Oakland Bakery and Market

My lab manager purchased a quarter sheet cake from here yesterday for the boss’s birthday. I had been wanting to try this place since it’s so close to my work, but on the other hand, was a bit put off because I suspected they are run by Pitt dining services. While I’m not sure whether this is true or not, the fact of the matter is that I was less than impressed by the taste of the cake that we had yesterday.
The decoration on the cake looked nice, if a bit rote, so I was hopeful that it would be a decent cake. However, as soon as I bit into a piece, I was instantly disappointed. While the cake itself was okay (though certainly not great), the icing was utterly flavorless. It was that buttercream impostor «bettercream,» which is used routinely on grocery store cakes, and lacks the richness of true buttercream. Rather than being made with butter – or even margarine (yuck) – I suspect it was made with something like Crisco as its fat base (double yuck). I barely finished the small-​ish corner piece that I’d chosen, and didn’t go back for seconds.
I’m sorry to be harsh, but as the reigning PGH Bakery Queen, I’ve tried sweets from 2/3−¾ of the bakeries in PGH, and this one is my least favorite. Sadly, the fact of the matter is that I’ve had better cakes from Giant Eagle. I strongly suggest that the owners consider changing their cake icing recipe to a more traditional buttercream, like every other bakery in PGH I’ve tried. I’ve seen some decent looking sandwiches in the display case as I’ve walked by, so perhaps they’re better. I’d be willing to give them a try, but I won’t be purchasing any baked goods from here unless the owners reformulate their recipes.

The store is so cute!!! + Cheese croissant is highly recommended. It is the best among the croissants that I have had until now.
I forgot to take photos… Maybe I was fully occupied by eating my croissant. Anyway I’m happy to find it.

The cakes and cookies here and amazing! The cupcakes are to die for, better than any I have ever gotten.
They have different types of soup everyday. If they ever have tomato basil, get it! I hate tomato soup but somehow there’s is amazing.
The only thing that isn’t great is their salads and sandwiches. Often times the lettuce is brown or wilted and definitely shouldn’t be eaten. The sandwiches and really bread heavy with not much material inside.