You can now get freshly-baked cake from a vending machine in Seattle.
A Seattle baker has started a cake vending machine in Ballard. Nicole Conley, owner of Butter Half Cakes, calls her mini cake vending machine the Microbakery @ The Cake Coop. It only operates three days a week and has gotten so popular that it frequently sells out.
Read on for all the details!
What is the Microbakery?
Conley calls the Microbakery a “magic fridge.” It’s essentially a self-service mini bakery filled with whole mini cakes and cake slices. The flavors rotate weekly. It is located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood at 8039 30th Ave NW. The hours are 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (or sellout) from Friday through Sunday.
How it works
To get a cake or slice from the Microbakery, you follow a few simple steps. First you scan the QR code, then you can put in your order and pay—all on your phone. Once you’ve paid, the fridge on the left unlocks and you can take your treat. The Microbakery operates on the honor system, trusting that customers won’t take more than what they paid for.
Cake slices are $13 a pop and are generously sized, so you could share one slice between two or three people.
Does it have vegan/gluten-free options?
Conley said she plans to include a vegan or a gluten-free option in the Microbakery “every few weeks.”
To know before you go
Don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line. The Microbakery has been receiving a decent amount of hype as of late and sometimes it sells out before noon. The fridge gets stocked with about 24 slices and three to four mini cakes before opening; when we arrived 20 minutes after opening on a Friday, it only had three slices and one whole cake left.
Also be aware that the Microbakery is located at a private residence, so customers are asked to be respectful as they come and go.
Ready to get yourself some cake? You can visit the Butter Half website for more info, or follow along on Instagram to see which flavors are being offered each week. If you can’t get to the Microbakery, Conley also accepts orders for custom cakes for all kinds of events.
The Microbakery @ The Cake Coop
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (or sellout), Fri-Sun
Address: 8039 30th Ave NW Seattle WA 98117