Frequently Asked Questions
Eggless Cakes, Custom Orders & Same-Day FAQs
Real answers to the questions we get every day — ordering and same-day cakes, flavours and dietary needs, pickup and delivery across Halifax & Dartmouth, sizing, and payment. We're open 7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Ordering & Same-Day Cakes
How do I order a cake?
The fastest way is WhatsApp: message us at 902-240-4455 with your flavour, size, event date and any design idea, and we confirm everything in chat. You can also text (SMS) or call the same number, or fill out the short form on our contact page — it prepares the message for you. We reply 7 days a week between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
How much advance notice do you need for a cake order?
For standard menu cakes, 2 to 3 days in advance is ideal. For elaborate custom theme designs, tiered cakes, or large party orders, we recommend booking 1 to 2 weeks ahead so we can plan the decoration properly and guarantee your date.
Do you offer same-day cakes?
Yes, same-day cakes are often possible depending on our baking schedule that day — usually a simple celebration cake with custom lettering. Message us on WhatsApp or text us early in the morning and we'll tell you exactly which flavours we can do for same-day pickup.
Can you make a cake from a photo or reference design?
Yes! Send us your reference photo on WhatsApp along with your event date and serving size. We'll match the theme, colours and style as closely as possible in our own handmade finish, and confirm all the details with you before we bake.
How is my booking confirmed?
Your date is locked in once we've agreed on the design details and received a 50% deposit by Interac e-Transfer. The remaining balance is paid at pickup or delivery. We'll always confirm the final price with you in chat before you send anything.
Flavours & Dietary Questions
Is your bakery 100% eggless?
Yes, absolutely. We operate a strictly 100% egg-free kitchen — no eggs are ever stored, cracked, or processed in our workspace. That means complete peace of mind for vegetarians, religious observances, and severe egg allergies: there is zero risk of egg cross-contamination.
Are your cakes vegetarian?
Yes — every cake we bake is 100% egg-free and fully vegetarian. We bake with quality dairy: pure butter, fresh cream, and milk.
Do you offer vegan or gluten-free cakes?
Not at the moment. Our specialty is 100% eggless baking done really well, and our cakes do contain dairy and wheat flour (gluten). If we add vegan or gluten-free options in the future, we'll announce it on our Instagram first.
I have a nut allergy — can you make a cake without nuts?
We can leave nuts out of your cake — just tell us when you order. Please note that our kitchen does regularly work with nuts (pistachios and almonds appear in favourites like our Rasmalai cake), so while we take real care, we cannot guarantee a completely nut-free environment for severe allergies.
What flavours do you offer?
Our most-loved flavours include Rasmalai, Gulab Jamun, Lotus Biscoff, Death by Chocolate, Red Velvet, Oreo, Strawberry, Mango, Pistachio, Butterscotch, Caramel and fresh mixed fruit — plus gourmet cupcake boxes and tea-time dry loaf cakes. The full list with sizes is on our menu page.
Gift Hampers & Midnight Delivery
What is in a Nova Cakes gift hamper?
Our base hamper is built on a decorative wooden tray finished with balloons and LED lights, and holds a 500g cake in a clear presentation box, a fresh rose bouquet and balloons. The cake itself is fully customisable — flavour, colours, lettering and design are all yours to choose.
Can I add anything else to a hamper?
Yes. Helium balloons, a teddy, chocolates, a greeting card, or any custom gift you would like included can all be added on request. Tell us who the hamper is for and what you would like inside, and we will build it around that and confirm everything with you before it is put together.
Are the roses in the hamper real?
Yes — it is a fresh rose bouquet, arranged and delivered alongside the cake. If you would prefer a different flower, or would rather swap the bouquet for something else entirely, just say so when you order.
Do you deliver cakes at midnight?
Yes — we offer midnight surprise delivery, typically arriving around 11:30 to 11:45 PM, seven days a week, depending on availability. It works best when someone at the address is in on the surprise: give us their name and number when you book and we contact only them on arrival, so the doorbell never gives it away.
Can a full hamper be delivered at midnight, or only a cake?
Full hampers go out on the late run as well, not just cakes. The decorated tray with its LED lights arriving at midnight is very much the point — tell us what you want inside when you book and we will have it ready for the late slot.
Do you accept same-day hampers?
Yes, same-day hampers are accepted as well as same-day cakes, depending on the kitchen schedule that day. Message us on WhatsApp as early in the day as you can and we will tell you exactly which cakes and which hamper builds are realistic for that evening.
What comes free with every cake?
Every celebration cake includes two candles, a wooden cake knife and a Happy Birthday topper at no extra cost, so the cake arrives ready to light and ready to cut. That matters most on a midnight delivery, when nobody wants to be hunting through kitchen drawers.
Pickup, Delivery & Hours
What are your hours?
We're open 7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Evening pickups and late questions are genuinely welcome — some of our favourite orders have been placed at 9:30 at night.
Where is the pickup location?
We are a home-based bakery in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. For privacy, we share the exact pickup address and instructions once your order is confirmed with the deposit.
Do you deliver? What areas do you serve?
Yes — we deliver across Dartmouth and the nearby communities throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality, including Halifax, Bedford, Lower Sackville, Clayton Park, Cole Harbour, Fairview, Spryfield and Eastern Passage, depending on availability. We deliver seven days a week, and late-night surprise deliveries around 11:30 PM are available too. Just send us the address on WhatsApp and we'll confirm a window.
How should I store my cake?
Our cakes are made with fresh cream, so keep yours refrigerated, then take it out 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the sponge softens up. Cakes taste best within 48 hours of pickup. On the drive home, keep the box flat and cool — the passenger footwell beats a car seat.
Sizes, Custom Designs & Payment
What cake sizes do you offer?
Celebration cakes come in 500g (ideal for 4 to 6 people), 1kg (ideal for 10 to 12), 2kg and 3kg, plus fully custom sizes. As a rough guide, 2kg suits around 20 to 24 people and 3kg around 30 to 35, though it depends how generously the cake is cut. For larger gatherings again we bake multi-tiered custom cakes — tell us your guest count on WhatsApp and we'll recommend a size before you commit.
Can I customize the colours, text, and toppers on the cake?
Absolutely! Every cake is baked fresh to order, so we can customise the icing colours, write custom lettering, and add toppers (such as 'Happy Birthday', 'Happy Anniversary', or age numbers). Share your theme details or a reference photo on WhatsApp.
Do you make tiered cakes for big events?
Yes — for weddings, anniversaries and larger parties we bake multi-tiered custom cakes. These take the most planning of anything we make, so please get in touch 1 to 2 weeks ahead with your date, guest count and theme.
How do I pay for my order?
We accept Interac e-Transfer and cash — orders are finalised in chat, and we never process card payments on this website. A 50% deposit by e-Transfer confirms your booking; the balance is due at pickup or delivery.
Still Have Questions?
Ask us directly — we answer every day between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM, whichever way suits you.