Sweet Surrender: A Guide to the Best Authentic Desserts in Aruba

Last updated: 24 October 2026.

The best desserts in Aruba come from local bakeries, not hotel buffets. Order quesillo, bolo di cashupete (cashew cake), bolo borracho (rum cake) and tert di pruim (prune tart). Then go where locals buy them: Ruth’s Cakes, Bright Bakery, Huchada, Artisan Pastries, The Cupcake Garden and the Piece of Cake dessert truck.

Aruban sweets mix Dutch baking, Spanish and Venezuelan influences and Caribbean flavors. Many recipes have stayed in the same families for generations. Here is what to order and where to find it.

What to order: classic Aruban desserts

• Quesillo: A caramel custard with Venezuelan roots. It is denser and creamier than flan, with deep caramel flavor. Some cooks add a hint of rum.
• Bolo di cashupete (cashew cake): The star of Aruban celebrations. A rich, buttery sponge is topped with a thick icing of ground cashews and sweetened condensed milk.
• Bolo borracho: Literally “drunk cake.” The sponge is soaked in rum and brandy.
• Tert di pruim (prune tart): A nostalgic favorite. Soft pastry is filled with sweet, dark prune purée.

Where to find the best desserts in Aruba

1. Artisan Pastries (Eagle)

Where: Metro Mall, Eagle area.

Chef Lejuez leads this high-end pastry shop. Everything is handmade: pastries, cakes and cookies. It is a favorite with locals who want quality patisserie with a creative twist.

Must-try: The Mango Passion Cheesecake on a Bastogne crust, or the fresh Pecan Pie.

2. Ruth’s Cakes (Camacuri)

Where: Camacuri 7, on the outskirts of Oranjestad.

Ruth’s Cakes is the heart of Aruban home-style baking. Ruth Lourens opened in 2016 and moved to Camacuri in 2020. Her cakes are known for consistency and that homemade touch. You can buy a whole cake or a single slice.

Must-try: The Ferrero Rocher cake is famous for being very moist. Her bolo borracho is a local benchmark. Classic flavors include cashew, pistachio, prune and ponche crema.

3. The Cupcake Garden (Oranjestad)

Where: Wilhelminastraat, downtown Oranjestad.

This shop has a charming garden setting in the middle of town. It feels like a local take on high tea.

Must-try: The rotating menu of cupcake flavors, and custom cakes that often use local flavors.

4. Piece of Cake (dessert truck)

Where: Usually parked at the Tanki Leendert roundabout, in the evening.

Kyle Ruiz opened this dessert truck in 2019. It sells cake by the slice after regular bakeries close, which makes it perfect for a late craving.

Must-try: The cashew cake, made from his grandmother’s recipe, is the best seller. Also look for the Red Velvet creations and layered cake jars.

5. Honorable mentions: Bright Bakery and Huchada

These are full bakeries rather than dessert boutiques. Still, no list of Aruban sweets is complete without them.

• Bright Bakery (Piedra Plat 44): Founded in 1949, it is described as the oldest bakery on Aruba and is still a family business. Go here for an authentic bolo di cashupete.
• Huchada (Santa Cruz 75): A bakery and lunchroom in a traditional cunucu house. It is known for pan dushi (sweet bread) and tert di pruim, plus pastechi and cashew cake.

Tips for a dessert crawl

• Go early for bakeries. Popular cakes and slices can sell out.
• Buy by the slice. It is the easiest way to try several cakes in one day.
• Order ahead for whole cakes. Contact the bakery in advance if you need a cake for a birthday or event.
• Prices are not always posted online. Check in store or ask when you order.

More food guides

Desserts are only part of the story. Learn the classics in our guide to traditional Aruban food. Then book a table at one of the authentic local restaurants in Aruba. Eating plant-based? See our list of vegan restaurants in Aruba.

First-time visitor or longtime regular, the island’s dessert scene rewards the curious. Follow your nose, ask locals for their favorite bakery, and you will find the best desserts in Aruba where the people actually eat.