cakes. Not only was the cake not as expensive as I thought it was going to be, but it was already ready, day of - no hassle. The lady put the cake in my car and I was off. Before I got my cake in the door of Rosa Mexicano, (Review of that next) people were all over it. They wanted to know where I got it from, and they were all telling me how it looked amazing. Not only did my sister LOVE her cake (it was a hit) it tasted great too. Everybody was raving about it! it really topped the night off perfectly. Fancy cakes by leslie did a great job. I will definitely always choose them when ordering a cake for a special day.
(4)Jamie B.
I absolutely love Fancy Cakes! They make delicious cupcakes, mini cupcakes, cookies, fairy dust pops, and the pup cakes too! Love this shop! The frosting is fluffy and moist, which I feel other shops are not - I think most of these cupcake shops have heavy, too-sweet frosting. Any time I or my husband is near Bethesda, we stop and grab some Fancy Cake cupcakes.
(5)Milli D.
Hands down my favorite place in Bethesda! Leslie has the best treats from cupcakes to cookies and decorated cakes! Everything is fresh, original, and most of all isn't smothered in sugar. The flavor is delicious yet subtle and leaves you happy :)
(5)Deb L.
Not impressed. The cakes are pretty but awfully overpriced and tasteless. The cake is spongy and tastes like sand. The buttercream frosting has no flavor at all. A lot of money for a pretty cake be thrown away
(1)Nicole L.
The service was pretty good they were flexible the type of design and cake flavors. I wanted a simple cake with nice details the staff sat with me two months ago to come up with ideas I ended up choosing colors like my invitation. As for the flavors I had two layer of dark chocolate, grenache, chambord and cherry and 1 layer of almond cake with fresh fruits and frangelico. Honestly the cake sampling cake tasted better than the cake I finally had. The almond cake was all gone perhaps it was the more popular one. I was very happy with how the cake turned out it looked spectacular!! WIth the exact colors - the french blue and opalescent cream and design of lace wheels, and candy flowers that I wanted. I was very impressed and proud of it :) though it came with a hefty price tag. I think Leslie's team would do a great job for any occasions!
(5)Kaye N.
the first time i've tried their cakes is at a friends bday party. it was custom made and half red velvet half chocolate cake. the bread is so moist and the red celvet is delicious. i decided to go to the store to get some cupcakes. well, the red velvet kind of disappointed me since i was expecting the same moist taste from the cake that i've had. it wasnt as moist as i expected (or maybe it was just the batch that i had). the staff was friendly and helpful with my questions. i definitely love the meringue(classic). ive tried the nutella meringue and it turned out to be too sweet for me(and i have a sweet tooth). the cupcakes were fairly good. i love their man cookie and the ginger bread is a must try. overall i would go back and keep coming back. will even consider to go there for my wedding cake:)
(4)Samtha K.
My husband ordered a cake for my birthday from this place. He had to go there twice as she was unavailable earlier. Her attitude towards the customer was not cordial, she seemed least interested. As mentioned by everyone else it is pricy, as we wanted a VEGAN cake (which is hard to find) it was a good deal. The cake looked fantastic and just how my husband had wanted it for me., the taste was fantastic too. The biggest disappointment was when we found a hair in the cake. Overall reviews GO but with CAUTION and demand for PERFECTION. A special mention to the beautiful lady who braved the cold to helped my husband get the cake into the car.
(3)Tim C.
Gotta try the "Desert Bars" when you stop by. Tell them TC sent yah!
(5)Priscilla Y.
I've never been too crazy for macaroons, but the ones here are delicious. I got the hazelnut, caramel, and chocolate. Chewy and not too sweet. About 1.50 each one, but that's normal price based on other places I visited the same day. :p The cakes here look really pretty and nicely decorated, but very pricey (60+) so I have not tried it. I will definitely go back to try the cupcakes and cookies.
(4)Gina A.
Nice, but not meant for sit down and enjoying your dessert. More like keep it moving. They got a lower rating, because they didn't let my friend's little boy use the restroom. Made him go to a nearby restaurant. Tacky.
(3)Libby F.
I think their cupcakes are pretty tasty. They are definitely very pretty. The cake part is moist and the frosting is sweet. Sparkly too! I am just not completely on the cupcake bandwagon for now. When someone starts making a chocolate cupcake with a soft truffle filling and a creamy chocolate ganache frosting I will hitch my wagon to their wagon and follow them forever! Can you tell I l-o-v-e chocolate? It's a girl thing, or maybe a me thing, but until I find this cupcake, all cupcake places will be three star, A-OK with me.
(3)Lauren W.
Leslie & her team were excellent to work with. I have purchased two gorgeous cakes here for birthday parties. Each one was gorgeous & tasted amazing. I received a lot of compliments. Thanks Leslie!!
(5)Chris M.
