"Walking into Violet Cakes is like stepping into the Pinterest of one of those effortless, classy people who somehow know how to arrange flowers, pull off hot pink, and make an egg yolk cookie so gorgeous and gooey that you start to suspect chocolate chip witchcraft. You’ll find this sugar den of sun-washed California cool and handwritten blackboard charm on a quiet residential street near London Fields. The sweet treats here lean towards frothy American-style cupcakes and brownies so rich they could probably get an unlimited overdraft, but you shouldn’t overlook the savoury options. The kimchi and blue cheese toastie is spicy, fried to crisp perfection, and comes with a jolly little pot of pickles. There’s also a little suntrap terrace that’s ideal for discussing the minutiae of your life with someone you love, while eating a sprinkle-topped cookie you’ll also love. video credit: Emily Hai photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch video credit: Emily Hai photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Food Rundown Chocolate Cupcake Small in size but rich enough to make Miss Trunchball proud, this cupcake is a must-order. video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Egg Yolk Chocolate Chip Cookie Egg yolk might actually be the most important component of cookie creation. The evidence: this cookie. It’s gooey at the centre, crisp at its edges, and the butteriness of the egg yolk counteracts the dark chocolate and salty finish to create the perfect bite. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley California Cookie While we stand bravely on the frontlines of ‘more grown-up foods should involve sprinkles’ debate, this cookie is already running the campaign for us. Beyond the smile-inducing sprinkles, it has a subtle strawberry milkshake flavour with a hint of vanilla. Banana Buttermilk Bread If you ask the servers at Violet what to order, they’ll point you towards this banana bread. Listen to them. The buttermilk and dash of booze takes this bakery classic from ‘that thing you order when you want to convince yourself you’re being healthy’ to an indulgent slab of butter-sponsored brilliance. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Kimchi & Blue Cheese Toastie All of the sweet little cakes here will lull you into a false sense of a sugar euphoria and then along comes this sharp, spicy toastie. Thanks to the hefty portion of kimchi, it’s a genuine tear-jerker, in the best fried and butter-slicked way possible. It also comes with a little pot of pickles and we think that’s classy." - Heidi Lauth Beasley
