Deerfields Bakery

We tried out Deerfields Bakery for the first time this week. The cakes, cookies and cupcakes look amazing, but we really stopped in for lunch. Being unfamiliar with how to order lunch, we were rather lost since there did not seem to be any help or clear directions in the store. Finally, someone appeared at the counter by a cash register. I explained we had not been here before and the cashier was incredibly rude. He said we just ordered with him and then gestured to his left and we paid that way. We tried to order soup and sandwich where the kid told us they did not have soup even though it was on the board to his right. So, we ordered salad and sandwich and a whole sandwich. We then waited in a long line to pay. It took longer to pay for our order than it did to eat. Since it was a Saturday and the day before Valentine’s Day, you would think the owners would have made sure people were getting checked out quickly. The young lady who took our money was not very pleasant either and reluctantly took our drink order. There were at least seven other folks behind us waiting to pay for items. When we finally got our food, it was okay. Nothing amazing. Better than McDonald’s but really, the salad was okay, the sandwiches were okay, the cookies were okay. It was okay. We will probably try the place again for doughnuts, but maybe not. My advice to the owners is to train their staff in customer service.

I ordered a strawberry whipped cream birthday cake for our family’s annual winter birthday gathering from
Deerfields on Waukegan Road in Deerfield.
My sister specifically asked me to buy and bring a strawberry whipped cream cake since it’s a family favorite.
We’re all originally from the near northwest side of Chicago, and I also worked on the southwest side of Chicago, so it used to be easy to order an excellent strawberry whipped cream birthday cake in the past.
There are a couple of my «preferred» bakeries, one near 55^th and Harlem in Chicago, another on North Ave near Kedzie in Chicago.
Two years ago, I moved up
North, and I am now close to the Wisconsin border.
Unfortunately, I didn’t know of any comparable bakeries near my home, and our family gathering was in Deerfield, so I looked up bakeries in that area and found Deerfields Bakery.
The people at the bakery were very nice, professional and helpful, when I ordered last week and when I picked up my cake today.
But the cake I purchased was NOT as good as similar cakes I have purchased at the bakeries mentioned above in Chicago.
The whipped cream was too sweet and actually tasted as though it was whipped cream MIXED with buttercream.
The yellow cake was very dense, much denser than what I prefer, and a bit «tough». It actually tasted more like the heavy cake dough often used for wedding cakes.
The cake was 3 layers.
I ordered fresh strawberries, and they were on top of the bottom layer, with whipped cream on top of the middle layer. Every time I cut and tried to serve a slice, the cake fell apart cuz of the weight of the strawberries.
Overall, the cake was okay, and looked nice, but was not as good as we had hoped.
I guess I will make the long trip into Chicago for our next family birthday cake.
Individual grades:
Professionalism of staff: A+
Appearance of cake: A
Whipped cream: C
Cake flavor and texture: C

I called Deerfield’s last week on a day the bakery was actually closed. I spoke with Barb… she was very nice and helpful. I needed a cake that would stand out for my hubby’s 50^th birthday– what can I say… other than it was the topic of the evening. THANKS Barb!!!

So disappointed. The buttercream frosting and chocolate cake have been a favorite, but I’m not sure what has happened. The cake is now more frosting than cake and the frosting is not the same. It was gross with ¼ cake and ¾ frosting. We will never be ordering from Deerfield again. Very sad. It seems this is the way to cut costs. Make more layers with tons of cheap frosting and very, very little cake. Just awful.

I’ve been going to Deerfield Bakery in Buffalo Grove for years — but today I recommended a co-​worker to visit for a customized graduation cake (her child’s college graduation is in December). I was extremely disappointed, and even embarrassed at the way she was treated. The bakery, once beautiful and filled w/​cakes/​cookies was ½ empty today, had a strange smell, but I thought maybe it was transition time and no worries, the cake would be beautiful. They refused to accommodate my friend’s customization, tried to force a ½ sheet on her (for FIVE people!) and wouldn’t offer any type of assistance whatsoever with a re-​design to accommodate my friend’s ¼ sheet cake request. She left without ordering, ended up at Jarosch Bakery (Elk Grove Village) who accommodated all her requests, from design to size, and at half the cost! Sadly I won’t be able to recommend Deerfield Bakey to anyone from this point on. Very disappointed :(

Nothing beats the expression on my grandchildren’s face then when I walk in with a special treat from Deerfields Bakery. Even on a difficult day Deerfield Bakery can turn their frowns upside down. I have given them personalized cookies, cookies that relate to their interests, small specialty cakes related to the specific holiday and more. Personally I can always count on Deerfields quality. Their artistic talent in decorating is far above most bakeries. So happy to be so close to where Deerfields is located although I would travel if I had to in order to get the great quality of their baked goods. Nothing like a good pastry to start your morning off right. 2 Thumbs up and 5 stars from this patron

I would like to know why the young Hispanic female that waited on me took my money but did not finish slicing my bread and started to wait on another young customer of Hispanic origin. I said for her to finish with me before you start working on another customer. She ignored my request and continued working on the other persons order. I went to get a manager. She said the girl cannot slice. I said then she should have called someone. She did call someone after she finished the other persons order. I should not have to look Hispanic to have my order finished. When I went back for the order the girl ignored me and I had to ask where my order is that I paid for. she through it on the counter. I told her to bag it. You have hired bad employees with attitude.