Cupcake review only. Based on some of the yelp reviews, thought I give it a try. Nothing to rave about. They were rather small and overpriced. The taste was just alright. I had better at Crumbs. I got two cupcakes and they packaged in the same plastic container. This caused the cupcakes to bump against each other by the time I got to the car. It could have been the packaging like at Crumbs. And, you'd figure it could be packed better at this price range. Finally, I'm giving the two stars primarily because of service. Not at all friendly. I started to order the two flavors I wanted, but was interrupted rather abruptly to know how many i wanted in total. If ya let me finish, you would have found out. Then after I paid, no thank you or have a good day. Nice.
(2)Heather W.
I love to bake and can make a lovely cake, but managed to get a stomach flu right before my group's holiday lunch for which I had been asked to bake. So, I bought one of the "emergency cakes"--it was gorgeous. In fact, my teammates were hesitant to cut into it. There was a gasp when I finally put a knife into it. I'm glad we did dig in. It was a delicious and very moist chocolate cake. My only complaint would be that I think the buttercream used to cement the fondant was made with shortening instead of butter (just a guess from the mouth feel and flavor).
(4)Sarah N.
Is there any pastry chef as artistic and creative as Leslie? Her cakes are gorgeous, original creations. She can make anything imaginable and they taste great!
(5)Amy C.
What a cute little bakery with a huge heart! I was wandering around during my lunch hour looking for something sweet. Leslie to the rescue! Since this was my first time in the store, I chose the red velvet to make the first impression. The cake was soft and moist and the buttercream frosting was light and fluffy. I'm looking forward to trying their other confections.
(4)Wendy L.
I won't lie-- a friend and I had actually been attempting to go to Georgetown Cupcake down the block but they had closed by the time we'd gotten there. Fancy Cakes was sort of a consolation prize, but it adequately filled my cupcake craving. After perusing the display case filled with all sorts of baked goodies, I settled on a s'more cupcake, which was decadent and moist. The frosting was light and the marshmallow and graham cracker toppings were delicious and tasteful. I quite liked my cupcake (I found it to be visually sophisticated and clever) but was a bit put off by the neon and somewhat tacky decorations on other cupcakes. One point that Fancy Cakes could improve on is the service. It's pretty basic: "What can I help you with" and then pulling the dessert and manning the cash register. However, I'm not sure if one of the workers was having an off day or what, but she made several snarky comments to her co-worker and the clear tension made me and my friend a little bit uncomfortable. Also, a little interior decor wouldn't hurt either because when I went it basically looked like a messy warehouse with various cake and baked good displays haphazardly laid out. Overall, the cupcakes are pretty tasty and a great option if you don't want to wait or pay exorbitant prices.
(3)Daniel K.
Chocolate chip cookies are amazing! If you are not diabetic, try the man cookie. You may need a shot of insulin with it though. Leslie is not super friendly but her staff is cool. The cupcakes are good but not as good as Georgetown Cupcake. I have never tried their cakes but I know they will let you sample some stuff if you are serious about hiring them for weddings or special events.
(4)Deb L.
We hired Fancy Cakes for our wedding cupakes this past summer. End result - we were extremely happy with the result. The cupcakes were gorgeous and the mini cake we had on top was perfect. Disclaimer: I was not your typical bride, and didn't have every detail pre-planned - I provided some guidance to the staff, but left some of the creativity up to them and was very pleased. I can understand where other reviewers say that the process on the administrative side is a bit "off" - Leslie simply runs her business her own way and it all seems to work out just fine in the end, but I can understand how it can frustrate some people a bit. This was the only place they lost a star with me. At times things just seemed a little bit disorganized to me - but their system works for them! The cake testing was good, we enjoyed sampling the different types of cakes, and Leslie and her team were very accommodating. I needed gluten free cupcakes for my mother and to this day, I have NEVER tasted such amazing gluten free cupcakes - they are amazing. Leslie was flexible with us, we wanted a variety of different flavors, different color frostings and it was all accommodated very easily. I also felt the pricing was reasonable and not outrageous - especially considering the talent this team has. When I called about 2 weeks before the wedding as I wanted to make the final payment for the cupcakes, they seemed surprised - but it wasn't a problem. 2 days before the wedding they called to confirm what shade of blue we wanted and I was able to send them a picture of the kind of blue I wanted and they matched it no problem. On the wedding day, the set-up was perfect, they did a beautiful job and the cupcakes were delicious. Our guests continue to rave about them months later. Overall, I have no regrets about choosing Leslie and her team - and should I have an occasion to need a special cake or cupcakes again - they will get my business.
(4)Rabid K.
I don't think I've ever written a bad review for somewhere I've never set foot in, or even sampled their goods. But the customer service here was lousy. I contacted them via phone and e-mail to order a large custom cake, and long story short, it took them nearly a week just to let me know that they were "too busy" to even take my order. Congrats to them for being so popular, but they could/should have told me they were booked, so I didn't have to rush some other baker into delivering by Friday. How rude. It didn't help that I had to hunt them down to get this answer - they could have just left me a voice mail.
