Vanilla Cake Montale for women and men

If I had to explain this scent as a food, it would be vanilla ice cream with salted caramel popcorn on the top.

It's wonderful. 😭

Fragrantica has been extremely buggy, probably because it jam packs five hundred different graphs and polls and other things onto each page. Anyway, I had a longer review but it deleted it spontaneously while I was writing.

The cliffnotes are: agreeing with others, half of this is buttery, greasy vanilla cake dusted with chunky granules of sugar. The other half is the smell of an appliance short circuiting, burned electrical scent and all; a dog in the back of a touring band’s van; body odor; sour milk, etc. Just horrible.

How one manages to fuck up vanilla cake, I’ll never know. Do a VS body spray instead of this.

This is a game of two halves, ok two parts because the sweet and pretty opening lasts mere minutes. And while it lasts it is a really delicious lightly nutty just baked vanilla cake aroma, not too cloying but rich enough to satisfy my gourmand yearnings. I was all set to pull the trigger on a big bottle after loving that introduction until: wait, what?? Suddenly I smell damp dog! That can’t be right. So I sat in stunned sadness and disbelief until realisation dawned - this is straight up dog shampoo, conditioner, setting spray… whatever the groomers anoint your pooch with that doesn’t quite keep the canine aromas at bay. Don’t get me wrong, I love my hound, I just don’t want to smell like him.

this perfume smells absolutely disgusting like a vanilla flavored jelly bean mixed with vomit and garbage.

This smells like the Brazilian bum bum cream, x100. (minus the caramel)

Cake batter and vanilla frosting, i’ll admit it’s screechy and artificial …but smells so nice and yum.

You got to have a strong stomach for this one. Never have I smelled something so repelling.

as a self proclaimed gourmand girl this makes me sick

does it smell bad no but it gives me the worst headache known to man and makes me cough
but the actual smell, those cookies in the metal tin with frosting

definitely not cake at least not on my skin

Smells like custard powder and caramel. Love it!

NASTY!! Smells like burnt plastic vanilla on my skin with a gross milky accord. I’m a vanilla fan in perfumery and foods but this scent had to be washed off my wrist.

My all time favorite vanilla! smells exactly like the name, lasts for hours, and I always get compliments from girls!

At first spray, I initially get a coffee smell. A few minutes in, it starts to get really sweet. Almost like a candy, lip gloss. There is something kind of fresh/earthy that comes through....totally the almond. This is mature but not masculine. The vanilla and almond are the standouts. Slightly creamy, a little nutty, and grown. I think the meringue brings some light fluffiness to it. I just get a tiiiiny bit of cake from this.

Sweet, airy, almond vanilla.

I’ve never smelt anything like it before. The notes are a bit deceiving, but it’s still is good imo.
After trying it twice in store i decided to get a full bottle and i’m not disappointed by it, still testing longevity but it has wild projection despite it being a heavy scent, it lingers in the air for a very long time and creates a scent trail.
Overall i like it but not love it, i see myself layering it rather than wearing by itself because it honestly does just smell like vanilla flavored milk.
If you don’t like hyper-realistic scents
this isn’t for you, but it’s worth giving a try.


EDIT:
weak performance, i’m talking projection for a few minutes then a skin scent for 2 hours then disappearing, i gave it a few chances with different number of sprays each time but nothing changes, its a shame cause the smell was growing on me.

the notes looked perfect on this website but i tried it and it smelt like a sweet creamy vanilla for a split second and then smelt super plasticky and synthetic, even spicy and actually eye watering, i couldn’t brush it off either, it smelt burnt. not just on my skin but when i sprayed it into the air just to see if it was maybe my fault it smelt weird. not wearable imo, if you still want to purchase it tho, buy a tester beforehand!

smells exactly like that one bath and bodyworks handsoap. Not bad, but thats exactly what jt reminded me of, i asked friends and they agreed. Dries into a somewhat bitter, nutty, milky scent. Rather dissapointing, I don’t get the cake scent at all.

This is why I can’t trust anyone when it comes to fragrance. So many bad reviews when it’s one of the smoothest milky sweet scents ever. I wear this a lot. It creates such a beautiful scent bubble that smells so comforting. It’s super potent. I don’t see how someone could not like this. So well blended and luxurious smelling. 10000/10.

This is so disappointing. The notes looked so good, espexially the lactonic one that I usually love. It smells horrible, just sweet, almond and a weird plastic or synthetic tone. It's repulsive and so strong :( after a while it settles amd becomes acceptable, just a sweet thing. Reminds me of Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 71, which is also just sweet and I only use for layering. I blind buy very much and most of the time I'm lucky, but this was one of the worst

This is NOT like Vanilla Sex. Not in the least! This is repulsive. I don’t even smell vanilla…I just smell putrid dough. The worst vanilla or
Gourmand scent I’ve ever smelled. Disappointing.

Ok, at first sniff, amazing! Yummy straight vanilla cake scent. I was wanting a straight vanilla, yummy scent and thought I'd found my answer. I don't care about it smelling synthetic because I'm not interested in rubbing actual vanilla cake on me. Most all gourmand scents are artificial. What bothered me was that on the dry down things took a strange turn and I started smelling something off that didn't belong. I thought maybe it was an artificial chocolate note because chocolate is hard to do but it's not listed in the notes here. Something took an earthy turn and I am not here for it. Really disappointed because I thought after looking at the notes and it being called Vanilla Cake this would be pretty straight forward and a safe blind buy. I have no idea what that note is but it totally does not belong here and it robs the scent from being what it should be which is yummy, sweet vanilla cake. It's not sour milk, I don't know what it is but I'm bummed about it. I'll still wear it and maybe layer it with my Cinnamon Roll body butter from Fenty, but my search for my perfect vanilla continues. Accident a la Vanilla is much better and so is Vaniglia. Should have gotten those instead. The one saving grace is a paid $55 for 3.4 oz. Also, I am not into the metal bottles. Looks like a travel mousse can.

Love this, but it is so light. Maybe I need to overspray or layer with another vanilla. I tend to love the way these sweet, delicate fragrances smell, but that means they don't last. I get white cake batter, and then very quickly it smells like vanilla yogurt, and a tinyy bit sour. Kind of strange but it smells so cute and edible and dainty. I wish I could find a delicate beast-mode vanilla, but I don't think both can exist together.

crazy hyper realistic sweet cake scent. overly sweet even, though i dont dislike it.

I can’t tell whether I like it or not. At first it smells like cake and then it turns into vanilla incense.

Edit: My boyfriend smells vanilla cake when I wear this. I smell vanilla incense. It’s sweet enough, but not cake sweet to me. I think it’s a nice scent to wear if you want a subtle gourmand smell. It’s not “full-bodied” gourmand because of the incense smell to me. If you are going for smoky gourmand, then this is it.

Edit: My boyfriend loves this on me.

Longevity: Good
Sillage: Good

As a vanilla lover, I like this scent. As described in the name, the perfume does remind me of a vanilla cake or a sugar cookie. I’m getting notes of vanilla, caramel, nuts, and some milk. It’s very sweet. Got a compliment while wearing it which is a good sign. However (and unfortunately) there is a strong synthetic blast that smells quite unpleasant and overwhelms the rest of the notes. It diminishes as it dries but it still remains. Other then that, I enjoy this perfume.

It is what the name says. it is strong so people will smell you but i never had a compliment on it.
I have let people test it but nobody got really excited about it.
It is more an, oh it smells like vanilla cake. Instead of wow this is vanilla cake!
So i suggest sampling it or buying the Montale jewelry box.
Seeing as most scents are beastly i recommend that anyway.
Gets you a nice variety and will last ages.

