Whimsical Cakes

A vanilla sponge cake with lemon butter at Cafe Blanc. (Bob Chamberlin / LAT)

Sept. 16, 2014 2:04 AM PT

Instead of making a large, round layer cake, try making smaller rounds or a triangular one. (Richard Hartog / LAT)

Slice of New Orleans Chocolate Layer Cake. (Richard Hartog / LAT)

Cake Genoise. (Richard Hartog / LAT)

Blueberry cake from Wheatberry Bakery Cafe. (Wally Skalij / LAT)

Cardamom cake from Cakewalk. (Richard Hartog / LAT)

Cake syrups-from left orange, vanilla, cassis and cinamon pepper caramel syrup. (Wally Skalij / LAT)

Coconut, chardonnay passion fruit cake. (Wally Skalij / LAT)

Carrot cake from Cakewalk. (Wally Skalij / LAT)

Carrot cake from Cakewalk (Wally Skalij / LAT)

Large whole cakes along with small individual cakes make a colorful display at Tomi Harase’s “Cafe Blanc” on 17th Street in Costa Mesa (Bob Chamberlin / LAT)

Detail view of candies for sprinkling on the cakes at Susiecakes bakery, another new cake place popping up in L.A. at 11708 San Vicente in Brentwood. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)