North End Bakehouse in Shepparton given title of best vanilla slice in the nation
After a tasty search of more than 140 bakeries nationwide, the best vanilla slice in the country has officially been named for 2023. Check out our guide to Victoria’s best vanilla slices.
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It’s arguably Victorians’ favourite sweet treat – the classic vanilla slice, better known to many as the snot block.
Now, a Shepparton bakery has been given the prestigious title of best vanilla slice in the nation.
North End Bakehouse in Shepparton won the annual Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph contest in Merbein last weekend.
The bakery beat out 143 others to win the title, awarded by the Baking Association of Australia (BAA).
Baker Matt Aylett's vanilla slice rates 97/100 according to the BAA.
Aylett's lengthy and illustrious baking career has enabled him to work on creating a near-perfect vanilla slice.
The Shepparton based bakery is no stranger to success, taking out the title of Australia's best hot cross bun in 2021 and 2022.
Matt and Shekiah Aylett have been running the bakery since early 2014, and in that time have been awarded four national titles.
But it's not the only good vanilla slice in Victoria.
Check out where the find the best ones below.
Donato Cafe 1980
88 Craigie Road, Mount Martha
Cake eaters come as far away as Sydney for these giant vanilla slices.
Made on site at Donato Cafe 1980 in Mount Martha, the towering sweet treats are up to 15cm tall.
Cafe owner Nick Donato said up to 320 of the sweet treats were consumed each week.
“We have people coming here just to try one. We’ve had customers from as far away as Sydney visiting for that reason.”
Unlike the flaky, puff pastry used in traditional mile feuille, Donato uses an Italian pastry in its version of the vanilla slice.
“It’s a creamier pastry,” Mr Donato said.
The cafe has also experimented with different flavoured custards including Nutella, caramel and strawberry.
Beachside Bakery
129 Marine Parade, San Remo
Beachside Bakery in San Remo not only boasts one of the best bakery locations but also took out the title of best Victorian Bakery in 2021.
Owner Emily Sloan thinks their vanilla slice definitely helped to get them there.
They sell out of the iconic Aussie treat “almost everyday”, Ms Sloan said.
“They are super popular and delicious,” she continued.
Visitors and locals alike can be seen shovelling one down the sweet treat daily, leaving crumbs and sticky fingers but also a huge smile.
“It is one of our favourite treats,” she said.
“It is thick and creamy and has that vanilla fondant icing on the top … classic”.
Beachside Bakehouse is opened Monday to Saturday 6am to 3.30pm and Sunday 7am to 3pm.
Country Cob Bakery
890-892 Princes Highway, Springvale
Country Cob Bakery in Springvale produces about 100 vanilla slices everyday, which they bake fresh daily and in-house for ravenous customers.
Co-owner Chan Khun said the bakery's vanilla slice has been perfected and has the winning combination of crunchy pastry and creamy custard.
“I think we have a good balance with the custard and the pastry,” he said.
“Pastry is the main thing because you don’t want it to be dry and ours is delicious and has a good crunchiness.
“The custard is nice and creamy and that I think is the best thing.”
Locals aren’t the only ones who love this bakery and Mr Khun said people travel from all over the state and country to get their hands on this indulgent treat.
“People come from all over the country and of course Victoria to get a pie and a vanilla slice,” he said.
MAPPED: VICTORIA’S BEST VANILLA SLICES
Bridgewater Bakery, Bendigo
6 Main St, Bridgewater on Loddon
The secret to a good vanilla slice is in the flaky pastry at the bottom, manager of Bendigo’s Bridgewater Bakery, Troy Mulder says.
And he should know, the bakery in Bath Lane, in the city’s CBD won the best Vanilla Slice in Australia title for two years running, and last year picked up a consumer-driven tourism award.
The bakery sells about 50 of the cakes daily, while down the road at its original Bridgewater shop for which it was named, 150 – 200 vanilla slices are sold daily.
“It’s higher on weekends,” Mr Mulder said. “Making them just right takes hours every day.”
Trophies for the best vanilla slice from the EOI Master Craftsman, baking industry group, can be seen on proud display in the store. The Bendigo store won Wotif’s Uniquely Aussie Award in 2021, voted by holiday makers, for the best vanilla slice in the nation.
Jane Dough Warrnambool
Shop 3, Centre Point Arcade, 147 Liebig St, Warrnambool
Jane Dough down in Warrnambool sold about 150 vanilla slices almost everyday during the pandemic.
Business owner and baker Will Jane said he makes his vanilla slices completely from scratch.
“I make the puff pastry with pure butter and homemade custard, all very fresh as well,” Mr Jane said.
“Some days we got that overwhelmed that I would be making fresh vanilla slice on the morning as we were selling out of the first batch that was made the day before,” he said.
“It’s got that nostalgia factor — everyone knows what it is.”
Mr Jane said he would occasionally get customers from Queensland visit the bakery.
“It’s quite common — like people abroad have heard of us,” he said.
Mr Jane also made special doughnuts which were vanilla slice flavoured.
“We call it the snooty snot block and it’s got all the elements of a vanilla slice.
“That’s kind of an angle we use as well to draw those out-of-towners in,” he said.
Mr Jane is proud of what he makes and said the slices are good, but doesn’t see vanilla slicing making as a competition.
“I’ve got a bakery next to me and we share stuff and our ideas,” he said.
“Vanilla slices for me are an important part of any bakers’ repertoire — and if you get it right — then people will keep coming back.”