Milky and creamy vanilla sponge cake, with a bit of strawberry-caramel drizzle on top.
Very strong, very loud, definitely enters a room before you do. You have to love gourmands to enjoy this scent, even layered with another.
It's best to let this macerate before wearing, opens up with a synthetic blast at the first spray.
Lasts all day and then some.

I blind bought this and i shouldn't have. First sprayed it smells like cake basically sweet cake. However maybe 5 minutes later i only smelled almond note. And it gets weird after that very fast. It just smells synthetic and plasticky. And it doesn't last maybe after 2 hours.

capuccino....with.......NO! TIRAMISU, that s the word for this perfume

as of my now, my first ever 2 sprays, it smells exactly like a sweet cookie cake scented CANDLE..... i do not know if the candle smell is coming from the milk or the vanilla or blend of the two or something else but it makes me a little nauseous.
thank god it's a decant.
i have the Montale Choc Greedy one as well and one first try, i didn't like that either but i slowly grew to love it, so i hope it'll be the same for this Vanilla Cake one. Both burns my nose brain right after spraying tho.

purrfect night time fragrance when your hungry but you brushed your teeth

This was almost perfect. It’s been escaping declutter culls until today. There is just something sharp and unfortunately synthetically cloying about this. I have other vanilla fragrances I enjoy more than this. (Alexandria fragrances Italian caramel or Xerjoff Italica) gives me the same effect but smoother.

Not a huge fan of this vanilla fragrance. It is definitely sweet and definitely a gourmand. Reminds me of Bonnie Bell's sparkly vanilla icing lip gloss I used to wear in my youth...Definitely a win for anyone that loves sweet gourmands! Just not for me as a perfume (a bit cloying).

Selling it on Mercari for $45. Same username btw. Just search montale vanilla cake.

It will be nicely packaged :)

I love a good gourmand but this almost crossed the line of being TOO sweet......almost! I still really enjoyed it and layering it with Chocolate Greedy is TDF..

Edited to say this is the first scent from Montale that doesn't last on me all day. It is gone within an hour which sucks. I got a sample of it first and won't get a full size.

This is one of my favourite sweet vanilla fragrances. It is milky and warm and smells exactly like a freshly baked milk vanilla cake or tres leches cake. Can tell it is super high-quality and I would definitely recommend it to any gourmand or vanilla fragrance lover

I blind bought this. I wish I hadn't. I was so certain it would smell like cake and it smells NOTHING like cake. The alcohol smell is so overwhelming it literally burns to breathe it. It's sharp, synthetic and frankly offensive, to my senses anyway. It absolutely screams at everybody in the room, but nobody has any idea what about.

All I get is bargain brand vanilla frosting you find on the deli cookies. It makes a great room freshener..a really expensive room freshener...but I wouldn't wear it other than for fun.

This is such a fun and yummy gourmand
It smells exactly like fluffy vanilla cake with a rich buttercream frosting. The beautiful vanilla dry down lingers all day and your left smelling like a sweet piece of vanilla cake 🎂

Smelled like a sugary vanilla cake upon initial sniff, but it got very strange and synthetic on dry down. Like a chemical that’s meant to be vanilla scented almost. Wanted to love it but it’s a pass for me.

Smells un-natural , reminds me of some ointments.

smells like straight up fluffy vanilla sponge cake, a photorealistic gourmand you can't go wrong with!

it smells weird at first but do urself a favor and let it dry down. then u get a true vanilla cake batter. the off-putting artificial note goes away, the almond subsides and the creamy sweet vanilla buttercream comes out to play. great longevity

First couple of minutes smells really sweet like vanilla pudding with caramel. But relatively quickly settles to a vanilla powder and milk skin scent. It’s definitely not overpowering perfume.

smells like chemicals wanted to love it but smell's absolutely gross

This perfume missing eggs, baking powder,flour

Smells less like "cake" and more like cloying frosting to me.

Smells like a pretty and innocence, clean girl, who discreetly wears a vanilla cake perfume. It does remind of vanilla cake, like some batter and light powdery vanilla + vanilla extract. It has an okay staying power, but on me unfortunately it doesn't project at all. Very intimate scent.

Wow, this reminds me of the meringue my mother used to make to top off lemon meringue pie, really sugary, extremely vanillic and so sweet, so edible. I really like, although, too much of a good thing springs to mind.....

at first this was a perfection in a bottle..it smelled like a backed vanilla cake..but when it dried down i smelled a dusty vanilla that projects really bad ..i would prefer choco musk over this one

I really wanted to like it, but it just smells like burnt plastic to me :(

Maybe it's my skin because mine loves to pull out any masculine notes, but I love this dry-down. The first 20 minutes is a very harsh, cardboard box or metallic note that I had to remain at least 6 inches out from my arm where I sprayed it. I almost gave up on it, but then...

The dry down is the raw ingredients of baking for sure. I imagine my grandmother and I laying out the boxed Duncan Hines, raw eggs, metallic bowls for mixing, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and sugar - it brings me back to childhood. This definitely isn't a grown-up vanilla, and the maximum that it goes is whipping up all of the ingredients in the bowl as you lick the remnants off the spoon.

After 2 hours of wear, I think I'm really getting a torched flan top (probably the meringue), which is so unique. It sits closer to the skin than all of my other Montales, but it's sticking around. Just makes you smell like you entered a bakery and came out with the scent remnants.

literally what teas96 said! there’s a very artificial strawberry chocolate -y note in this that makes it absolutely nauseating. I love a gourmand, extra sweet vanilla and that is why I wanted to love this; but that awful note ruined it for me :(

This is the worst perfume I have ever smelled in my life. I ran from it like a dog runs away from toothpaste. I would rather be stuck in an elevator with the little girl from The Ring than with someone wearing this scent. It was incredibly synthetic and so sweet and sugary that the powdery notes barely got through to me. Reading these other reviews has me thinking I have a different kind of nose or something. I'm crossing my fingers it just developed badly on my skin and that the people who love this don't walk around smelling like that.

It's pleasant but I was hoping it to be a juiced up version on sweet vanilla. I get more of a stake cake crumb scent on me. I wonder if it's the almond? Much prefer sweet vanilla which I sprayed on top and drowned out the crumbs lol

This is super gourmand. Smells exactly like Duncan Hines yellow cake batter! That being said, I don't exactly want to smell like this. However, you gotta respect the accuracy.

I really wanted to like this since I love vanilla and I LOVE Vanille absolu from the same house but no, absolutely not. This is hideous, I am sorry if you love this but having smelled Vanille absolu first, this is so nauseating and just weird. I had high expectations but Vanille absolu is waaayyy better and more delicious.

I have come back to correct a statement I made in a previous review months ago when I first got this. 1st of all it smells delicious very milky lactonic. I said it didnt last, a few nights ago I sprayed it on to bed, about 7-10 sprays lol,cos I was convinced it doesnt last, when I tell you I got up the next morning still smelling it!! It wasnt like I set it in my mind to wake up and check if its still prominent, no, I was walking round the house in the morning, forgot I sprayed anything, and I smelled it in the air, so prominently. soo if you feel it doesn't last, 3 sprays isnt enough, OVERSPRAY

Smell exaclty like vanilla cake on my skin. fulfill my dream to be a walking dessert :)

Such an overwhelming scent, I am a fan of heavy gourmands (I love Italica, Lira, Sorriso etc) but this instantly made me sick. It is like a very strong chemical stawberry almond cacao. I mostly can smell strawberry and not vanilla. If you want a strong gourmand, I recommend you get Montale's Vanille absolu and not this.

It smells like vanilla cake, very sweet.
It was what I expected, even though I’m not into the overly sweet perfumes I bought a sample, just to try.