(1)Sandy S.
We've sampled most of the cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. All beyond perfection in taste and appearance. We've ordered several birthday cakes and they were ready without a hitch. I have attended Leslie's seminar and learned about the well run operation. Bethesda is so lucky to have this establishment - I can't say enough about how great it is. I'd love overnight privileges.....just to taste everything in the shop.
(5)Solace C.
AVOID! They have the worst customer service! I dont know what makes them so special that they can treat people the way they do. I tried to get information on ordering a cake and they were rude and nasty. Anyways I didnt even bother. I went Classic Bakery and got a delicious cake and great service.
(1)Chaz C.
I went down to Elm St for Ri Ra Irish Pub since that is what my terminally ill fiancee was craving, I parked in the garage next to Bethesda Lane, I saw a little chocolate shop and had planned to get desert there, I crossed the street and noticed the shop and thought "A little bakery quaint" I had sniffed the air and something smelled delicious but that was a side thought as my goal was to get my girl yummy Irish food. So fast forward after placing, waiting and getting my order. I walk back and pass the bakery next door to the pub and the scent in the air was so enthralling I could not help but go into the bakery and the assortment and kinds of cupcakes and little baked goods was incredible. For the cup cakes they had such an selection and cute fondant paste designs on some like hippie flowers and a row had hello kitty. I talk with a cashier and tell her what my fiancee likes her flavor tastes, I purchased four cupcakes. There was a raspberry cupcake with filling, I usually don't care for raspberry but this was incredible and the flavors balanced perfectly, along with the icing being nice and fluffy, my girl loved it too and she is very picky about things with raspberry in it. There was a brownie cupcake, we thought and talk, it is like a fluffy cupcake and chewy brownie had a love child, also the candied cherry on top was fantastic. Next was a Red Velvet, it was just incredible, very smooth in taste, I have had red velvet before but none compare to this, there was a fluffy yellow creamy soft icing on top that amplified the flavor, I am not sure if it was lemon or not but it made it so much better. The final one we had was a chocolate cupcake that was one of the best chocolate cupcakes I had ever eaten and the icing on this one was thick but it wasn't chocolate flavor but like it was a chocolate bar soften into an icing form. Over all I wasn't picky about baked goods before this but now I have a standard to set to and that is Fancy Cakes by Leslie.
(5)Rachael S.
I purchased my wedding cake from Fancy Cakes by Leslie. I have a gluten allergy, and after tasting cake at Sticky Fingers, and Cake Love, Fancy Cakes was the clear winner. They make 3 different varieties of gluten free cakes and all were absolutely delicious. You then have the option of many different frostings and fillings to choose from. Needless to say, the cake we ended up with far exceeded my expectations as to what GF wedding cake would taste like. My husband and our guests all thought it was delicious. We did encounter a minor misunderstanding at one point when we made it clear that we only wanted Leslie to make a 9 inch cutting cake and have our caterer provide all of the cupcakes for the guests. Although in the end we were satisfied with the product I did feel as though there was some resentment over the fact that we weren't giving them all of our business. Regardless, this is a great place to come if you want a delicious wedding cake, in particular a gluten free one which is hard to find!
(4)Martin B.
Pretty good cupcakes here. The store is very vibrant inside, and the clerk was friendly. I tend to get a red velvet cupcake whenever I try a place for the first time, since it's sort of the industry standard. Which industry? The gourmet three and some odd dollars hip cupcake industry. I guess it's blossomed because they taste like cake, but you don't feel like a fatass because they're so tiny and cute. Anyway, this red velvet was pretty average. The somewhat moist, somewhat flavorful cake was topped by an overly sweet frosting. I like sugar folks, but I swear I could feel cavities forming each time I took a bite of the stuff. Most cupcakeries seem to make this mistake... they assume everybody loves to feel like they just swallowed a large bag of Domino sugar. I don't. With the other option in this area being Georgetown Cupcake, you basically pick your poison. That's a bit harsh; it's not bad, but either store isn't the best. I guess just go to whichever is closer to you (or a dentist's office!)
(3)Ani P.
I really wanted to love this place. It's very cute without being too Hello Kitty (not that there's anything wrong with Hello Kitty). You can watch the bakers do magic in the kitchen while munching on a cupcake and sitting at one of the few tables. There's even a sprinkle and toppings bar where you can decorate your own cupcake. The vibe of Fancy Cakes is cozy like grandma's house. I asked the girl working the register for a cupcake recommendation. She said the red velvet was very popular. I was looking for a more creative answer. Luckily I have nothing against popular and ordered the red velvet cupcake. How do I say this delicately.... the cupcake sucked. Dry with almost a bitter aftertaste (not sinfully decadent dark chocolate bitterness either). The only good thing about my dry bitter cupcake was the the frosting. Leslie knows how to make one rich, buttery yet sort of airy buttercream. Buttercream was the lubrication my mouth needed for the cupcake...
