SusieCakes - Austin West Wood

"The national chain and its two Austin locations — one in Rollingwood and the other in Clarksville — are known for its layer cakes, but its pies are quite good too. There are classics like pumpkin, pecan, and apple crumble. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas." - Nadia Chaudhury

"In addition to a rotation list of seasonal options, SusieCakes has some perennial favorites on the menu at all its locations. The Southern red velvet cake is a whole splash of color and the triple coconut cake is a coconut lover’s dream. There’s also a cake flight for all your tasting needs (or wants). Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas." - Courtney E. Smith, Britt Hayes

"I volunteered to bring dessert when having dinner at a friend’s house, and SusieCakes cupcakes were the best possible choice. I’m not much of a cupcake person — scarred by too many office parties — but these were sweet and moist, with great buttercream and a surprise ganache center. They’d make a great crowd-pleaser for a party. —ER" - Nadia Chaudhury, Erin Russell

"The Rollingwood branch of this bakery from California serves chocolate chip cookies, soft sugar cookies with famed frosting, and more. Place pickup and delivery orders online." - Erin Russell

"The bakery will open at 3267 Bee Caves Road, Suite 123 in the Old Tarlton Center near Rollingwood starting on Saturday, October 8. The bakery bakes up decadent and bright decorative layer cakes and cupcakes. There’s the vanilla celebration cake, a six-layer cake with sugar confetti and blue frosting; the marble cake with vanilla and chocolate cakes, chocolate chips, and vanilla and chocolate buttercreams; and the pecan-golden raising-studded carrot cake with praline fillings. Cupcakes include coconut, red velvet, and flourless chocolate. The bakery also whips up cookies and sometimes bars and pies. Owner Susan Sarich, who grew up in Chicago, opened the bakery in Los Angeles in 2006, using recipes from her two grandmothers. There are now over 20 locations throughout California and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There had been two Houston locations, but those have since closed. She also actually moved her company’s headquarters and her family to Texas. For its opening day, SusieCakes will sell the University of Texas at Austin-themed cakes and cupcakes in honor of the big Longhorns game against Oklahoma that day. It’ll host a bigger opening party on Saturday, October 22 with Sarich herself, kid-friendly activities, and a raffle for a year of free cakes." - Nadia Chaudhury