Ya tengo encargada la tarta de chocolate en la pastelería de la esquina.

Both are possible, but they emphasize different things.

• He encargado la tarta focuses on the action: I have ordered the cake.
• Tengo encargada la tarta focuses on the resulting situation/state: the cake is already taken care of / already on order.

So tener + past participle often means that something is already arranged, completed, or in place from the speaker’s point of view.

In this sentence, Ya tengo encargada la tarta... sounds like:

• It’s already sorted.
• I’ve already got the cake ordered.

That nuance is very natural in Spanish.

Because encargada agrees with la tarta, which is:

• feminine
• singular

In tener + past participle constructions like this one, the participle often behaves a bit like an adjective, so it agrees with the object:

• Tengo encargado el pastel
• Tengo encargada la tarta
• Tengo encargados los pasteles
• Tengo encargadas las tartas

It does not agree with the speaker.

Ya means already here.

It tells us that the ordering has been done before now, often with a sense of:

• don’t worry, it’s done
• that part is already taken care of

So ya is not just about time; it can also add a practical, reassuring tone.

Here, encargar means something like:

• to order in advance
• to place an order for
• to have something made/prepared for you

It is different from simply buying something off the shelf right now.

With a cake from a bakery, encargar often suggests:

• you requested it ahead of time
• the bakery will prepare it for you
• you will collect it later

So it is very natural for cakes, birthday cakes, special food, custom items, etc.

Because the speaker is referring to a specific cake, not just any chocolate cake.

Spanish often uses the definite article where English might not, especially when the speaker has a particular thing in mind.

So:

• la tarta de chocolate = the chocolate cake / that chocolate cake
• una tarta de chocolate = a chocolate cake

Here, the idea is that a particular cake has already been ordered.

De chocolate means chocolate in the sense of made with / flavoured with chocolate.

Spanish commonly uses de + noun for flavours, materials, and types:

• helado de vainilla = vanilla ice cream
• tarta de queso = cheesecake
• mesa de madera = wooden table

So tarta de chocolate is the normal way to say chocolate cake.

It means at the bakery on the corner.

Breakdown:

• en la pastelería = at the bakery / in the bakery
• de la esquina = on the corner

Literally, de la esquina is of the corner, but in natural English we say on the corner.

So this part tells you where the cake was ordered.

Because en is the normal preposition for saying where something happens or where something is arranged:

• encargar algo en una tienda = to order something at a shop
• comprar algo en el supermercado = to buy something at the supermarket

Using a here would not sound right.

So:

• en la pastelería = at the bakery

Yes, absolutely.

That would also be correct and natural. The difference is mainly one of focus:

• Ya he encargado la tarta...
  Focuses on the completed action of ordering.

• Ya tengo encargada la tarta...
  Focuses on the fact that the cake is already arranged and taken care of.

The second version often feels slightly more like:

• That’s sorted.
• I’ve already got that dealt with.

Very often, yes.

In Spain:

• tarta is commonly used for cakes, especially whole cakes and celebration cakes
• pastelería is a cake/pastry shop
• pastel in Spain often refers more to a pastry or small cake, though usage can vary

A learner who knows Latin American Spanish may notice differences, because vocabulary is not always the same everywhere.

So in a Spain context, tarta de chocolate sounds very normal.

Yes, but the emphasis may change slightly.

For example:

• Ya tengo encargada la tarta de chocolate...
• Ya tengo la tarta de chocolate encargada...

Both are possible.

The original version sounds very natural and keeps the focus on encargada as the important result: the cake is already ordered.

Spanish word order is often more flexible than English, but different orders can highlight different parts of the sentence.

Not exactly.

It is better understood as tener + object + participle, expressing a resulting state.

So rather than a true passive like:

• La tarta fue encargada = The cake was ordered

you have:

• Tengo encargada la tarta = I have the cake ordered / I’ve got the cake on order

This construction is very common in Spanish for things that are already done or arranged:

• Tengo hecha la comida = I’ve got the food made
• Tengo preparadas las maletas = I’ve got the suitcases packed
• Tengo reservada una mesa = I’ve got a table reserved

Yes. That is very natural if everyone already knows which cake you mean.

• Ya tengo encargada la tarta de chocolate = introduces or specifies the cake
• Ya la tengo encargada = I’ve already got it ordered

Spanish often uses object pronouns when the thing has already been mentioned or is obvious from context.