“ This marble loaf cake was absolutely amazing! As always, I needed something to satisfy my cravings for sweets and stumbled upon this little gem. The collection of pastries and small cupcakes are so aesthetic, and they also serve drinks as well. The worker was very friendly and patient with my indecisive self as I decided what to get. After deciding and paying, I brought my cake over to their sitting area which is calm, serene, and perfect for just relaxing and reading a book! The cake was moist, yet not too dense, and the chocolate flavor was not too overwhelming. The icing on the cake wasn't too sweet either. It was a perfect combo and definitely satisfied my cravings for chocolate. Check out this little gem if you're in the area, it deserves some recognition! ”

“ After grabbing a bite over at Tiong Bahru, we wandered around the neighborhood a bit and ended up at Plain Vanilla Bakery. It was a nice place to stop and hop out of the rain for a little bit. The front is open-air with artificial turf that kids can (and do) run around on a little bit; there's also an ice cream cart that you can get indulge yourself at (with the help of a barista from inside the shop). Inside, the ordering area is lined with lots of different bites, especially cupcakes. The enclosed seating area is to the left of the outside area; we didn't actually make our way in there as we wanted to enjoy the (mild) relief that the rain brought. We didn't have to wait too long for our drinks, and they were both solid - mine was a very refreshing agave lemonade that I housed in about a minutes' time; my wife went with a fruity iced tea that was still quite unsweetened and was a much more subtle flavor. We did grab a brownie to share as well; while the texture was a tad chalkier than I like, I did like the faint hint of fruit (think it was blackberry, or something similar) that was baked into it. While it's a tad out of the way, Plain Vanilla is on a street that has a few other hipster-y shops as well, and it's a solid place to grab a brew (or another beverage) and relax/work. ”

“ This is perhaps the best cupcakes Singapore has to offer. No trip to Tiong Bahru is complete without a visit to this quaint little cafe tucked in a corner. My recommendation will be to try the Strawberry White Chocolate cupcake and Lavender Earl Grey cupcake. ”

“ This place has a great setting. It was what first attracted us into stepping in. Then comes the aroma of freshly baked goods. Mmmm... A bakery cum cafe, the place is decorated in a way that allure you to instagram every single corner. They have seats in front of the bakery; even a swing if you prefer. Step further in, you're brought to the food display! Loved the look of everything! Even the glimpse of cake pans and baking tools in their huge cupboard was instagram-worthy. Haha! Kudos to whoever the interior designer was. They sell, tarts, cakes, brownies and etc. Even cookie and cake mixes in jars. How wonderful! But what captivated us the most were the cupcakes on display. Me being the salted caramel lover ordered 2 of those, vanilla and hazelnut chocolate ones. Prices for the cupcakes were alright, standard. But the drinks! Blimey! $7 for a cup of lemonade? Eh?! And oh! You might as well know that they don't offer you any paper bag to stuff your cake boxes. They'll just tie them up with a string to act as a handle. Quite the hassle if you're already holding many things in hand. ”

“ Tiong Bahru has fast become one of my favourite little precincts in Singapore and Plain Vanilla's cupcake shop definitely tops my list of places to dwindle away your afternoon in. The charming entrance greets you warmly with an army of vintage aqua bikes, an open communal dining space and a glass tankard of lemon scented water (they understand the effects of humidity!) The shop itself is lined with daily specials, old favourites and row upon row of Plain Vanilla's famous cupcakes - to me, these are definitely the best cupcakes in Singapore! They have a great texture and deviate away from being outlandishly sweet; I love that every flavour says what it means and means what it says. Must-trys are the Earl Grey and Cinnamon! The cupcakes start from $3.50 each and I usually grab a box of 6; just like the Sound of Music, they're adorably tied up with string! (A useful handle for when you're commuting with cupcakes!) I love the ritual of hopping a few doors down to Books Actually to grab some reading material and then settling myself into a quiet corner at PV Bakery. Although the seating is limited and they don't do coffees (yet!), it's none the less a beautiful space to wind down in. Be sure to check out their mini concept store for little trinkets and gifts before you leave! ”

“ If you ever had a Kinfolk Fantasy, PV Bakery is going to be more than you've ever imagined. Picture wooden tables filled with flowers, a store front overflowing with natural light, turquoise bicycles with baskets out in the front, water jugs filled with citrus and cucumber... I could go on and on and on about how perfect everything is but lets cut to the chase. These are one of the best, if not the best cupcakes in Singapore. Love Vanessa, love the quality of her bakes, and most importantly, love how rustic this store looks! ”

“ A great treat to the neighbourhood. I've followed Vanessa from Holland V to Tiong Bahru and even to some of her pop-ups. She has been consistently fabulous at her baking. She keeps things simple and in this day and age, it's the most welcoming approach to bakeries. While her HV store is small and cosy, this is welcoming and enticing. I love the wide space and benches. The counter space allows us to stand in front and ponder. Her selection as always, spoils us like an only child in the family. I am always drawn to a salted caramel or special of the day. A new old favourite is earl grey lavender cuppie. An old because I always had it in USA but never in Singapore. Thank you for bringing it here. Have yet to attend her events. Plain Vanilla has a line up of events through out the month so pop over to their facebook for more details. ”

“ New outpost in the new hip town, and just like before, they've kept things simple - a super-wide counter/display, and now a coffee machine, and a couple of benches. I love the open look to this spot, and you really get to feel the space as you walk in. You don't need that much more when all you want is to eat a cupcake, right? The flavours are stellar as always, and I'm a big fan of the dark chocolate cupcake with Varlrona chocolate nibs, maybe because I think it's the manliest cupcake there - dark chocolate, and brown, muted colours - but then again, it's just so dang delicious. And those nibs add that crunch and a touch of that bittersweet raw chocolate finish... I think I'm saying too much. In fact, every one I've tried is tasty as heck, and with well-made classic flavour pairings like cinnamon brown sugar, strawberry white chocolate and milk chocolate banana, it's hard not to like everything you eat. This new store in Tiong Bahru is on the same street as the massively hip bookstore BooksActually, and also picturebook mecca Woods in the Books, not to mention earlybirds 40 Hands, you'll have your weekend needs covered just wandering down this stretch. ”