I love vanilla, but this wasn’t for me.

5/10

I get a plasticky smell from this. Very disappointing...

Did not like this one. The milk and merengue note made it smell very synthetic overall. I didn't get a cakey scent. Highly disappointing :(

As much as I love this scent, it's definitely not for everyone. It's a super sweet gourmand. The name is pretty accurate cause it does smell like a vanilla cake, on me at least. It reminds me of that really sweet vanilla frosting that was put on the homemade cakes in my household as a kid. This is not the kind of fragrance you should blind buy especially due to it's price. It can be overwhelmingly sweet to some. And as some comments have mentioned there is a bit of a synthetic note to it, I personally don't smell it that much to a point where it bothers me. The sillage is ok, I've gotten compliments from 2 people that were at arms length. The longevity is also ok, It definitely won't last all day tho.

There's a note in here that I am not enjoying at all and I'm guessing that without this note, I would've loved this perfume.
It smells like spoilt coffee.

I am on a search for the perfect vanilla perfume. I had high hopes for this one but alas the search continues. It’s just an annoying artificial cloying scent and not very pleasant to me.

I did not care for this on its own. I also didn't care for Chocolate Greedy on its own either. I had a half bottle of Chocolate Greedy and slightly less than half bottle of this. I mixed the 2 up in 1 bottle...and voila! Smells like a true chocolate cookie or baked good (brownie). Staying power and projection great as I received a compliment hours after I had sprayed this on.

At first this smelled like a vanilla scented doll which was not unpleasant to me for some reason lol. I definitely like sweet and this is without a doubt that, but the opening was a bit challenging. Yet I still find it lovely. I’m sure it would be better on a woman and I’m sure I’d love it on a woman, but this isn’t a no for me because I like it too much. Trying it with other things, but I find it fun.

Is a beautiful gourmand lactonic, I adore it, but it just disappears so fast... I don't get how people say that Montale is long lasting, long projection, both testers of Vanilla cake and Chocolate greedy go so fast for me...

I thought this would be a nice fluffy white cake scent to layer over my Confetti Cake Pop body spray, but it’s super unpleasant. It has an artificial, painfully sweet, stale sugar cookie smell. Should have expected that from this brand, cloying and artificial is their thing.

this is going to sound harsh, but: cheap cheap cheap smell. extremely synthetic betty crocker cake mix that’s near its expiration date. it’s cloying, childish, overly nutty (in a bad way), and not sexy or alluring in the slightest. idk why anyone would want to smell like this. gave my sample vial multiple chances but i just can’t get into it.

This stinks in the opening lmao. The almond note here bitters this up in the first 2 hours of wear and isn’t helped by the slightly sour milk. Nausea! All I get is nausea in my stomach from smelling this. This eventually gets better and becomes a vanilla frosting, saving this, but you have to push through the opening first which I will not do. There are better Montale vanillas than this to force it. It also makes sense because I get this same adverse reaction from Xerjoff Italica and it’s nothing but bitter almonds and milk with some rancid fruity note. Thankfully, this seems to be a Montale that isn’t loud and is more intimate, so I was able to have some constraint multiple times.

You will have to pour the entire bottle to get any longevity/ sillage from one wearing. The initial blast will put you in vanilla cake heaven, great bedtime scent. It really is a sleep inducer and I would recommend this for people who have trouble sleeping. I keep a little vial at my bedside. The scent quickly disappears during daytime use, gets lost in the crowd .

Smells very much like its namesake. I can understand why some people hate this perfume for sure, even if I do like it, I only like it conditionally. The initial spray smells a little bit sickly, too milky sweet and cloying before the creaminess hits. I can only describe it as akin to trying to chug a can of sweetened condensed milk within ten seconds. Fortunately the dry down is a nicer more gentle scent, like warm vanilla sugar cookies with maybe a hint of baby powder but usually by then the scent of it has faded that only someone giving you a tight bear hug or you can smell it on yourself. Not the greatest as a standalone but strangely, an entirely different story it is excellent for layering. On my body chemistry it somehow helps the sillage and prolongs the longevity of whatever I have layered it with (usually a fruity floral). I layer this with Burberry Her EDP and it creates this yummy vibe, like having high tea in a spring garden, a table laden with berry fruity delicious cakes and baked delights. To sum it up, proceed with caution but worth a shot if you like to experiment with layers. 5/10

Love this from beginning to end my only problem is longevity. It lasts 3hours on my skin. Why Montale

Very strong vanilla frosting & boxed cake mix. I kind of like the novelty of it, but it’s not something that I want to smell like. I could see there being layering potential but I’m not interested in buying the full size.

As a true gourmand lover I could never think of a perfume being ”too sweet”, but this is it. The only thing you can smell is the insanely overpowering sweetness and stifling vanilla, and it’s not good. I love Montale perfumes but this is just too much.

Not a fan. I love “Sweet vanilla”, but this… just. It smells too much almond and then some vanilla. But that’s about it.

If you're looking for a cheap dupe for this, it's Malicia Bon Bons Milk Cake. They smell the same to my nose, I own both.

The very first seconds of the opening are to die for: warm, biscuitty, vanillic, ultra gourmand. But that was the very first seconds, no joke. After that, an ultra synthetic and screechy vibe comes in. I'm not even talking about a note; the whole perfume becomes that.

It does soften after an hour or two, but this over-the-top synthetic feeling never leaves the perfume. The scent really gets softer and more enjoyable past this 2-hour mark, but note that the projection gets weaker too (not that bad actually cause you'd give yourself a terrible headache with that classic Montale projection).

I should add that Vanilla Cake feels very cold too whilst this screechy & synthetic feel goes strong, so you'll be really disappointed if you expect a warm vanilla cake feel. I do agree it gives cake mix feels, rather than the feels of a cake fresh out-of-the-oven. This weird scent might actually be the meringue note, because it also feels slightly powdery.

And yet... I think Vanilla Cake is my guily pleasure. I know there are way better gourmand perfumes out there that emulate the scent of an actual vanilla cake. But I can't help and smell the wrist I sprayed Montale's Vanilla Cake on.
It literally is a little guilty pleasure, and still smells fun and indulging to me despite all its flaws. I'd gladly wrap myself up in that scent on cold winter days at home, while baking or watching a movie with my family.

Whether it's full bottle-worthy or not is ofc completely up to you. As for me, I might give in and get a complimentary 20ml bottle next time I purchase from Montale 🙈

The first spray made me want to scrub this off; the review that said it smelt like boxed cake mix + the cardboard box was spot on. Absolutely disgusting and horrendously strong. I was hoping that IF there was a cardboard scent it would be in a pleasant communion wafer way- no. It is not. There is something else there on top of that that makes it smell slightly like vomit.

It takes about an hour for that scent to disappear, then it smells like meringue, milk, with a soft almond note. Unfortunately at this point the scent is so much weaker- I really enjoy it.... but I don't know if the initial hour is worth it. I wish i got the cute strawberry shortcake top notes that everyone else got.

Very very sweet vanilla gourmand fragrance. At first spray I wasn’t sure I liked it but I absolutely love it now!
It’s not a super complex fragrance, it’s exactly what the name says it is - vanilla cake.
Doesn’t last very long on skin but I can still smell it on my tshirt after more than 8 hours.
Gorgeous fragrance for all vanilla gourmand lovers.

smells gross and cheap like bath and body works hand sanitizer. Sickly sweet and VERY artificial with almost none of the listed notes.

Unfortunately, doesn’t last long at all. I do love the smell though.

Fruity cake (not a fruitcake though)? It's definitely sweet but nowhere close to as powerful like Chocolate Greedy. It's smooth though but this is something I definitely see being far on the fem side.

