By THE CURRENT STAFF

Say it’s your coworker’s birthday tomorrow or you’re bidding farewell to a colleague. Besides a card, a cake is an absolute must. Now, there’s no need to whip out your grandmother’s recipe or reach for the box of Betty Crocker—there’s plenty of cake to be had under our very noses, some with just a day’s notice and others ready-made.

Fresh Grocer
4001 Walnut St. / 222-9200

Lead-time: The store stocks a plentiful supply of cakes. They’ll personalize them for no additional charge and even get a special order to you with 24 hours notice.

Options: Aside from the standard sheet cakes, the store offers many 7-inch cakes, including cookies and cream, Italian rum, golden fudge and pineapple upside-down. You can also get sugar-free yellow cake. Behind the pastry counter, choose from individual slices of cheesecake, small chocolate bundt cakes, lemon cake and fruit tarts, just to name a few.

Price: Sheet cakes $6.99 to $32.99; individual slices $2.99 to $3.99; 7-inch cakes $6.99 to $7.99.

We recommend: The ready-to-go German chocolate cake.

The Pastry Shop at the Restaurant School
4207 Walnut St. / 222-4200

Lead-time: Most cakes are regularly in stock. You can also have your cake personalized on the spot by the apprentice pastry chefs. A 24-hour lead-time is recommended for special orders.

Options: Vanilla cake, chocolate delice, chocolate mousse cake, fresh fruit tart, opera torte, velvet torte, a variety of cheesecakes including raspberry, chocolate and fresh fruit.
Price: $11-$15

We recommend: The chocolate delice cake, with three layers of rich chocolate cake separated by thin layers of raspberry and chocolate buttercream.

Metropolitian Bakery
4013 Walnut St. / 222-1492

Lead-time: Give the bakers at least 24 hours notice for any cake order.

Options: Lemon or chocolate pound cake, chocolate flourless, chocolate almond flourless, chocolate layer, crème frâiche.

Price: $12 for pound cakes, $22.50 for chocolate flourless and crème frâiche, $28.50 for almond flourless, $34 for layer.

We recommend: The rich, dense chocolate flourless cake—perfect for any chocolate lover.

Ben & Jerry’s
218 S. 40th St.

Lead time: A variety of cakes are on hand, but if you want one made-to-order, call at least 24 hours ahead of time. Depending where you live, and how busy the shop is, delivery may be available.

Options: All Ben & Jerry’s cakes come with two flavors of ice cream (of your choosing) between layers of crumbled brownies or crumbled cookies.

Price: Cakes range from $17 for a small cake serving four to six people to $40 for a sheet cake that can feed up to 30.

We recommend: Chocolate chip cookie dough with chocolate double fudge brownie.