(2)Tu-van L.
Frosting on the mint chocolate chip cupcake was surprisingly bland for a flavorful cupcake cake. Their other Halloween-themed cupcakes were unremarkable.
(2)Madeline w.
Stopped by and got a cupcake, raspberry. The frosting's texture was a little bit grainy, and way too sweet, as was the cake, which was, luckily, not that dry. Searching for raspberry flavor, which was barely exhibited in the frosting, I found a raspberry filling in the middle of the cake. I got some more raspberry taste, but not much. The filling was too sugary as well. It made for a very dissatisfying experience that was extremely sweet. I have also tried a (vanilla on vanilla) cake from here at a celebration recently. It looked pretty with the fondant decorations, but the cake was so crumbly and dry and the frosting was astonishingly sugary. I only took one bite. This is not a very good place to get cake-- and that's in the name!
(1)Paul M.
A funny thing happened to me as I was walking along Elm Street post -pedi for my pint of Guinness at Ri Ra before I picked Thing 1 and Thing 2 up from their karate class last week: I saw a family on the bench outside this place eating cupcakes with a passion and ferocity heretofore only seen on the Discovery Channel. I had to go in and eat one. I asked them which was the best and they pointed me to the Red Velvet cup cake. I got one and walked outside then immediately realized I could not eat this marvel en passant and had to sit down. I went back in and devoured it like a man possessed. It was bloody lovely - and not bad for $1.95. Leslie is the woman who made the Pope's birthday cake when he was here last year, and there are a lot of very cool cakes in her store. The cupcakes are just sort of there for people who like cupcakes I guess. OK, berate me all you like godammit. I had a pedicure followed by a cupcake and I frikkin loved it.
(4)Grace K.
You would think customers come first in a business. Not here. I wanted to order a cake for my mother's birthday from here a few days ago. I emailed them telling them our ETA the day before and asked if it was a good time to come in. No response. I drove an hour+ in rush hour traffic to get here, only to be turned away less than a minute after we walked into the door. "We're busy can you come back Friday, Saturday, or any day other than today?" It's understandable that they were busy. But even when I asked if they had a pricing book I could look at she averted my question and told me to come back later in the week. Not in a sincerely apologetic way, in a condescending "we have things to do, can you just leave please?" tone. I drove..in the rain..in rush hour traffic..to be rushed back out the door. Someone mentioned in another review that they act like they're doing YOU a favor, which is exactly the feeling I got. I was so irritated I went down the street to Georgetown Cupcakes to make the trip less of a waste. It ends up being 2 people came up to me and offered me excellent service with my order. We loved it there. Sharp contrast in customer service. Fancy Cakes, I expected better. I had a lot of hope. You proved me wrong.
(1)Margaret Z.
Cupcakes - delicious!!! The cake part is so moist and not crumbly at all like those at Georgetown Cupcake. Frosting is the perfect sweetness... trust me, I usually detest frosting, but I really savor the ones on top of Fancy Cake cupcakes (especially the Swiss buttercream). Edible glitter makes for really great presentation, and the cupcake size is perfect. Large and delicious enough to justify the $3.25 price tag, but not too overwhelming that I feel like I need to work out for the next 5 hours to compensate. Current personal favorite: S'mores, though Red Velvet and Lemon are close behind!
(4)Casey K.
I do L-O-V-E my cupcakes and there are plenty of places in the dc area to sample around. I have to say that this place is by far my FAVORITE! I have tried 3 different ones and they have all been delicious, but my pick so far is the red velvet. I have also tried the "man cookie" which is two huge choc. chip cookies with chocolate ganache in between - my boyfriend got it and of course i had to "taste" it... absolutely delicious, plus I definitely appreciate the name. There is also a "decorate your own cupcake" bar type area, which I haven't tried out yet, but is VERY tempting. Needless to say, everyone should check this place out - it is about 5 doors down from the restaurant where I hostess and I am tempted every time I pass it... so cruel!
(5)Katie B.
I know a few people have been writing on here that they have awful customer service, but I had an awesome experience with the people here. After looking in the window and seeing that there were still customers in the store, we wandered in despite the fact that they had closed 30 minutes before. After the employee had finished helping the man before us, we asked if there was any chance they would still be able to sell us cupcakes. She was very nice about it, and even was patient with us as we tried to figure out which ones we wanted. She was very pleasant despite clearly working long after she had been off work (it was around 10 and they close at 9:30). It was great! The cupcakes themselves were delicious! A little sweet, but the red velvet was very moist and there was the right amount of frosting. The chocolate is very rich and delicious. Love the decorations, too. I'll definitely go back for another sweet fix.
(4)Sparkely K.
