The Best Cake Stands, Because Your Bundts Deserve the Best
Your cakes, cafe pastries, and desserts don’t just need a cake stand — they demand an aesthetic pedestal
Your precious desserts deserve not just a plate, but a pedestal. I mean, are you really going to toil over the 22 steps it takes to make a prinsesstårta from scratch, only to place your marzipan masterpiece on an (often) unaccommodating, slightly curved plate? It wouldn’t be the end of the world, nor do I always take my own advice; I’ve cramped the style of many gorgeous loaf-style cakes by cramming them onto an otherwise lovely piece of French transferware that might look pretty, but still isn’t designed to welcome a whole cake.
The best cake stands should give you a little pep in your step, on both a practical and aesthetic level. As the former king of “buying a little pastry for later” at a coffee shop that I often forget about, leaving it to demise into staleness in my tote, domed cake stands help preserve the freshness of the almond croissant I just had to have, or the half-loaf of artisanal bread that I make my way through during the week.
Below, I’ve assembled a range of cake stands for every aesthetic, occasion, and, perhaps most importantly, budget. There are domed lazy Susan cake stands for under $50, and marble cake stands that could also double as a Camembert throne; there’s a ruffled cake stand for romantics, and luxury cake stand that belongs in the Beetlejuice dinner scene.
The best cake stands under $50
I choose to believe that when Anaïs Nin said “luxury is not a necessity to me, but beautiful and good things are” that she was talking about affordable cake stands (she wasn’t). It’s true that some of the best cake stands can be quite expensive, but price isn’t synonymous with luxury when I find a marbled cake stand to go with my marbled Romanian bowls (which have been ruling storefronts at the Montecito Country Mart) for under $50.
Cop a cake stand that doubles as a lazy Susan
Eater’s shopping editor loves practical this cake stand
Ruffles for romance
For marbled cake, a marbled cake stand
The best cake stands under $100
The best cake stands in the $50 to $100 range include a square–domed Crate & Barrel stand that looks way more expensive than it is, a splatter-painted cottagecore number that’s just begging for some scones, and a sweet deal on a crystal (yes, real crystal) domed stand that feels very The Gilded Age.
This crystal cake stand is 34 percent off
Square cake dome > square wine glasses
This splatter cake stand
The best cake stands under $200
Admittedly, the under-$200 zone is a fun place to be when it comes to cake stand shopping; this is where we really start to see options that double as art objects with unique silhouettes, pops of color, and, dare I say, stage presence. They can be a bit more of a splurge, but that’s what my tax return is for.
This Postmodern cake dome
Never underestimate the power of a pop of color
Put this cake stand in the Bauhaus ballet
For fans of Brutalism and panettone
You’re really looking to splurge
Congratulations! You have made it to the realm where money is no object. Maybe these impossibly beautiful, hand-crafted — and often, made-to-order — cake stands are just for serving dinner to your Persian cat. Whatever the reason, enjoy.
