Calling all Londoners: stop what you’re doing, grab a plate and a fork as you’re about to taste some of the best cheesecakes the capital has to offer.
The perfect pudding, a cheesecake can be everything from a light refreshing bite to an indulgent and sumptuous affair. Its versatility is what makes it so great and loved by so many.
Impressively, our infactuation with cheesecakes has stood the test of time. The dessert is thought to have come from the Greek island of Samos some 4000 years ago and thanks to it being packed with fresh cheese, honey and flour, it was served to athletes ahead of the first Olympic games in 776 BC.
Since then, the delicacy has spread across the world making it into the first English cookbook in 1390 and becoming a staple in the American diet by the 19th century- hence the now iconic New York Cheesecake born in the early 1930s.
Today, the traditional cheesecake - although still loved - has been replaced by all sorts of weird and wacky interpretations. From pancake cheesecakes in Japan, to savoury potato ones in the Philippines, there are few other desserts that highlight the power of globalisation quite as much as this humble cake.
Of course, it’s possible to make your own cheesecake - a recipe book, electric whisk and a cake stand later you can have an incredible show stopper for your family and friends.
But for the occasions when we want something more than an “interpretive” homemade cheesecake, it’s worth knowing which London bakeries are the go to.
We put mouth-watering treats from the capital’s finest establishments to the test by calling on overly willing participants from the ES HQ (because who doesn’t love to devour cake on a Thursday afternoon) to taste each one and give their opinions on presentation and flavour.
In the words of Greg Wallace, we were after a “buttery biscuit base” and a cream cheese filling “packed with oomph”.
Read our verdict below.
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Cutter & Squidge Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
Famed for showstopper cakes, this Cutter & Squidge cheesecake does not disappoint in the appearance stakes. Delivered in a colourful cardboard box and three layers tall, this had the office gasping at its beauty. The pristine piping and simple yet effective decoration on the top meant that most of our testers made a beeline for this cake first.
However, upon tasting we were left somewhat confused by the name of the cake as the cheesecake bites were rather illusive and sparingly scattered in the sponge-like layers. If you’re after a cracking sponge cake that is full of lemon and blueberry flavours then this is the one, but as a cheesecake fanatic you may miss the soft, fresh cream cheese layer. Either way, whipping out this beauty will guarantee you as the host/hostess with the mostess.
Buy now £34.99, Cutter & Squidge
Chilled Wagashi Lemon Cheesecake Dorayaki
Take all your preconceived notions of a traditional cheesecake and throw them out of the window as this Dorayaki Lemon iteration is like no other. A classic Japanese dessert, it’s made from two thick and spongy pancakes that are held together with sweet lemon cheesecake filling - making them a perfect snack for cake and pancake lovers alike. Our testers were impressed with the unique design and really enjoyed the zesty tangy flavour. They are rather small so we recommend buying quite a few if you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Buy now £1.69, Japan Centre
Lola’s Cupcakes Mini Cheesecake Selector
Made fresh in Lola’s London bakery, these sumptuous mini cheesecakes are the perfect addition to any outdoor gathering thanks to the nifty packaging and cardboard handles on either side to lift them out of the box. Featuring eight different flavoured cheesecakes - our favourites were the red velvet and brownie ones - they are the perfect size for a tasty treat. The attention to detail and beautiful decoration on top of the cake really made them stand out and we think these would make a lovely gift.
Buy now £36.99, Lola’s Cupcakes
English Cheesecake Company Spring Variety
Sometimes when it comes to cheesecake, everything looks so great that picking a flavour is like choosing a favourite child (not impossible but you’d rather not do it). Luckily the spring variety delivered to us by the English Cheesecake Company allowed us to sample everything from biscoff and brownie, to fudge and oreo, making this cake an absolute crowd pleaser. We loved the taste of all the slices and were grateful for the generous amount of toppings on each cake - after all there’s nothing worse than a measly half crumbled oreo.
Buy now £59.00, English Cheesecake Company
The Proof Lemon Cheesecake
As we collected the note cards after our taste test we were amazed to find comments such as “Damned fine cake” scrawled across the entire A4 page and “so good it should be illegal” written not once, but twice!
We loved The Proof’s cheesecake and thought it was incredibly light and fluffy - so much so that the topping was described as a “cloud-like cream”. There was a strong lemony taste throughout and the decoration made it a real showstopper. After being left out in the office for an hour we did find the cheesecake started to fall apart and melt slightly so make sure you eat it straight away - but you don’t need to tell us twice.
Buy now £18.00, The Proof
Positive Bakes Luxury Vegan Cheesecake Pots
Completing this cheesecake testing blind, our tasters were all shocked to hear that this cheesecake was not only vegan but also gluten-free. From the initial aroma of the salted caramel cakes that were neatly placed into a dinky glass ramekin, we were hooked.
There was plenty of flavour and great taste throughout, albeit slightly sickly towards the end. If you’re catering for vegans, this is an absolute must. But in order to have made such a cheesecake possible the list of ingredients (many of which are unheard of) are endless and fairly daunting. Nontheless the design and mouth-watering flavours will steal the show at any dinner party.
Buy now £48.95, Yumbles
The Cheesecake Emporium 12 Individual Cheesecakes Discovery Pack
Looking to stock up your fridge with some weird and wacky cheesecakes? This option is small enough to feel guilt free. Well, almost.
The Cheesecake Emporium’s 12 cakes all had great flavour with the perfect ration of delicious biscuit base to filling. We loved the Strawberry Mousse and Rocky Road Cheesecakes and there was plenty of fighting in the office on who got to taste those.
Don’t be fooled by the bite-size appearance as these tasty treats were very sweet and our last mouthful was verging on sickly. The plastic pot presentation was a slight let down so best kept for yourself then to gift.
Buy now £16.99, Yumbles
Kasa and Kin Tsunami Cheesecake Duo
Expand your global cheesecake repertoire with this Filipino favourite - Ube cheesecake.
Made from purple sweet potatoes, this cheesecake is perfect for those looking for a slightly less sweet dessert as there are hints of savouriness in the flavouring. It is an acquired taste that does take some getting used to, and we found this to be the marmite of cheesecakes with our testers split on whether they loved it or hated it.
We enjoyed building the cheesecake ourselves by pouring on the incredibly purple sauce (especially as it satisfyingly flowed down the cake) and scattering on the delicious white chocolate balls.
Buy now £13.50, Uber Eats
Seasons vegan lemon and elderflower cheesecake
It’s no easy feat to create a cheesecake that’s vegan - as the name suggests cheese is a primary ingredient. Created by baker Seasons, this is an impressive attempt at a vegan alternative to a much loved dessert.
Made with cashews instead of cheese, a base of Palestinian medjoul dates and a beautiful strawberry and elderflower topping, we were most impressed with the pretty and carefully curated design.
As with many vegan alternatives, sometimes they don’t quite taste the same as the real deal and our testers felt that was the case here - it was slightly too nutty for our liking.
Overall it’s a decent cake if you’re vegan or gluten-free and all cheesecake orders will be handmade and personally delivered to your front door.
Buy now £9.00, DELLI