I visited Deerfield Bakery on Sunday, 8÷9÷15 to stop and buy my father some cookies. Growing up, we always went to Deerfield Bakery and enjoyed excellent service and products. Sadly, I can say this is no longer the case.
The staff there is rude, to say the least. The lady that helped me, Tanya, needs a SERIOUS attitude adjustment and probably should learn not to talk about the customer while they’re still standing there. Little does Tanya know, I speak Spanish and understood every single word she was saying about me to the other women there.
I started by asking about the different cookies in the front case, since nothing was labeled and I didn’t know if anything contained nuts, soy, ect. This apparently annoyed Tanya. After making my selections, which took MAYBE 5 minutes since nothing was labeled, I went to pay. As I was standing at the register, Tanya made sure to turn to the other women, make a snide face and say in Spanish «this woman asking what is this, what is that, what comes in this? Is she going to give me a tip for all this?»
Um… no Tanya, I’m not. I’m not going to give you a tip for doing a half-​assed version of your job while giving me snide looks and an attitude then talking about me in Spanish practically to my face because YOUR job didn’t put out labels and you thought I wouldn’t understand you. It’s not THAT hard to put cookies into a box.
Management definitely needs to intervene and supervise. I would also recommend letting your staff know, more people speak Spanish nowadays, even if they look like they don’t. I wonder how many other people know what Tanya has said about them to their faces.
I keep reading reviews on here where management says they’ll speak to their employees and address it but clearly it’s not working. Maybe you should consider some new employees before they put you out of business. I doubt I will ever come back.

This bakery came highly recommended and did not disappoint! We were greeted promptly and assisted right away with my custom cake order. The lady helping me took the time to explain all options, once the order was complete we went over it together to make sure everything was accurate. Then an email confirmation was sent and the cake paid for. Easy peasy! The day of our celebration we picked up went without any problems. Then it was time to eat the cake and wow did it taste wonderful! 2 layer chocolate and yellow cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream frosting with buttercream flowers. Amazing! Did I mention the price was reasonable too! They have won our business for years to come!

Their «peanut-​free» advertising is totally misleading. One of the representatives at the Schaumburg location claimed that there may be cross-​contamination on everything that is made at the bakery. If your business can’t guarantee peanut-​free products, stop mislabeling your website and take your signs down at your stores. Very disappointing.

Now that I’ve had a chance to review many more donut places and refine the criteria, I offer an updated review.
Cake donut– Ok. A refined balance of sweetness, moisture and consistency. The crust was on the soft side and greasy, but that’s what made it tasty.
Frosting edged on the grittier side of smooth, flavor ok.
The yeast donut had the same balanced characteristics as the cake donut. Combined with a light glaze that served as a highlight and not a spotlight hog, it is RECOMMENDED.

Deerfield Bakery is a family favorite on the North Shore. I have been a customer of the Bakery since we moved to Deerfield in 1985. Deerfield, Illinois is the original location of this Bakery which bakes custom cakes, cookies, donuts, bagels, petit fours and many more sweet delicacies. They have since expanded to Buffalo Grove and Schaumburg.
If you’re looking for a special occasion cake, this is the place to visit. They have been creating master pieces way before Cake Boss and Charm City Cakes were household names. Give them a photo of what design you would like and… voila, it becomes a delicious cake. We have ordered several birthday cakes here and have always been happy.
If you’re just passing thru Deerfield, stop in and grab one of their donuts baked fresh daily. As you enter the very small store, you are greeted by their colorful sugar cookies: butterflies, flowers, fish or order and personalize your own design. Deerfield’s have several cases full of wonderful treats: cupcakes, rum balls, cherry bombs, mini pecan pies to name a few. Make sure you get some of the caramel, chocolate covered pretzel sticks with sprinkles, so good!
They cater to the holidays and make adorable creations for each occasion.

I’ve been going here for a few years now, great pastries, baked goods and their cakes are not too bad. But for all my visits there I can say I’ve only had one great experience as a customer. The staff pretty much ignores you, and they are constantly having personal conversations. There is a guy there in the mornings who never says a word to you and you have to guess which register he is going to ring you up at. It would not hurt to say I will help you over there — no you have to stand there while he silently decides how and when to help you. The lady that helps you with the special order cakes has been the only nice person I have ever dealt with there.
Again great pastries but horrible service, and as a resident of Deerfield I try to support local businesses but I truly dislike going to Deerfields Bakery. I think the owners have forgotten that its not just baked goods that keep people coming back, its service as well.

Terrible customer service. To say the least. The cakes are not even good. They might look fancy but lack in the taste department. Highly disappointed! Never will I ever buy a cake from them again!