I’m not sure how there are not more notes than what’s listed on here. After you give it a few minutes to dry down there is DEFINITELY a fruity candy smell to it. Like vanilla cake mixed with tons of candy on top. Not delicious smelling candy- super artificial fruit smelling candy. Then that takes over all of the vanilla cake smell. I should’ve listened to other reviewers instead of blind buying. Don’t make the mistake I made.

It's nice but I'm not sure if there is an undertone I'm not digging. I need to retest it.

Straight up strawberry shortcake!!! No joke this is pound cake with strawberries on top including whipped cream. Much better than Pink Sugar or any of those fruity sweet fragrances! Longevity is not good maybe 15 minutes, too bad because I do like it. I’m sad! I’ll over spray! Recommended 5/10 only because it doesn’t last

I should have listened to the rest of the fragrantica reviews. This smells like boxed cake batter, with the box being the most prominent note in it or a 99 cent burned-vanilla cupcake candle. I was so prepared to love this looking at the notes. It straight up stinks, do not blind buy it.

Oh man, this was a disappointment! I love sweet gourmands and vanilla scents, so I was so prepared to love this. Unfortunately, this missed the mark on me. It's straight-up milk and baby powder with a HINT of vanilla when first sprayed. After about 30 minutes, it was pretty much only baby powder and almost a little salty smelling. Lasted about an hour on me, which was fine because I didn't like it, haha.

I am new to fragrance and am realizing that my skin really projects powdery accords. If you are like me, this one might just end up smelling like salty baby powder on you.

Perfume that fully reflects its name. Super sweet vanilla, maximum gourmand and lactonic. The sensation is precisely that of finding yourself immersed in a pastry, in a freshly made vanilla cake, the note of meringue gives it a sugary sensation. Super sweet gourmand perfume, for lovers of the genre only! Perhaps more feminine

It’s a simple and straightforward scent but I’m still impressed by the execution. It’s called Vanilla Cake and that’s exactly what it smells like. If you’re a fan of Bath and Body Works’ gourmand scents, you’ll likely enjoy this. All the notes are there. The almond and meringue notes manage to really stand out for me amidst the general aggressive sweetness which is a nice surprise. I think it’s the almond note which grounds this as a cake scent rather than just a creamy, lactonic vanilla and caramel scent. This definitely smells like raw batter as opposed to a baked cake. Straight up cake batter, as if to say “Stick your fingers in me! No one is looking!”

Got a decant sample out of curiosity. If you like the small of vanilla cake (as in the version you eat) this is for you. Personally I really like the smell but it is not something I would wear. Now I have a craving for a piece of cake.

If you want to smell like literal cake batter, you’ll love this. (I DO want to smell like cake batter and I do love it!)

This is interesting... so I got a sample of this off LuckyScent, one of those little dabber vials, back in early to mid March. I swear it smelled like nothing on my skin at the time. It's now May 1, and I found the vial with about 1/3 of its contents still in it. I put some on without reading the label and then thought to myself afterward, "Oh, that's the one that was surprisingly weak, that won't do me any good." I started exercising. And now it smells delicious. It's true that within the first few seconds, it does smell intensely of alcohol and/or something pIasticky, but that goes away really quickly. It really does smell like vanilla cake and I do get the caramel and a little almond in there. I also feel like I'm picking up on a very faint spice, like cinnamon, even though that isn't listed as a note. It's as though just a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg were added to a cake recipe to enhance the flavor. I get more of the milk as the fragrance begins to dry down. I don't know if it's the warmer weather, or the body heat from exercising, or something else, but I love this now. Even though it's a sweet cake gourmand, I don't think it's cloying and I honestly feel it could be worn year-round, especially given that it really shone on me in warmer weather and with more activity. I think the meringue keeps it light and fluffy enough for warmer weather.

Edit: this is the longest lasting fragrance I’ve ever put on thus far. Put it on around 5 in the afternoon and am still getting faint whiffs of caramel-y sugar as I try to sleep at 4 in the morning.

Edit 2: that metallic smell in the opening is too much for me. It lasts for a good hour before it gets into a nice scent. Pacifica Island Vanilla is a better vanilla for a fraction of the cost. Decluttering if you want.

Yes it's smell plastic/artifical vanilla first, so the first times i didn't got the feeling of "this is a beggining of beautiful frienship" But by time, while it rests on the skin, the artificial side starts to decreasing and be lighter.
It's strong fragrance with a nice sillage ( like most of montale) And yes it's a really sweet gourmand vanilla, but for me it does not step over the border to be cloying (not like chabaud lait de vanille ) And this is strong but not heavy.
It's a cloud like foamy, moire, very lactonic and to my nose slightly peachy ( i think it's beacuse of the peach lactone) vanille. The almond gives some porous aspect to the compostion so this is why it's not whipped cream insted of meringue. For me it's smells like fluffy-flossy vanille cake with meringue decoration, a lot of whipped cream and sweet peach topping. I rarely use it in itself, so instead of i usualyy use it for layering & sweethening because it's simple & linear it's perfect for this purpose.

Extremely artificial vanilla smell. Cheap vanilla cake scented candle to me.

If you are keen on fragrance longevity, I strongly suggest passing this one by. It has 0 lasting power. I promise, I’ve sprayed this on myself a good 20 times a day and the first spray is always buttery, decadent vanilla cake. 10 seconds later vanilla cake is gone. I’m not sure how they’ve managed to formulate such a deliciously heavy scent that doesn’t stick around after literally seconds.

This could work as a decent layering option, however. I’ve tried it with Angels’ Share and I have noticed a slight enhancement. All in all, I’d highly recommend saving your $$$.

Try Bianco Latte if the initial blast is your jam for the sake of longevity.

It smells like milky sugar cookie scented e-liquid. This fragrance is too artificial and too cloying imo.

This smells really sweet and kind of cake-y, but I rather smell this in the form of a scented candle. I wouldn't want to use this on myself.

I like this as I expected I would. A fun yet beautiful fragrance. I get a weird almost plastic vibe that fortunately disappears within a couple minutes, then just sweet pastry and delicious vanilla. This one lasts plenty long, easily overnight. My wife said it was about time I wore something she likes (she isn't an aoud fan). All in all, an excellent scent to have for those occasions when you don't feel like being overly serious.

OMG I love this perfume!!! I read so many reviews and watched 1000 of youtube videos before purchasing it because Montale's perfume for me can go really well (like dark purple or chocolate greedy) or very wrong like Mukhallat. but this is definitely one of my fav perfume. I smell vanilla cake perhaps mix with some peach, its soft, milky, gourmand with such strong projectivity. its not a perfume that its going to hit you in the face like coco mademoiselle, la vie est belle... no, these are real scents!! if you like vanilla, sweet, cake, milky perfume definitely buy it! the projection is great, I spray it on my clothes and I can smell it 2nd day but it stays on the skin so if you walk around, people will not smell it immediately which is great as I hate wearing strong perfume so it will make people stand 5m from me. btw I use it even before I go to the bed, vanilla relax my nerves so much. I will definitely purchase another bottle.

so disappointed with this one :( very artificial/fake vanilla cake and suuuuuper nutty but not in a pleasant way i was so excited bc these are all notes i would usually love but I’m not a fan

vanilla ice cream and dirt

Uhh... such a disappointment :(
Smells great in the bottle but on the skin, it changes very quickly. Smells like
savory food on the skin-the type of smell that makes you think of dinner, savory spices, etc and NOT
dessert or gourmand to me at all.the vanilla smell is so artificial that its not sweet. Very bitter on the skin.
You wouldnt want to smell like savory greasy food so skip this one. Nothing sweet here.