There was a line at Georgetown Cupcake a mile long and I wanted a cupcake pronto. There were a few selections available and I had a decent cupcake here (red velvet but I believe it was a butter cream frosting rather than cream cheese). I agree with another poster who said the frosting was slightly hardened. I was sad that it was not terribly moist and without a deep flavor. Nice people. Beautiful cakes.
(3)Pete D.
Got money? The prices are outrageous for a tiny cupcake (just as other yelpers have posted). Don't get me wrong, the decor on the cakes, from the frosting to the small details are really nice, but is fondant THAT expensive. I know these details take time and can be labor intensive, but it's still pretty crazy as for their prices. On to the taste. The cake itself is very dense and good, not great. The frosting isn't too sweet either, good consistency. Customer service ... blah. I guess she was THAT busy? Could you come out past the food carts to speak to your customers? There are other bakeries I'd rather visit before coming back to this spot.
(2)Chick L.
I go to Leslie's for the cupcakes and the cookies. Both are very well done. I've never had a cake from there, so I can't tell you what they are like. Yes, the cupcakes are pricey, but they are one of the best cupcakes places in the area. The downside to Leslie's, the staff isn't the most helpful in the world, but I don't go for the customer service, I go for the treats. I do hope the staff from Leslie's reads these comments and will realize they need to kick up their customer service a few notches. But if you want a good cupcake or cookie, go to Leslie's. ****Update****I appreciated being contacted by Leslie to ask me what she could do to improve customer service and it has gotten better. I think there are now more dedicated counter people who have a better attitude than before.
(5)David H.
I had the worst experience here with Leslie herself that I can ever remember having with another business. I don't write reviews often but when I am treated this poorly I can't not write one. I recently ordered two special cakes for a 30th birthday celebration with Leslie writing down the order. One came out fine and the other was a complete disaster. Amazingly, Leslie got both the cake type and the frosting wrong for the order I was trying to make. Thank god I called in trying to make a revision to the order or else I would have never known about these huge errors until picking up the cake on the day of the event. Now I have time to call other places and fix the situation. I tried for 2 days to reach them but got voicemail constantly and they would wait hours to call me back after that, very unprofessional. What amazed me was how rude Leslie was about the entire situation. She treated me like complete dirt and said I must have ordered the cake the way she wrote it down because she doesn't make mistakes. The mistakes must have been in her "interesting" head and she couldn't have been more cruel or confrontational if she had tried. I got my money back and am left with nothing 3 days away from the event. If you are looking for a special order cake avoid this place like the plague because Leslie was obviously bored while taking my order and didn't really listen in the least to what I wanted. The prices were astronomical for this kind of ludicrous treatment. I will never again set foot in this place and after being treated in the unprofessional and hurtful manner I was I wish her and her business nothing but the absolute worst. Leslie has personally ruined my event.
(1)Rafaella M.
Great place! We ordered our Engagement Cake from Leslie, only giving her a 5 day advance notice. The cake was a bit pricey but beautiful and tasted amazing! The red-velvet was amazing really really red and not the usual burgandy color. Leslie and the staff were just great! Will definetly use for the wedding!
(5)Marianne D.
SETTING: Post-lunch treat SERVICE: Friendly! DECOR: Simply but sweet. DESSERT: Chocolate Macaroon. Yum. Light, but heavy. Yum Yum. VERDICT: Not a fan of any buttercream from any place, but I'll go back for the macaroon and try their chocolate chip cookies, fudge and brownies!
(3)Brian F.
I've never had any of her full sized cakes. They look amazing and Im sure they taste good. I go for the cupcakes and my complaint is they are small in size and large in price. They should be twice the size! The cake is good with the European icing (not as sweet as the American) the choc chip cookies are good too.
(2)stina H.
OK, I'm not a cake connoisseur. In fact, I don't even like cake for the most part unless it's semi-home-made betty crocker/duncan hines cake. So I may be the wrong person to be reviewing this, but here goes anyway. My husband is normal and likes cakes, so we stopped in one evening during one chilly autumn rainy night and ordered some oreo type cupcake to share (I figured I'd only have a bite to see how it was). We said no need for a box and proceeded on our way. I took one bite out of that cupcake and the downpour suddenly faded in to the distance and my one bite turned in to 3. It was so delicious and moist (I like moist). Fast forward a month later and I still couldn't get that cupcake out of my head. So we returned for more. This time, we got a red velvet cupcake with a cream cheese frosting and a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting. The red velvet was again very moist, but the frosting was really sweet-a bit more than I'd like. And the chocolate cupcake was also delicious, although the frosting fell a touch short on the peanut butteryness. I don't know why, maybe it was too much like mouse rather than frosting or perhaps I was hoping for peanut butter in the cupcake itself. Either way they were both still so very scrumptious. My only real problem with the place is the price. At $3.50 each, it's just a little too pricey for me or is that a normal price for cupcakes? I am a newbie, afterall.
