Coffee Time at Emmeline's Homebaking - Abergavenny

On Friday I convinced my sister and dad to spend a little quality time and come with me to the relatively newly opened Emmeline's Homebaking in town for some coffee and cake. I had been once before about a month ago and knew I had to write about it; the cake they serve is truly exceptional and I have yet to find anything like it anywhere else in the area.

Upon arrival we were greeted by the sight of this enormous cake - I think it was an orange and almond cake with a meringue topping - just one of many incredible creations on display.

Situated just up from the high street in Abergavenny, Emmeline's takes a quiet back seat from all the cars and busy shoppers of the town. This is the place to come if you want a truly relaxing experience with your tea and cake. The atmosphere is welcoming and homely, and the decor is lovely - like a collection of dining rooms in one big room. Plus, anywhere that has a bookshelf as big as the one at Emmeline's is good enough for me.

The coffee came in a cafetiere which stretched out to four full cups - a nice change from the stingy single cups you get for double the price in other coffee shops. The crockery was gorgeous, too. 

And the cake. Oh my gosh, the cake. 

My dad and I shared a slice of the peanut cake. I cannot even describe how perfect it was. The sponge had peanuts dispersed throughout, and it was just the right balance of sweet and salty with the peanuty-caramel ganache on top, a final topping of cream and a sprinkling of chocolate and peanuts. It tasted like a snickers bar in a cake, and yet it wasn't too rich or gacky (yep, made up word) in texture.

The coffee could have been a little stronger - but that is purely down to taste. The last time I visited I had a smaller cafetiere for one and it was just right, so perhaps it all depends on the size you go for. 

At Emmeline's they provide a vast range of wheat free cakes, which is great for those who are intolerant. Sarah chose the wheat free rhubarb and raspberry cake - a slightly more summery choice but delicious all the same. A lot of places get gluten and wheat-free so wrong; their products can be dense and heavy and a lot of the time, tasteless. Not at Emmeline's. Somehow their wheat-free cakes taste just as light and fluffy as the ones made with regular flour.

My aim is to go back and try every single cake they have. There are so many original and interesting flavours, including a Lindt chocolate cake(!) There is also a large range of teas to choose from if you're not a coffee person, and lots of Lindt chocolate - the best. Check out their Facebook page for more pictures and information.