1/10 not a safe blind buy

Lmao! No, this does indeed smell very much of vanilla. The cheap, candle kind of vanilla. Definitely not caramel centered. Opening is LEGIT a cakey / cookie vanilla scent, it's superbly realistic, then turns into a synthetic sweet vanilla. I like it, it does smell very good, but it's not unisex and is feminine 100% IMO. Vanille diorama, SDV, Eau Duelle, TV, etc, has a much richer and better vanilla note, but this is still good.

To me, Vanilla Cake smells more like a caramel-centric perfume than a vanilla one. Right after spraying, I get a lactonic impression that quickly morphs into a very sweet caramel note. The caramel changes back and forth between quite realistic and obviously artificially created. Once dried down, a light muskiness dials down the sweetness and ensures a longevity of at least 12 hours on my clothes. I suggest that gourmand lovers give Vanilla Cake a try, but vanilla fans might be disappointed in this perfume.

I just don't get all the hate this gets. Out of all the vanilla perfumes out there, this is one of the few that don't pull sharp or weird on me. Performance wise, it's not the most beast mode montale out there, but it is rather average. THE SMELL THOUGH. It's so creamy, sweet and delicious!! As a huge gourmand lover (especially caramel and lactonic notes) this definitely floats my boat.

EDIT: As previously stated, I love the smell of this. But the performance SUCKS! It becomes a skin scent about an hour in... :(

I got this as a giveaway sample at a purchase (can't go out of my way to buy or test a Montale or Mancera personally, those have a bad history with me) and I'm surprised it did not leave a kerosene or naphthalene scent on my skin after a few hours. Smells more like a fancy vanilla sundae with tons of whipped cream and toppings than cake on my skin. 8+ hours and still going strong, overkill on 2 sprays but not too terrible it leaves me nauseated compared to the other Mancera and Montale frags I've encountered.

Smells like Ensure lol. Or any vanilla milk drink. I like it tho! It’s not heavy, at least it doesn’t trigger any sneezing or headache to me. Longevity is great, it lasted for more than 9 hrs on me even tho it smells light.

Yummmm! Delicious. Montale Vanilla Cake is so appropriately named. This smells like a warm slice of perfectly prepared vanilla cake that has just come out of the oven. As others have said, yes, it smells like boxed cake mix. But it smells like while the batter was being whipped up, the baker added their secret ingredient... a touch of almond extract. It's just so good! If you want to smell warm and yummy, this is for you!

It smells like a buttery croissant with almond filling that lays next to a warm glass of caramel milk :) it's very delicious but should be consumed in moderation :P My husband loves it on me, says I smell like Sunday morning.

To me this smells like raw cake batter (store bought one as it's quite artificial smelling), not at all like a finished cake. It almost feels like I'm inhaling the tiny flour particles and they tickle my nose! I like this scent, although I am finding longevity to be very poor!

Smells like a yellow cake covered in salted caramel. I feel like a lot of cake scents have fruity/citrusy notes but this is just the cake alone. I wish there was more almond though.

Imagine you bake a plain vanilla cake in a cake tray and after it’s completely cooked you take it out of the oven let it cool for an hour and then take the cake out from the tray, and around the tray there are so much cake residues to clean it you don’t scrape it off to prevent it from being scratched instead you fill the tray with some hot water and leave the cake residues to soak in hot water. Vanilla Cake reminds me of highly Comptoir Sud Pacique’s Calin Matin edt also.
Vanilla cake smells exactly like this slightly burnt well cooked vanilla cake you can even smell very slight eggs too so it’s very realistic and natural no where near synthetic or cheap. It has even traces of roasted hazelnuts and coffee apart from the almonds. Vanilla Cake has moderate projection for up to 8+ hours plus.
Vanilla Cake is all about when you finish eating a vanilla cupcake and then smell inside the cake paper afterwards.

Vanilla Cake is a part o a pretty substantial perfume haul~~guess who gave herself a wonderful Christmas. I. find most reviews here to be significantly helpful. The sweet vanilla is what hits my nose instantly, it does have a Duncan Hines yellow cake batter, which I enjoy! The laconic smell hits my nose as creamy and warm. I’ve learned Montale’s fragrances project well and for me that’s the lynchpin in my obsession with perfume. I see their are some negative reviews but this a re-order! Now waiting for the holy grail of gourmands Sweetie Aoud! A girl has to have something to look forward to!forward to

Smells like a cake tin that has had the cake scooped out and is sitting a sink. It has a pudding-like smell as well; a nice surprise. It does not smell particularly edible, it smells like melted plastic cake, it gives the idea of a cake decoration rather than an actual cake. I never detect a hint of caramel or almond. Also this smells like more like cake batter with sprinkles, rather than cooked cake. Doesn't last longer than 3hrs at best on me, harsh metallic opening. On one hand, it does smell sweet, but it is so far from tasty.

Everyone that said this smells like a candle is totally right. That's exactly what I'm getting from this, and I'm not into it. I would've loved an actual cake-y smell, or even cake batter, but it smells like a candle you would find in a Hallmark store. I think the almond note may be part of the problem here. I was hoping for a more genuine edible type of scent, and this wasn't it unfortunately. I sampled three of the Montale vanillas and this was my least favorite.

Opens with vanilla but dries down to sweet baby powder. Not edible on me. Not even very interesting. Very flat and basic, like a cheap body spray. Glad I only bought a sample!

Take a fluffy, creamy vanilla custard cake...capture the aroma into a perfume...what do you get? Montale's 'Vanilla Cake'

I bought this blind, but not without worries. The reviews are harsh: yankee candles, cheap cake batter, spoiled milk...to sum it up: an artificial mess. Now is 'Vanilla Cake' synthetic? Well, yes...the name and the notes would imply so.
Finally the ultimate question: But is it overwhelming and heavy on the skin?

Surprisingly not on mine! It opens with a bright, sweet cake vanilla on my skin...lactonic but not overwhelmingly so...Just enough to make me go 'mmmmm...'. It's like whipped, velvety custard. Yumminess in a bottle. The dry-down is fairly linear. Nonetheless, I get compliments and happy faces from everybody when I wear it :)

Honestly this is one the best gourmands I've tried on my skin so far. It's not overbearingly mature or vintage either. Most dessert frags are too heavy, cloying, far too artificial or not gourmand enough. This is a gourmand through and through. YOU are literally the CAKE.

Montale's 'Vanilla Cake' is one of the best vanilla dessert fragrances on the market right now in terms of note balance and performance. Whether it's worth the price is up to you!
Verdict: Try before you buy. This is a cake in a bottle for real.

This is the worst of the vanillas. It’s very cheap smelling. It smells like cheap cake mix. I get no almond or caramel. Just straight up cheap cake batter. It will have to be a layering perfume. I’m disappointed in this.

I got a cheap full bottle of this online from someone, only paid $90 instead of $160. This is definitely not worth the full price. It’s nice I guess but it kinda smells sour? Idk what it is or how to explain it but it’s like curdled milk. Soooooo upset as the name ‘vanilla cake’ sounds AMAZING but man…. The juice inside is far from it….
I ended up selling this as I tried it again hoping it was good but yuck, rancid sour milk.

It smells like soft vanilla, caramel, and has a very vanilla cake.
Longevity: 4-5 hours and still smells itself.
After 4-5 hours, it will become a Skin scent that is soft vanilla.
Overall longevity is 12 hours, the smell is gone.
Longevity on clothing rather than skin. It lingers on the clothes for days. It's not greasy, 4-5 sprays are enough.