(4)Cadence R.
I think Leslie would prefer to be just making fancy cakes (I seriously could not think of another name so I guess her store name is accurate), but because of the cupcake craze realized it might be profitable to get involved. I'm glad she did! The cupcakes she had were fantastic. Moist with great frosting. They weren't as pretty as some other places, but I'm more about the substance and Leslie had good flavoring. Also, I didn't have a fancy cake, but they were amazing! I wish I had a lot of money and an occasion to get a cool cake. It's worth going to the store just to look at how pretty they are! Yes, they might be $3.25, but they are well worth it!
(4)Rachel P.
this review is just for the cupcakes. I'm so sad to see such a poor rating for this place. It's true all I've really had are cupcakes (I also tried a couple french macaroons and didn't like them but I think that was just because I don't like macaroons, so I won't comment on them here). anyway I LOVE their cupcakes! it might be the frosting that won me over - the european buttercream. Not sure if it's italian or french or something else but it's lighter-than-air and perfectly flavored. cupcakes themselves have been lovely too - my favorite is the lemon curd. I guess I've lucked out on the service too, staff has always been nice and helpful when I've gone in.
(5)Janet A.
Leslie created the best cupcakes for our small civil ceremony. The cake was moist and she even perfected the Kanji symbol for love so it could be written in dark chocolate on tiny white chocolate scrolls on top! Perfection!!
(5)Jonny V.
After being contacted directly by Leslie, I went to her store to discuss the reason for my original review. I was very impressed by her thoughtfulness, and was happy to learn that she's not only focused on providing a delicious product, but also on ensuring higher standards for customer service.
(4)Ariele K.
I walk by Fancy Cakes.. like, everyday and their cakes are so COOL! And everyone in my family knows how I rave about their super awesome cakes, so for my birthday my family got one. It was the coolest looking cake ever, one problem though, it tasted like crap! The whole outside was covered in fondant (this stuff that cake makers use for coating cakes, more for design purposes) and the cake was dryish and the fondant stuff was barely edible, ick! Ya I give them props for their intricately designed cakes, but not very good tasting! BUT they also sell cupcakes that are really yummy! And these fairy dust chocolate things that are good too, so try those!!! Also forget to mention that they tend to be pretty pricey!
(3)Gening L.
This place has the most delicious chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake cupcakes. "What's a cheesecake cupcake?" you may be wondering. It is the most delicious little bite-sized .. mini cheesecake. It's got a nice graham crust and a hearty cheesecake filling. Not too sweet, not too heavy, absolutely delicious. Buy it! Our trips to Bethesda always involve Ren's Ramen followed by cupcakes. You can't go wrong.
(5)Spagball X.
I recently bought a dozen cupcakes for a BB-Q. They were awesome. We got a wide variety of flavors like cookies & cream; brownies, red velvet, peanut butter & chocolate, and yellow cake. The frosting is decadent and the cake is moist. I have nothing bad to say. However, I have to say the poor reviews here give me pause to ever consider ordering a custom cake. Sounds like the Leslie might be a cake snob (i.e., I'm an artist first and business woman second). Not a wise move IMHO when you have a Bethesda address. I've seen many a food proprietor come a go who have had great product but horrible business sense. But, as far as $4 cupcakes go. This place is top notch.
(3)Nancy E.
As many others have said, the line at GTC was long so we decided to stop by this place for a quick cupcake fix... should've kept walking. The service was terrible, the selection was minimal and they were way overpriced. I tried my favorite Red Velvet, one word... YUK! Generally, RV's are suppose to be chocolate-y w/ a redish hue. This cupcake was a bright red! I could practically taste the food coloring. Very disappointed, took one bite and threw it away. What a waste of my $3.50. Needless to say, we walked over to GTC and had a REAL Red Velvet cupcake. When passing by this place, just keep walking...
(1)Christina W.
Dropped in on this very wet evening to pick up a little dessert. The counter help was patient and great at answering my questions about the differences between the ganache and swiss cream frostings. I bought 4 different flavors but only got to taste one--orange cake with orange frosting. Yuummm...they should name it the creamsicle; that's exactly what it tasted like. The cake was moist and the frosting was fresh. I'd go back for more!
(4)K K.
The chocolate chip cookies are great. The cupcakes, not a fan - dry and very mediocre. Cakes look fabulous, but can't comment since I haven't ever tried one. Customer service SUCKS. Leslie has a strange attitude and most of her staff probably follow her lead. I haven't gone back in a year on principle - would rather bake my own cookies than spend that much money AND get bad service.
(2)Cari S.
