How to Send a Cake to London from Overseas — Full Guide

Distance should never get in the way of a celebration. Every week at CakeTrays.co.uk we fulfil cake orders placed by families in Pakistan, the UAE, the USA, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and beyond for delivery to their loved ones in East London. Whether it is a birthday, a Nikkah, an Eid gift, or simply a way of saying you are thinking of someone, ordering a cake from overseas is simpler than most people expect. This guide walks you through exactly how it works, from placing your order to making sure the cake arrives on the right day.

Can You Really Order a Cake for Someone in London from Abroad?

Yes, and it is one of our most common order types. You place your order online from wherever you are in the world, enter your loved one's East London address as the delivery address, pay securely using an international card or PayPal, and we bake the cake fresh and deliver it directly to their door. You do not need to be in the UK, you do not need a UK bank account, and you do not need to coordinate anything on the day beyond making sure the recipient will be home. We handle everything from baking to delivery. The only things you need to get right are the delivery date, the delivery address, and the cut-off time based on UK time zones, which this guide covers in full.

How to Place an Order from Overseas Step by Step

Ordering from abroad follows exactly the same process as ordering from within the UK, with a few things worth being aware of in advance.

Step one: choose your cake. Browse the full range at CakeTrays.co.uk and select the cake you want to send. Birthday cakes, vintage heart cakes, milk cake trays, Nikkah and wedding cakes, gender reveal cakes, and cake gift boxes are all available for delivery across East London. If you are unsure which cake to choose, our most popular options for overseas gift orders are the Biscoff Milk Cake Tray, the Heart Cake, the Birthday Cake, and the Cake Gift Box.

Step two: add personalisation. Most cakes have personalisation options on the product page where you can add a name, a message, or a specific inscription. For Nikkah Mubarak, Eid Mubarak, or other occasion-specific wording, add it in the notes field at checkout. If you have a specific design request, message us on Instagram @caketrays4eastlondon before placing your order and we will advise on what is possible.

Step three: enter the delivery address. Use your loved one's full East London address as the delivery address. We recommend using their UK phone number in the delivery details so our driver can contact them directly if needed. You can use your own email address and overseas phone number for the billing section so you receive the order confirmation.

Step four: choose your delivery date. Select your preferred delivery date at checkout. For planned occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, we recommend choosing the date of the celebration or the day before. For same day delivery, your order must be placed before the cut-off shown at checkout based on UK time. If you are in a significantly different time zone, use a world clock to check what the UK cut-off time corresponds to in your local time before you order.

Step five: pay securely. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and PayPal. Your bank or card provider handles the currency conversion to GBP automatically at the current exchange rate. There are no additional fees from our side for international payments.

Step six: confirm and relax. You will receive an order confirmation by email. On the day of delivery we will bake the cake fresh and deliver it directly to your loved one's door. We do not include an invoice, a receipt, or any price information inside the packaging, so the gift stays a surprise.

Time Zones and Cut-Off Times

This is the most important practical consideration for overseas orders. Our same day delivery cut-off is based on UK time, which is GMT in winter and BST in summer. If you are ordering from Pakistan you are four to five hours ahead of the UK depending on the season, which means a UK 2 PM cut-off corresponds to around 6 PM or 7 PM your time. If you are ordering from the UAE you are three to four hours ahead. If you are ordering from the USA you may be five to ten hours behind the UK depending on your state, which means a UK 2 PM cut-off could be as early as 4 AM or 5 AM your time on the same day. For customers in North America, Australia, and other regions with significant time differences, we strongly recommend ordering at least one to two days in advance and selecting next day delivery rather than same day, to avoid any risk of missing the cut-off. If you are ever unsure, place the order and select a date one day ahead and we will bake and deliver on that date.

Which Cakes Are Best for Overseas Gift Orders?

Almost every cake in our range is suitable for overseas gift orders since we deliver within East London and the cake arrives fresh on the day it is baked. The most popular choices among our overseas customers are our Milk Cake Trays in Biscoff and Pistachio, our Vintage Heart Cakes for birthdays and anniversaries, our Birthday Cakes for milestone celebrations, our Nikkah and Wedding Cakes for Islamic marriage celebrations, and our Cake Gift Box for occasions where you want something that feels like a proper gift rather than just a cake. For gender reveals and baby showers, our Gender Reveal Cakes are also frequently ordered by family members abroad who want to be part of the moment even from a distance.

Are Your Cakes Halal?

Yes. Every cake at Cake Trays is made using halal-friendly ingredients. We do not use alcohol or animal gelatine in any of our products. For Muslim families sending cakes to loved ones in East London for Eid, Ramadan, Nikkah celebrations, and everyday occasions, every product in our range meets halal requirements without exception. You can read more on our halal cakes page.

Where Do You Deliver in East London?

We currently deliver only within our East London delivery areas, which include Romford, Ilford, Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Newbury Park, Dagenham, Barking, East Ham, Walthamstow, Leyton, Leytonstone, Woodford, South Woodford, Woodford Green, Chigwell, Hainault, Stratford, Manor Park, Plaistow, Forest Gate, and Upton Park. Enter the recipient's postcode at checkout to confirm availability. If the postcode is accepted, we can deliver there. For recipients who are outside our delivery area, collection from RM8 2SR in Dagenham is also available, though for overseas customers this option is only practical if there is a local family member who can collect on the recipient's behalf.

Our Most Popular Cakes for Overseas Gift Orders

Frequently Asked Questions