I bought a bottle for less than half price for a 100ml blindly as the notes and description sounded like a dream. Montales Vanilla cake is interesting to say the least. Like some here, I was expecting vanilla/ caramel, nutty creamy cake. The first spray smells like a cherry almond cheap yellow cake. I agree with someone below I was expecting a grandmas homemade warm milky vanilla cake. Not a boxed artificial yellow cake with thick cheap icing. After the initial spray, the milk and sugar come out after 5 mins but it’s almost slightly sour and sharp. Then a cheap vanilla base wafts the scent area. It’s my third time wearing it and it has slightly grown on me but I will have to sadly sell it as it’s not at all what I expected and don’t think it’d worth staying in my collection

hmm so this one is interesting because when you first apply it, there’s something very loud that’s almost like a herbally, spicy note that is unpleasant and is not something you really want or expect from a fragrance called “vanilla cake”. BUT, the dry down really does smell exactly like vanilla funfetti cake batter! so yummy!! i wore this today for my birthday lol. not really sure when else i would wear it but it sure is delicious!

Received this as a gift and I fell in love 😍🥰!!! The only other Montale's that I own atm are Chocolate Greedy and Sweet Vanilla, and this smells nothing like that, so if you own those, don't worry about accidentally getting another one that's too similar. This perfume smells like vanilla cake batter, super yummy and sweet 😋. I can kiiiinda understand what some people mean when they say that this perfume smells artificial and how smelling like literal food might be strange, but I feel like most cake batters smell artificial (but DELICIOUS) anyways and as long as you don't mind smelling like cake batter, then go grab this if you ever get the chance!!

I was searching for sweet perfume with delicate smell of milk and sugar, I thought it was this one but now that I brought the 100ml bottle home I’m not sure if it’s this one. For me personally this one is straight up Aqualina’s Pink Sugar mother. It’s more mature but the burn sweet it’s there, only the fruits are missing. I do not regret anything about this purchase, still like it, but I expected different notes and vibes from it.
Edit: i was wearing this one last couple of days and now i smell marzipan and milk

This one to me smells like a candle cupcake scent. There is something in this that just smells off or maybe fake. Not something I would wear, at least not comfortably. Thanks to Pixiedust2 for the generous sample, had plenty to make an informed opinion. If you want to smell like a cake ~ Marshmallow Cake On Mondays from Cocoa Pink Indie Oil Perfumes is delicious. Now that's an almond/vanilla cake fragrance that smells like the cooked cake, not the batter of a cake, which is very common. I don't always want to smell like a cake, but some days or nights, you need that scent memory for comfort. So to the reviewer below who was asking about a real cake scent, try them, they have a ton of options. I can only vouch for the one I listed here, again Pixiedust2, lol, but I'm going to order more.

This smells like buttered popcorn instead of vanilla to me.. interesting but not something I’ve never smelled before. Personally, I wouldn’t like to smell like this so I won’t consider buying

very weird scent, vanilla cake is more about the batter, and vanilla is noticeable but not the main character.

Smells exactly like the yankee candles "Vanilla Cupcake"

OMG, this one is just DELICIOUS !!
And for me to say it (never sweet enough), believe me, it must be scrumptious !!
Creamy vanilla caramel !!

At the beginning I got mostly creamy caramel : caramel is the most dominant note, no discussion, with the creamy but not lactonic side of the milk, and just a bit of almond, almost heliotropey almond should I say (Montale website indicates roasted almond note).

It took 1-2hours before the vanilla develops, but when it does, Mamma Mia, this scent, which was already very pleasant, becomes just irresistible : I might even say this may be one of the closest vanillas to approach my HG vanilla, that's to say vanilla (vanillin) sugar !! Incredible !!

Longevity and sillage seems quite good, considered that I only dab a very little bit of perfume on my forearm seven hours ago and I still can smell it clearly without needing to come closer to my forearm. I have to spray it in my neck to fully judge though.

Absolutely huge success for Montale, bravo !! Et merci !!


P.S. : Grazie mille dolce Mary Jane for the sample !!

Smells great! But not like vanilla cake. Smells like one of those “scentscy” candles teachers always put in there room. Definitely not gourmand doesn’t make me want a piece of cake but does make me want to be in the fall!

I agree with Shogirl. It's sweet but so artificial, like a flavor that you would add to a cake. The dry drown is better and after a few hours it's ok but that synthetic note is so strong. I cannot take it.

This smell more rice milk with a vanilla drop. It can be simple but sometimes look like bath products.
Not my fav but I can wear it on a bad day

6/10

This literally smells like a French vanilla latte wtf. I’m in love omg

smells more of play-doh than cake to me, but i’m not complaining! the onset is really strange. one second in—alcohol. two seconds in—pure, fresh-baked vanilla cake. three seconds in—a potent diacetyl scent like what you might find in popcorn or vape juice. fortunately, the undesirable popcorn aroma only lingers for half a minute before fading, leaving a pleasant, salty vanilla. reminds me of a much weaker and less floral Hypnotic Poison. ultimately not what i was looking for (i received a sample of Montale’s Vanille Absolu with my order and found that it was much lighter, sweeter, and more what i had in mind), but an interesting fragrance and a nice addition to my growing collection of gourmand aromas. i’ll have to wear it around for a while and check back, but so far it is a like rather than a love. i got an enormous 15mL decant for around $35, which was a great deal, but i’d never drop for the retail price.

This smells exactly like vanilla Icecream in a cone! Sweet, lactonic, cozy, warm. It's not my favourite Montale perfume, but it's pretty good. I usually absolutely love wearing gourmand perfumes, but for some reason, I don't really want to smell like this one! However, it's very very pretty.

This does smell like cake: but not your delicious, home-made granny's cake full of flavour, love and toasty vanilla comfort.... instead it smells like the cheapest, most artificially flavoured, bright yellow factory made cake I can imagine. I don't hate the smell so it's not quite a scrubber so I'll keep it on and the sweetness is pleasant enough, but I can't believe anyone would pay this much money to smell this much like a cheap mass-produced synthetic sugary foodstuff. I am glad I only got a sample needless to say! Really not a safe blind buy, even for a vanilla lover. Weird weird weird.

In practice I don't really wear them very often, but I have a real soft spot for gourmand fragrances, and I'm always drawn to them when it comes to picking out samples. Because when the mood does strike, there's nothing I want more than to smell truly, edibly delicious - and the sweeter the better, as long as it's a balanced kind of sweetness! So it's no surprise that I've had my eye on this one since it came out: if someone should succeed in distilling the wonderful smell of real fresh Vanilla Cake into an even remotely sophisticated (or let's just say at all wearable) perfume, I'd be WAY into that.

Unfortunately, this isn't it. I do like it, but it's not really cake-like in my opinion - in fact, it doesn't smell very edible at all. That might be a plus in the book of some people, and I'm not opposed to non-gourmand vanillas either, but with a name like this that's not what I expect. I agree with SailorV below me wholeheartedly: it smells more like a vanilla deodorant than like a cake in the opening, although the thing my mind conjures up whenever I smell it is of one of those dolls with scented plastic skirts (cupcake dolls?). Vanilla, but synthetic, not unpleasantly so but definitely not deliciously gourmand. Later on it dries down to a classic vanilla , maybe slightly creamy, but it's a sugary whipped kind of cream. That might fit the "cake" description, I guess, but it's not the kind of simple vanilla cake I was looking for.

