Natalie Johnson's cakes kept coming up in conversations about local sweets. Her custom cakes require two weeks' notice but are well worth the advanced planning. For Valentine's Day she makes a charming heart-shaped cake, covered with "quilted" fondant, sugar flowers and ribbons (9-inch cake, $110-$175). The standard flavors-yellow, chocolate, white or lemon- are scrumptious but you might prefer special flavors, such as banana, orange-almond, sour cream vanilla, or chocolate fudge instead. One of her cakes looks like a stack of wrapped presents. Chocolate or vanilla all-butter buttercream with raspberry filling are popular too. Call (914-238-0020).

--Judith Hausman

As seen in Westchester Magazine
February, 2006