Let Gen Z Eat Cake

The world that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are growing up in is completely different from that of past generations, including how they eat.

“We’ve definitely seen a shift in the next generation’s desire for camera-worthy desserts,” says Hami Kim, director of research and development for French-Korean bakery chain Paris Baguette. “These younger generations are looking for Instagrammable dessert creations that allow the camera to eat first.”

Between that, the convenience of delivery apps and the increasing prevalence of personalization, younger diners expect that their food will be easily available, tailored to their preferences, and, most of all, delicious.

But how does cake, a dish usually served to groups for special occasions, adapt to these new parameters? Restaurants and menu developers are rethinking everything from how–like single-serving cake ATMs–to when people reach for the sweet treat. What does the future of cake look—and taste—like? Here are a few fresh approaches.

Lighter-Than-Air Textures

Texture takes the proverbial cake at Paris Baguette with by-the-slice options including the lighter-than-air Strawberry Soft Cream Cake Slice (left) and the soufflé-style Heavenly Cheesecake (right).

It’s not just aesthetics that set Paris Baguette apart. Demand for global pastries plus a wave of Asian-inspired cafes are bringing a new sensibility to the flavors and textures to the dessert category, with cake well positioned for shake-up.

One popular item? Cloud cake. “Cloud cakes are defined by their light, airy textures and delicate sweetness, creating an experience that feels almost weightless and truly comforting,” says Kim. Paris Baguette serves several types of cloud cake, including its beloved Soft Cream Cakes, with layers of delicate sponge, fresh berries and pillowy mounds of cream. And the trend is also finding its way into the packaged goods market. This year, Trader Joe’s launched a seasonal Strawberries & Cream Cloud Cake, featuring custard sandwiched between layers of sponge cake and finished with whipped cream and strawberries. But the dainty dessert requires a full day for defrosting and then must be enjoyed within a 24-hour window, giving restaurants a leg-up in terms of convenience and freshness.

But other types of cake are also getting fluffed up. In Chicago, Puffy Cakes specializes in airy, jiggly Japanese cheesecakes. The single-serving treats come in flavors from berry to peanut butter to shortbread cookie and are decorated with an array of Instagrammable drizzles, dollops and other eye-catching details. Paris Baguette offers something similar with its personal-sized Heavenly Cheesecake.

Cake Takes Flight

Personalization has been a big trend across categories, but it can be tricky to apply to items that aren’t made to order, like cake. Enter: the cake flight. Whether served as slices or mini versions of the original, cake flights can cater to a group with different palates and allows indecisive guests to try a little of everything.

California Pizza Kitchen recently explored this format with its Butter Cake lineup. “We knew we wanted to take a beloved CPK classic and freshen it up in a fun, unique way that introduced some other exciting, new flavors,” says Paul Pszybylski, vice president of culinary innovation. Guests pick their combination of bite-sized versions of Classic Butter Cake, Dark Chocolate and Brownie Crumble, Strawberries with Purée, and Smoked Bacon and Maple. “It allows guests to get a little taste of everything and the perfect amount of indulgence for more of those everyday occasions,” he adds.

Bakeries are also leaning into the trend. SusieCakes, a sweets-focused bakery with locations in four states, offers a flight of full-size slices of some of their most popular flavors, like red velvet and vanilla confetti, as well as rotating seasonal slices.

For the younger demographic, Pszybylski finds that the fun and flexibility of a cake flight have serious appeal. “It’s a very shareable dessert and makes for some good ‘Instagrammable’ content: both factors that younger consumers tend to consider when choosing a sweet treat to indulge in,” he says.

Cake as an Everyday Occasion

Credit: Nothing Bundt Cakes

Seasonal flavors plus a bit of nostalgia keep the options fresh at Nothing Bundt Cakes. Clockwise from left: Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl, Banana Pudding, S’mores, Lemon Raspberry and Key Lime.

Cake’s size and festive flourishes have cemented its longstanding association with special events and celebrations. But with single-serving options, cake can be for any occasion––or no occasion at all.

“Shifting the mindset to celebrating every day every moment big and small leads us to get more creative with cake,” says Claire Jessen, vice president of culinary at Nothing Bundt Cakes, which has locations across the U.S. and in Canada. “We can take the traditional format and modernize it with nontraditional cake flavors, textures and presentation.”

By offering personal-sized Bundtlets and Bundtinis (bite-sized bundts sold by the dozen), Jessen finds that guests are more open to being adventurous in their flavor choices. The brand has been leaning into limited-time offerings that spark excitement with more creative flavors, textures, and builds. “It’s an amazing way for us to diversify the need for cake beyond the birthday or major holiday,” says Jessen.

At Paris Baguette, Kim has found that offering single slices sometimes leads to younger diners doing a kind of DIY cake flight. “They often look for variety, so having smaller dessert options, such as cake slices, has worked well for us,” she says. “This allows them to try different flavors and even create a ‘dessert haul’ for social media. It’s a fun and low-pressure way to explore our menu and find something they love.”

“Newstalgia” Takes the Cake

In the age of Instagram, everyone wants a cake that looks as great as it tastes. Cake design trends are moving away from minimalism and embracing the ornate, specifically Lambeth cakes. Pastry chefs on TikTok are racking up millions of views with their Lambeth videos, showing how they make the intricate frosting swoops, swirls and embellishments inspired by Victorian-era aesthetics.

“All generations love cake!” says Jessen of the Lambeth cake trend. “It’s ‘vintage’ but new, with non-traditional colors such as black or ruby red.”

In Brooklyn, N.Y., Morgan Knight has built an entire brand, Saint Street Cakes, on this kind of “newstalgia.” Knight’s playful, elaborate cakes that combine detailed piping with quirky colors and imagery are so popular that she recently opened a brick-and-mortar store selling individual slices alongside her custom creations.

But it’s not just about the looks. Many of Knight’s flavor combinations hearken back to old-world favorites like almond, pistachio and lemon. Similarly, Nothing Bundt Cakes has taken inspiration from retro desserts like banana pudding and s’mores. “We have seen a strong affinity for nostalgic flavors across demos,” Jessen says.

Restaurants needn’t be cake-centric or even dessert-specific to slice off a piece of this burgeoning market—just look to CPK and Portillo’s for proof. The latter launched a Salted Caramel Spice Cake (available by the slice) in 2024, marking the first new cake flavor in 20 years. And if anything, younger consumers appreciate experimentation and options, so operators should feel encouraged to dip a toe, whether by playing with texture, flavors, portion sizes, presentation or any number of features. In the end, let guests have their cake and eat it, too.