The customer service is so uncaring it made my mother– in-​law CRY on her 50^th wedding anniversary!
She went to pick up a cake after she had made a special trip to the bakery to discuss her order. She was told it was banana-​crème (which she hates) frosting. She was upset and the sales associate’s attitude was not helpful and frankly quite just cold. They screwed up the order and then made her cry.

I don’t even know how long I’ve been going to this bakery. Probably since the dinosaur ages. Let me just start off by saying they have the best sugar cookies around! They are always so cute too. I think the last time I got a panda cookie and the time before that I got a dolphin! They have an assortment of muffins, donuts, and other pastries to start off on a sweet morning. I remember my dad would always stop in every Sunday morning to pick up one of their coffee cakes. As a kid, I would lick off all the frosting. It’s so delicious! I’m dreaming about it right now as I write this. I love coming here during the holidays when they have all their cute holiday cupcakes and cakes. Their decorating is amazing and the flavors are great too! Deerfield’s is also my ultimate cake place. I order cakes from here for special occasions and they always do a superb job. About two summers ago, I hosted a baby shower and had them design the cake! The topper was a mom with a baby stroller carrying a Chanel purse! Loved it! Last year, I ordered a graduation cake and again, it was adorable. They never disappoint!

If I could give this place zero stars I would. Iv ordered a few birthday cakes from here and they are ALWAYS dry and OVERLY sweet. We ordered a spiderman cake for my sons 3^rd birthday we asked for strawberry and custard filling. The cake fell apart as we were slicing it and there was NO custard. It tasted like their disgusting icing mixed with water and strawberries. I don’t know how this place is still in business… let alone have 4 stars. Please please go else where for your cakes.

I love birthdays, mostly because it’s a an excuse to get a cake from Deerfield Bakery! I was a fan even when I lived in the city (hence the review way back in 2010), but for my kid’s recent birthday I was psyched that Deerfields Bakery was just a short drive away.
My social media savvy 3 year old had been playing on pinterest for months looking for the perfect Cinderella birthday cake. She was all about the Cinderella doll cake where the dress is actually made out of cake. And since I always wanted one of those as a little girl I obliged. And she decided on a mickey mouse smash cake for her brother, who hasn’t quite figured out how to use pinterest at 1 yrs old. Maybe next year!
I ordered at the bakery rather than call online since:
a) I had to bring them a cinderella barbie doll for the cake
b) great opportunity to sample some deliciousness
The woman who took my order was extremely helpful and patient. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted the Mickey Mouse smash cake to look like so we played around on pinterest together, which I’m sure the few people behind me loved. I ordered a week before the party, but I believe they just need 2 days.
I would have preferred to have the cakes delivered, but unfortunately they only give you a few hour window and feared my cakes would be late. I sent my husband the morning of the party and he almost passed out when he saw the Cinderella cake that may have been larger than our wedding cake. I had expected it to feed about 80 people, but based on the amount of cake I brought home after the party think it could have fed about 800 people. Oh well– more leftovers for me!
The cakes were gorgeous and beyond tasty. I had at least 20 people come up to me during the party to ask where they were from. And when I mentioned Deerfield the response was always «of course. Where else?»

My cream filled donut was a solid 3.5 stars.
I used to be a night shift baker. I made donuts, bagels, muffins, and cookies. I remember the art of making a donut and filling each one by hand. Here it’s all handmade.
I’m on the hunt for the best cream-​filled goody, but I couldn’t get there this morning. I realize donuts at the end of the day might not be the best idea. I opted for the chocolate Bavarian cream-​filled. It was heavy and filled to the brim, but I wasn’t sure what the cream would look like. Would it be dark and chocolate in color like the ones from DD? No, in fact it was very light in color and most likely mixed with cocoa powder. After one bite and a dunk (I’m a dunker), I had to eat this sucker fast because it was loaded and started to fall apart. So, like a glutton I ate super fast and crammed it all in there and savored my obnoxious bites. It was a thinner consistency than I expected… a thinner pudding. Not a real super chocolaty taste, but perhaps if I slowed down I would have experienced it more.
Regardless, I’m hyped up on sugar right now and loving it.
One totally random thing I have to note is how badly I felt taking one of their large brown boxes for three donuts (the other two were for my kids). It was that or a Styrofoam plate thingy.
The cakes, cookies, and cupcakes look fabulous from here BTW.

It seems Deerfields is slowly spinning the drain. This updated review is about the cupcakes and cakes.
I’ve always put up with the lousy and weird service at Deerfields because the cakes are awesome. Moist. Juicy. And the icing is to die for.
But it seems there’s been a change in recipes for the icing. Or something was off. I got a birthday cake for my hubby and we both recognized something tasted different. The icing didn’t have the whipped decadent we’ve come to expect. Perhaps they’ve gone to a cheaper version or it was an off day. I don’t know. I just know the quality wasn’t there.
The service is always off — there’s no clear line, you wait by the bakery back room to get your cake. Things are discombobulated (aren’t you impressed by my big words?). I think it’s time for me to try a new place. When I hear on Unilocal that things are turning around I’ll try them again.