Flinders Vanilla Slice, Cheltenham
272 Warrigal Rd, Cheltenham
Both delicious and award-winning, the vanilla slices from Flinders Vanilla Slice in Cheltenham have it all.
Located in a little group of strip shops on Warrigal Rd, the family run business packs a big punch, holding the Guinness World Record for largest vanilla slice.
The slice in question came in at a whopping 509 grams.
Owners Michael and Viola Issa proudly boast a number of other varieties as well including flavours on the more obscure end of vanilla slices.
“We have traditional vanilla slice, French vanilla, passionfruit and banana flavoured too,” Ms Issa said.
“That is just the beginning.”
The shop is popular with birthday parties and other celebrations, making specialised vanilla slice cakes for any requirement.
Bedford Coffee Co
81 Bedford Rd, Ringwood East
They launched as a burger joint in 2019 – but it was this Ringwood cafe’s homemade vanilla slices that became the talk of the town.
Ranging from $10-15, Bedford Coffee Co’s slices follow a traditional French recipe, don’t have any gelatin, and are packed with fresh cream and ingredients.
The slices are also often ordered as birthday cakes or in slabs of 20, and the team produce more than 3000 per week, which also supplied to other cafes across Melbourne.
Owner Dave Keyer said the slices remained his cafe’s most popular item, and were made outside operating hours seven days a week to keep up with demand.
He said his team had created 40 different flavours over the years, with its traditional, passionfruit and Neapolitan flavours its most popular.
He has also used the recipe to create a vanilla slice ice cream flavour as part of his ice cream range.
“It’s a recipe we just played with and perfected,” he said.
“We still have quite a few people coming through from outside Melbourne and we’re looking at getting into shipping them interstate.”
Crumbles Bakehouse
180 Canterbury Rd, Heathmont
This bakery at the Heathmont Village shopping strip has also drawn a loyal customer base for its vanilla slices for more than 10 years.
Crumbles’ owner Micky Sea said her slices were “made with love” fresh every morning, and were her most popular sweet treat alongside her caramel slices and apple cakes.
The bakery sells about 30-40 pieces a day, and even more on weekends.
“We use fresh pastry every morning to make sure they are light and crispy and have a puffy filling, along with fresh cream and custard,” she said.
Wandin Bakery
380 Warburton Highway, Wandin North
The vanilla slices at Wandin Bakery are so good, people travel from crazy distances to get their hands on them.
Owner and baker Steven Miller, who runs the business with his wife Tracey, said their traditional and French style handmade vanilla slices were among their most popular items.
The secret to making them so tasty is using butter pastry instead of normal puff pastry, Mr Miller said.
“They’re a smooth custard with a crisp pastry,” he said.
“People drive from crazy distances to try them.
“We have a guy who drives from Elsternwick when it’s good weather to come and get a vanilla slice and chilli pie.”
Mr Miller completed his apprenticeship at the bakery 25 years ago, before returning to buy it off his former employee two years ago.
“I learnt the (vanilla slice) recipe 25 years ago when I was in trade school,” he said.
The bakery’s pies have also won awards.
“The local community is fantastic and there are customers who still come in who were here 25 years ago,” Mr Miller said.
“It’s quite a busy little shop.”
Sharp’s Bakery
47 Cumming Ave, Birchip
Sharp’s Bakery in Birchip, about two and a half hours south of Mildura, is renowned for its vanilla slices.
Over the last few years, the bakery has won six competition titles including the Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph and the inaugural Vanilla Slice Competition last February.
Owner Brad Sharp said a number of things went into making an award-winning slice.
“You’ve got to have a crispy light pastry that snaps when you bite into it,” he said.
“The custard has got to be smooth and creamy and have a great mouth feel.
“And icing has got to be nice and shiny and glossy but not sticky to touch.”
In a year the bakery sells around 45,000 of their slices and people regularly make a five-hour trek from Adelaide or Melbourne just for the vanilla slice.
“They come from all over Australia, we’ve had people drive from Sydney and Adelaide for the slice,” Mr Sharp said.
“They drive down pick up vanilla slices stay the night and drive home again.”
Mr Sharp said the bakery was always innovating to ensure their slice remained the best.
“We tweak it all the time to improve it. the vanilla slice we first had we wouldn’t even serve in our shop now,” he said.
Whittlesea Bakehouse
34 Church St, Whittlesea
Pastry chefs Michael Valenti and Adrian Caporetto work together to create delicious vanilla slices at Whittlesea Bakehouse, using traditional white icing and vanilla flavoured custard.
The mouth-watering treats have been named the best vanilla slices in the state for several times.
Mr Caporetto previously told Leader said their vanilla slices had velvety smooth custard, nice thin soft icing and crispy pastry.
“You’ve got to keep tasting it when you make it, and if it needs something extra add it in,” he said.
“We work on the theory if it’s not good enough for us to eat, it’s not good enough for anybody.”
Vanilla Slice Cafe Sorrento
23 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento
Described as “completely out of this world” no trip to the coastal seaside town of Sorrento is complete with a stop at the Vanilla Slice Cafe.
OTHER TOP PICKS
The French Lettuce
Carlton, Bulleen, Gleadell Street Market
Bayswater Cake Kitchen
Bourkies Bakehouse, Woodend
Gusto Bakery
Fairfield and Strathmore
Did we miss your favourite? Tell us in the comments below.
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