All in all I like this, but not nearly as much as I'd hoped because of the lack of cake, and when it comes to regular vanilla scents I have plenty of alternatives that are better (and cheaper). So I'm glad I got to test this after years of dreaming about it, but I'll leave my sample behind without regrets.

really smells like vanilla essence to me.however it does not project and sits close to skin. i wonder why people rate this as strong projection

As a dedicated vanilla lover I can't dislike this, but I expected more. I don't find this creamy or realistically cake-like.
The opening is very sharp and has that typical synthetic smelling, cool, clean musk that Montale uses in many fragrances. I don't always dislike this note, it makes some of their fragrances more radiant, but it really clashes with the sweet vanilla. To me this feels like a vanilla deodorant from an aerosol can, scratchy and unnatural.
A little later it calms down and makes space for the merengue note, which is the most interesting part of the scent. It really captures the sensation of biting into a crunchy merengue. But in the end it all dries down to a bright, sunny vanilla that reminds me very much of the perfumes by Comptoir Sud Pacifique. And if that was what I wanted, I would just get a CSP vanilla and skip the unfitting harsh musk, or get Montale Vanilla Extasy which has a similar vanilla but is a better composition as a whole.

Don't get me wrong, this is pleasant after the first blast cooled off. But as there are so many vanilla scents on the market, I would want something called "Vanilla Cake" with this note list to smell like a mouthwatering treat, which just doesn't happen here.

I love to wear it for Christmas holidays, on cold winter days. The scent warms and comforts, it gives you that holiday spirit, just like a "final touch" to holidays' atmosphere for yourself. It is definitely gourmand and it is not too sweet, it is "just right". Exactly a scent of vanilla cake. Yummy.

blind bought this.

At first this was good, but almost weird. But as it wears ...really liking it more and more. dry down is fabulous.

It really does smell like vanilla cake!

Vanilla dominant, and you can defo smell the almond note, milky lactone that makes it almost creamy.

I'm a fan of cupcakes, puddings, custards, cream caramel notes. Montale Vanilla cake just the right perfume for those people who love sweet gourmand notes who love to be in a cake bakery shop. Its warm, creamy, exactly smell of fresh vanilla cake just came from the oven.

unfortunately, on my skin, it does not last long enough and I hate the bottle shape. that's aluminum bottle is turns me off, absolutely not attractive, and not reflecting what is inside.

this is quite interesting i say this is the opposite of Original A*Men which is more Chocolatey,Caramel & Tonka Bomb Harshness but this Vanilla Cake is like a light Smooth Creamy Vanilla Bomb its light but definitely will Attract Attentions lightly.

its a very awesome unisex fragrance
goes well with guys & gals that is playful yet charming.

Vanilla Cake it is a lovely Creamilk Gourmand.
10/10

The opening is really yummy with a lovely burst of almond / hazelnut buttercream which does in fact does smell like a freshly baked cake. Sadly that lasts only for about 5 minutes, then it immediately goes into a screeching synthetic mess. The longevity of this perfume is low, ending up in a light quasi vanilla scent. Be careful when listening to the hype about this one. I wouldn't consider it to be a safe blind buy. If you want my humble opinion, get a sample first. It might save you a headache... Literally

I like this as an easy to wear close to body scent. It’s gourmand - starts off powerfully milk and vanilla on me, then quickly to a skin scent of light but sweet vanilla, delicate almond and caramel.

I wanted to like this as my first Montale and a lover of sweet fragrances, but something about this turns my stomach. I think it's the almond because I have problems with that note smelling like hand wipes or play-dough. I don't smell that here, but the 'cake' part of the scent is turning my nose completely off. It reminds me of the way shortbread smells (that slightly sweet yeasty scent) and I just can't get with it. The overall quality is certainly niche (doesn't smell cheap or shrill), but this is not a good introduction to Montale. If anyone has a better, more mass appealing Montale scent please PM me!

I love the smell. It's so buttery. It doesn't have the greatest sillage but maybe it's just my nose is so used to smelling sense that I can't tell. I have had a couple people asked me what I'm wearing hours after I put this on so I guess maybe it does have some lasting power. I layer it with Al Rehab Choco Musk. the oil and the chocolate must replaces the Vaseline that I usually put on before I spray my fragrance.

Just as Montale was making a name for itself with hugely popular oriental fragrances with a gourmand edge (honey aoud, intense café), it ushered in an era of uber-realistic gourmands with the release of vanilla cake eau de parfum. This time, rather than heading the route of a loud, plain vanilla or rose/oud centered release, Montale played a relatively well-tempered, multifaceted composition that may strike some as out-of character for the brand.

Vanilla cake opens with a voluptuous almond note carried by the photorealistic scent of a freshly baked cake's browned edges. The top notes replicate almost perfectly the smell of Maillard browning and caramelization, chemical reactions which are essential in baking. In a matter of a few minutes, the scent progresses to a powdery sweet, slightly fruity and sour mid that projects decently for about two hours. The mid creates the illusion of royal icing with touches of tart lemon and strawberry. Lastly, the fragrance trails lightly for many hours with the scents of milky vanilla ice cream and cocoa. Surprisingly, Montale's signature black musk, rose, and oud notes are completely removed from the equation - a necessary absence to preserve the picture-perfect scent of vanilla cake.

Some may fault vanilla cake for not boasting Montale's well-established monstrous performance. Here, the projection is at most average (~2 hrs) but longevity remains generous (~8-9 hrs), with the last few hours spent close to the skin. In my opinion however, the lackluster performance is more than offset by the scent's multifaceted realism and creativity; a perfectly unisex wear for those willing to brave the questionable wearability.

Scent: 8.5/10
Longevity: 8.5/10
Projection: 6/10
Originality: 10/10

Overall (not an average): 8.5/10
Batch used for review: F0537-73925

One of best gourmand, a realistic vanilla cake with a certain tart from the meringue, but I know I cannot wear it because I might smell a e-cigarette vanilla juice haha You gotta love montale for their full pledged gourmands an example of haute perfumery, this might be unwearable like those of Figment man, or secretion magnifiques, they are just pushing the boundaries of perfumery, It is very subtle and not in your face sweetness it really smells like a cake. It is just something I already expected from the start, but at least they are not afraid to be criticized to make something like this. Love or hate this isn't created to please the crowd like a niche normally would.

Not good, unfortunately.
This reminded me a lot of Mazzolari Vaniglia, which I also cannot stand, and I realized the it’s the combination of vanilla and caramel that create this cloying and synthetic metallic note and it is appalling. It calms down after the sharp opening but it lingers...

Vanilla cake is a little more bearable because it has another notes but still bad.
Throwing out the sample...

Love and hate relationship with this one. Performance is quite sad on my skin and wearing this alone is just too feminine imo . Only time I wear this is when I layer this with chocolate greedy, now that duo is divine give it a try

Very beautiful vanilla cake batter during the first 20 seconds, then it gets sour like yogurt, with noticeable almond/pistachio notes, it settles like a skin scent in 1 hour. No sillage at all on my skin, very bad scent for being a montale. I was expecting a lot more from this scent. I got the official sampler from Amazon I know it is not diluted.

When first sprayed, it does smell like a vanilla cake before it goes into the oven. But in a matter of minutes, it turns into a yogurt / ice cream scent, which does smell slightly sour but for the most part sweet. It lasted 5 hours on my wrists (I put it on before sleeping); when I woke up, it was very much a skin scent, but in a pleasant way. Still, in my opinion, it doesn't exactly live up to its name.

my favorite perfume smell like ice cream :) the longevity is good

This isn't what I hoped. I does kinda smell like vanilla cake, the smell when the outside gets dark golden and it's right out of the oven. I don't smell the vanilla as well as I liked. There was an out of place smell when I first applied it (dabber), but it seems to have mellowed out. I don't catch it wafting around me as much as I'd like. In the end, I'll enjoy the sample for the day, but this wasn't the vanilla I was looking for.