Fancy Cakes by Leslie is amazing. Not only do they have the most brilliant "Man Cookie," the best (bar none) chocolate cookie you've ever eaten -- ganache (and if you want also, peanut butter) sandwiched in between two cookies, Fancy Cakes by Leslie also has a great "emergency cakes" section in the front of their store. I needed a last minute cake for a dinner I was throwing for my daughter. I ran into the store, they boxed a gorgeous pink and green cake with a bow and beautiful stenciling, and three minutes later I was back in my car. Needless-to-say, my daughter screamed, "Fancy Cakes," I LOVE it ... and she's SAVING the bow because it's so pretty! And if I forgot to mention, the cake was DELICIOUS!
(5)Bradley B.
Fancy Cakes designed our wedding cake based on our wedding invitation. It was beautiful, a piece of art. Our wedding day was during the first blizzard of the winter season on December 19, 2009. As a panicked bride, I called the store the night before, and they reassured us that everything was set for delivery. I cannot say how happy and thankful I was when I saw my cake! We had a 6-tier cake with 3 different flavors: chocolate, lemon, and the biggest hit - red velvet. Written by Bradley's wife.
(5)Aesah L.
I was happy to find a cupcake place in Bethesda and Leslie doesn't disappoint. I've had her red velvet and mocha cupcakes, and they are amazing. What's keeping me from trying the other cupcakes is the price...$3.25 for a tiny cupcake is a bit much, but I'll stop in for a special treat now and again.
(3)Jennifer S.
Never ever do I enjoy wedding cakes. Usually they are pretty to look at, but are dry and flavorless. This weekend I attended a wedding that served a cake made by Fancy Cakes by Leslie (I've uploaded a photo for reference), it was one of the prettiest cakes I've seen - and at $10 per slice it ought to be! The cake had two layers one of which was vanilla with a raspberry filling and the other was chocolate with a mocha filling all covered by fondant. It was one of the moistest cakes I've ever had at a wedding and very flavorful. As an aside, if you watch the Today Show, you may remember that her cake was the winning cake for Today Throws a Wedding last year. If you are a bride-to-be I highly recommend you at least make an appointment for a tasting.
(5)Leanor C.
I visited Leslie's for a second time and received WAY better service and the cupcakes were as good as before! I had never had "Swiss buttercream" before, but I was pleasantly surprised by how creamy it was!
(4)Ray D.
I have to upgrade my Fancy Cakes by Leslie review due to the outstanding customer service I received recently. After reading my review, Leslie contacted me personally to apologize for her employee's behavior and to offer samples of some of her cupcakes for my engaged friend and me to try. She spent time showing me her cake and cupcake books, and her designs were beautiful. We tried several different flavors of cupcakes and I have to recommend the mint chocolate chip, the chocolate peanut butter, and the white cake with chocolate ganache. They were delicious. Thank you, Leslie, for spending so much time with me-- you have won me over and I will be back!
(4)eric f.
I am a guy who'd bypass dessert for another beer or a bigger steak w/o ever thinking twice, but this place is the real deal. My wife is caught up in the cupcake craze. I've never been too keen on paying $4.00 for a cupcake, but I enjoy them every so often. I decided to surprise her with a cupcake. As usual the Gtown cupcakes line was ridiculous- there is one option, cupcakes. How long can it take?! So I avoided the line at Georgetown Cupcakes and moseyed on over to check out Fancy Cakes by Leslie -cupcakes too. I was happy to see no line out the door. When I walked in I noticed most of the work area behind the cases were covered with cakes waiting to be picked up/delivered, so I thought to myself they must be doing something right. There was a display case filled with cupcakes and cookies among other treats. Although I was there to get cupcakes I could not go w/o trying a cookie. The "Man Cookie" 2 saucer-sized cookies and sandwiched between was choc. ganache, oh yeah! I mean it was named just for me, so I had to try it, right?! It tasted as good as it sounds! I purchased a man cookie and a PB&J cupcake for my wife- a white cake with peanut butter icing and filled with raspberry jelly. The cookie was soft 'n chewy, so rich and delicious... if only I had a giant glass of milk. My wife's cupcake was just as good. I am a stickler for moist cake and it did not disappoint. A local shop only in Bethesda, plus all the sweet baked goods in one place...how can you go wrong?! I know I didn't. I'll be back.
(5)Lewis K.
Leslie made a fancy cake for me that could not have been better. It was absolutely beautiful - exactly like the picture I'd selected as a model - and possibly even better. It was so pretty - everyone at the party was talking about how gorgeous it was - but the best part was that it was delicious!! We had two different flavors, chocolate with chocolate ganache, and a white cake with a raspberry layer. Both were moist, fresh, and so tasty. I've never had such a pretty cake that also tasted so good. Now I want to have another party just so I can order another fun cake!! I would absolutely recommend this shop for your next "fancy cake." NOTE: Pic should be attached above - it's the pink cake with bees.
(5)Michael W.
I am not a fan of cup cakes and wouldn't spend my money on them (to me they are just muffins with cream on top and are not comparable to the most mediocre french pâtisserie or petit four). Nevertheless, the french macaroons I got at this place were amazing (I hope Leslie continue to sell them forever). I bought one of each flavor and enjoyed every little bite of them (yes...I bought one of each flavor and all at the same time). I would go back for the macaroons for sure!
