The Bee's Knees Baking Co. - CLOSED

Bee’s Knees Baking Company is redefining the meaning of dessert with a delicious new kind of treat you can eat on the go. Chef Billy Mayer and partners introduce their innovative creation of the 'cake cup'. A perfect slice of cake packed into one cup for a creamy taste, combining textures of traditional iced cakes, with the quick and easy-to-enjoy experience of a cupcake. Portioned cake cups provide a layered indulgence without preservatives and post-dessert guilt. Enjoy vegan-friendly recipes baked with beet derivative coloring, as well as traditional favorites and seasonal specialties such as key lime pie topped with fluffy homemade banana marshmallow frosting made of eggs and sugar.

The Brooklyn based cafe opened its Manhattan location in 2012 with rustic reclaimed barn wood and brick interior, giving it a modern cozy vibe. Equipped with a full espresso bar, the cafe brews Brooklyn's very own Gorilla Coffee as well as serves bottled exotic blends of cold brewed teas by Sweet Disposition. The cafe's petite menu boasts local purveyors, offering morning, lunch and dinner items all day long — including quiche and empanadas from Mille-Feuille Bakery; savory charcuterie plates and wines.

The company moniker, 'the Bee’s Knees', comes from a saying that was re-coined in the 1920s to mean 'the height of excellence'. It refers to how bees transport pollen on their knees to their hive; home to all the sweet honey. Chef Mayer's cake cups are just that good! Cakes are baked locally on the Bowery using as many organic and local farmer’s market ingredients as possible. The Bee’s Knees Co. always offers six classic flavors in store with rotating seasonal flavors. Choose from a small cup size, or a 'flavor flight' consisting of three of your favorites served in 6.5oz cups. The cake shake is another delectable offer unique to the Bee's Knees Baking Co. — the cake of your choice blended with fresh gelato, locally produced on Manhattan's Lower East Side, by il Laboratorio del Gelato — the founders Ciao Bella Gelato.

Chef Mayer holds much baking experience having worked for the Norwood Club, Momofuku Milk Bar and the Hotel Armani. Along with Mayer's cake inspiration, The Bee's Knees Baking Co. offers catering services for special events accommodating vegan and kosher options. 'Strawberry Balsamic' and 'Orange Clove' are but 2 flavor combinations reserved for special orders. Clients may also collaborate with Chef Billy Mayer in recreating a cultural dessert or a cake from a childhood memory. Wedding orders are elegantly arranged in beautiful tier formations, and include up to five flavor choices, served in glasses or champagne flutes for toasting. When planning your party be sure to inquire about their signature recipes, especially for custom orders, such as delicious toffee crunch as well as spiced seasonal fresh fruits.

The Bee’s Knees Co. is a one-of-a-kind cafe and bakery that’s putting an inventive twist on a dessert favorite with the highest of quality, because everyone should enjoy a slice of cake wherever they may be.