I expected to get something really milky like vanilla pudding, custard... However, all I can smell is dry chocolate or chocolate cookie. I'm really sorry not to detect any "kitchen" vanilla in it nor the milky smoothness. Anyway, I like it (not love!).

This scent is beautiful for the first 10 seconds, then it turns into a chemical sharp/sour fruity scent that I'm not necessarily looking for when I'm intentionally wearing a perfume called "Vanilla Cake". Although I'm a big gourmand fan, this one is just a 'meh'.

Smells like vanilla flavored protein powder

I blind bought this perfume for a hefty price and i am so disappointed. This one is so bad as a fragrance. It would make a good candle but how to wear this as a perfume. I love vanilla and gourmand fragrances but honestly this is not something i can wear as a fragrance. This was my first montale ☹️

I am a new fan of Montale perfumes. This vanilla cake scent is very good because it adds an unusual take to perfume. I mean you quite literally smell like a vanilla cupcake when you wear it. The silage is strong, after just two sprays, and it lasts for about 6 hours. The one comment that I did notice, is that people would comment, "Hey, it smells like candy around here" not realizing that it was my perfume. If you like this scent, I recommend trying Chocolate Greedy.

Scent - fresh cake batter opening which transitioned into crushed caramelized almonds.

Season/Time of Day - I prefer to use this one in the colder months, at night.

Projection - I didn't get noticed, I didn't get a compliment.

Longevity - I get 10hrs consistently.

Montale Vanilla Cake is a release I was looking forward to trying since it was announced, given Montale's takes on vanilla, like most other nots that tend to dominate fragrances (rose, oud, etc.) are usually very bold. Vanilla Cake, however, is rather subtly and considerately blended, though.

It's nuanced by the addition of meringue to give an otherwise vanilla-dominant experience a hue of citrus, slightly tart or even sour, with the other additives that support the vanilla--namely, milk, almond, and caramel.

The performance is boastful even if the fragrance itself is not over-the-top. Available on FragranceX for a discounted $119 for 100ml (contra the retail $180), it's a decent deal, but I'd expect to be available for less at some point.

Still a like not a love, at least for me, but a nice take on vanilla from the house.

7 out of 10

Nauseating. It starts off as way too sickly sweet, and then develops a strong flour/dough note, and it's just really gross and unpleasant. I'm glad for those whose chemistry this works with, but it's a total scrubber for me.

This is gorgeous! I ordered Sweet Vanilla & was sent a generous sample of VC with it. OMG! I feel like this weird smell ppl are referencing is a slight OUD, even tho fragrantica doesn't list it. They don't always list the notes exactly as they are from the creator, so,,,not sure. If you don't understand Oud, or like it, you won't get it. I do & I LOVE this, even moreso that my sweet vanilla, which smells like a "Lighter" version of CSP Abricot Vanille to me. All of them are amazing!

I was excited to give this a try from a sample I received. I love anything that smells like vanilla cake. At first spray, it smelled like a freshly baked vanilla cake, a few minutes later, it dried to this almond urine smell. I couldn't take it. I could still detect a baked scent, but the almond and meringue over power and end up smelling like urine on me. I was hoping it would be like Comptoir Sid Pacifique vanilla extreme, but maybe more Carmel.

In search of the ultimate vanilla cake fragrance and being a huge Montale fan, I had high hopes for this one. I WISH I'd gotten the same result as some of the positive reviewers! Alas, it was not meant to be. At first, it smells mostly like vanilla extract + a cake-y note in the supporting role. In a couple of hours it completely vanished without any projection or trace despite layering it on fragrance-free lotion to make it last. I can see this being quite enjoyable as a vanilla perfume that can be enjoyed in hot weather. However, for the price, I cannot justify the purchase as it has the strength of a body spray on me. The search for that ultimate "cake-y vanilla" perfume continues...

Nothing special, vanilla vanilla vanilla...

A great gourmand.

The initial blast is that of almonds and milky vanilla. It kind of reminds me of a vanilla ice cream in fact. The opening is quite sweet so for you people who do not have a sweeth tooth, stay away.

As the scent develops, it gets slightly more ''doughy'' if that makes sense. During this stage it does indeed smell more like vanilla cookies and the sweetness has settled down nicely after let's say 1-2 hours.

This could be hard for some men to wear but I think that if you're a gourmand lover you can absolutely pull it off. Performance is good and it is suitable year around except very hot summers.

8/10

Montale Vanilla Cake is like a big bowl of confectioner's sugar, that as you stir it, a swirl of the powder lifts up and you can taste it and it gets in your nose and it's super sweet smelling. It smells like vanilla frosting on freshly baked cupcakes. This is so delicious! It would be equally yummy on men, so don't be afraid to wear this.

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille for Women is how I would describe this one. Unbelievably sweet, potent and long-lasting, but has some interesting depth for a sweet fragrance (much like TV). Unfortunately, this fragrance is the definition of cloying. Even having a small dab of it on a piece of papertowel, it will fill a room with it's scent and will make you sick to your stomach from the insane unrelenting sweetness before long. Maybe women are used to this style of sickly-sweet scent, but as a man this is insane (I got this sample for the fun of it, as it sounded neat and was a new release).

Tobacco Vanille is ridiculously sweet/cloying/strong as well and I cannot stand it for that reason, even touching the sample vial of either of these fragrances makes my fingers smell of the scent for at least 6 hours, even after many washings/scrubbing.

Don't get me wrong, I love the smell at first sniff, one of the best things I have ever smelled -- A picture perfect scent of a cupcake with lots of frosting... but the sheer lasting power and potency of this beast causes a brain-overload of sweetness.

Jelly Belly Butter Popcorn flavor.

This reminds me of a yoghurt cake I had in Greece. It’s the milky note no doubt. The almond is a bit bitter in the beginning but as time passes the sweet vanilla overtakes it and you get vanilla pastry. Then you are left with strong vanilla pastry lasting for hours as expected from Montale. Sillage is strong too, spray cautiously...it’s made for cozy, dark winter days and nights.

After initial spray I was having only one word: WOW, this is amazing. Just like raw shortbread dough with almond essential oil added. Creamy, buttery and milky. My euphoria lasted 10 minutes then it turned into vanilla candle smell. Incredibly soft and with no sillage. I'm vanilla scent monster and was hoping this would be my new trophy but no. Way to weak and underdone for Montale.

Today i got a sample of this
So smooth and nice and creamy
To my skin and my noise its start with milky smell that has some powder and creamy vibe of vanilla also very very little bitter that comes from vanilla
Love it i feel relax and easy
Nice smelling
Smell exactly like caramel and milk so much creamy i got from this
Lovable
Something about montale i dont like is the bottle its not unique as other you should notice the label of the bottle maybe when you want to spray you got the wring one

MY RATE IS:
Scent : 6.9/10
Performance: 5/10
Projection: 7.5/10
Longevity: 7/10
Value of money : 5/10
OVERAL : 6.2/10
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امروز با بسته بندي عطرم سمپل اين عطر جديد هم به دستم رسيد
جز اولين نفراتي هستم كه در ايران دارم اينو تست ميكنم
بوي خامه اي و شيرين داره
مثل تركيب خانه و شير كه بوي وانيل هم احساس ميشه
اين ادكلن به نظر من به درد اقايون خوش خنده رو ميخوره نه ادماي جدي
اما تركيب بوي خوشمزه و خامه و نرمي داره مثل شير و كارامل با كني تلخي كه وانيل داره ميگيره
بوي خوبي داشت اما با خاص و اينكه خيلي دوست داشتني باشه براي من نبود
اميدوارم كمكي كرده باشه
به نظر من بيشتر به درد زمستان و بهار ميخوره اما خوب باز سليقه اي است
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