(4)Kelly B.
The best chocolate cookie I've ever had. You must try one! The cupcakes are good too and the wait is much less than at Georgetown cupcake.
(4)Nick K.
I was coming in town for the weekend from NC to work on wedding stuff with my fiancée. She made an appointment with Fancy Cakes Saturday. We came in and fill out a basic form with the date of our event, our names, and our budget (we entered a number we were hoping for, but were a bit flexible). After waiting for a while Leslie finally came out to see us. Her first words "I don't think we will be able to do something in your budget." After explaining some of our ideas to her, she indicated we could get something done for about 10% more than what we put on the sheet, which was totally acceptable. She left us some books of cakes they have done to look through, and some cupcakes from their display to sample (which tasted stale, but on the bright side their chocolate ganache is amazing). She was going to come back and check up on us. We tried the samples, flipped through all the books, and waited some more. We finally asked one of the employees if she could get Leslie to come back so we can talk to her about what we saw, only to learn that she had left the store for "an emergency cake delivery." At that point we left with the plan to tell her how disrespected we felt when she called us to follow-up. It has been two weeks and my fiancée has not gotten a call. Seems like our $1,700 cake is too small to worry about for this business...must be nice.
(1)Elizabeth C.
My friends and I came to Fancy Cakes to try out the cupcakes and compare them to others we have had in the DC area. My first impression of the shop was that the cakes looked amazing. When choosing cupcakes, the older woman behind the counter was extremely unfriendly and impatient. Between my friends and I, we tried the red velvet, chocolate, dark chocolate and chocolate ganache, and s'mores cupcakes. We all came to the conclusion that these cupcakes were way overpriced and not anything special. In addition, when telling my roommate about Fancy cakes, she mentioned how unfriendly a different woman behind the cupcake display case was. The only positive aspects of my experience at Fancy Cakes was paying for the cupcake (the young cash register guy was actually nice) and the decorating station (though it's really not worth $4). I would highly recommend Georgetown Cupcake, which is 4 minute walk away. The staff there are friendly, the prices are more reasonable, and the cupcakes are absolutely delicious.
(1)Ross R.
Their cake is pretty good, but its the frosting that makes the cupcake. Leslie's cupcakes have terrific butter cream, a good selection of flavors and her french macaroons are off the chain excellent.
(4)tiffany l.
it is nice to see unbelievable talent and incredible courtesy in bethesda, all wrapped up in one place. you do not have to be a cake or cupcake connoisseur to enjoy pure delight. you can even decorate your own cupcake with whatever you may enjoy on the fix it yourself bar, circles of pure chocolate,sprinkles, all the decor you may wish and you have your own personal cupcake. leslie herself truly does all she can to please her customers. you will see that, if you take a moment to stop by. the quality of her work exceeds her humble approach. she just wants her customers happy. the ingredients are top notch, making her cupcakes and cakes totally superb. you do mot have a standard each day as you can see on a menu at georgetown cupcake. give leslie a couple of days notice and you can have cupcakes that you will not believe custom made to your favorite tastes. leslie makes incredible, delectable desserts. from the largest of cakes to the smallest of cupcakes. i was never a big cupcake fan but i have to tell everyone just try on, pick something you know you will enjoy and if you do not enjoy it! look sat the cake she did for the pope! yes the pope! the cake she did for j.lo sand mark anthony, now we have this person in bethesda, she is not phony, she has time to talk to you and she is truly a real genuine woman with talents that exceed most others in this area.. she really has no competition, stop by leslie's and you will understand why. her intricate detail even on a small cake or cupcake is utterly amazing. if you want a dog on a cupcake you have it a cat that too, if you want a cupcake your dog can eat you have those also! pupcakes! toooo cute! you may order any cake or cupcake flavor filled or unfilled with whatever you desire and she will make it to your satisfaction. her cupcakes & filings are to die for, far beyond words, moist, delicious and tres magnifique'. her friendly manner make it a pleasure to shop there. her staff cannot be more helpful and that is what makes a small bakery, a huge success. there may be a new cupcake place in bethesda, but if you go to leslie's you will never go anywhere else! just pick out a design, it will be so beautiful you will not want to eat it, but you will! i was just walking through bethesda, bought some cupcakes from georgetown cupcake, went through to cacoa was not at all impressed with the desserts or the owner, and saw people standing outside of leslie's. i went in , that is all i needed to see. after time and time again with leslie , i hope my next trip will not be to jenny craig! eat, drink and stop at leslie's and you will be happy you did! i am not at all affiliated with the owner in any personal way, i am a very pleased customer that thinks there should be more people in this world like leslie! her prices are not the cheapest but remember you get what you pay for! she is worth it!
(5)