Youngsters these days are opting for a lot of offbeat careers compared to the regular ones like engineering and medicine. Starting a home based business in a city like Ranchi is something many aspire to do especially in the food industry. Baking is one such profession many young women entrepreneurs have taken to and established themselves as successful home bakers.
With a number of home bakers’ around the town offering freshly bakes cakes, cookies, brownies and much more, it’s nothing less than being in a dessert heaven. Customization being their unique selling proposition, these bakers can add sparkle to any occasion with their sweet delicacies or just satisfy one’s sugar cravings.
Aakriti Chitlangia (23) a certified pastry chef who runs her own brand ‘Flavorico’ is of the opinion that all the recipes of a cake are unique. Picking up the basics from her mother, she honed her skills at Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, Bangalore and kick started her baking career in September 2018.
“Initially I used to take orders only for cakes but now I have a wide spread range of chocolates, cookies, fondant cakes and desserts. I strive to make the desserts with natural flavours without the use of preservatives and chemicals. I specialize in naked cakes which is something very unique in Ranchi. These cakes have less cream but are high on flavor,” she said.
Her goodies can range from anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 6000 depending on the customer’s requirements. For the health conscious ones, there are granola bars, protein bars, caramel bars. The most popular items from her bakery are the guava- chillie cakes, inclusion bars and chocolate bonbons and name tarts.
Coming from a family of lawyers, Rashi Sinha (24) was always encouraged to chase her dreams. Founder of ‘Swirl n Yum’ she is the name one recons with when thinking of customized of cakes.
A cake artist, Sinha has never been to a professional baking class but learnt the nuances by watching online videos. “I used to bake cakes for small get togethers’ at home. The baking bug bit me when my cakes would turn out well and that’s when I started looking up for recipes online. The journey started four years ago and it has been nothing less than a dream,” she said.
Sinha believes in using the finest ingredients thus providing her customers with an experience that leaves them craving for more.
Flavours such as chocolate and rum, red velvet, bubble gum, Belgian chocolate, salted caramels are her all time hits. Her delicacies range from Rs . 400 to Rs 10,000 depending on the order. Sinha also makes tira misu- Italian dessert, cheesecakes, pies and cookies as well.
For Bhavna Rathor’s (32) passion for baking turned into a profession when both her children started going to school. Married into a Gujarati family, all her specialities are absolutely egg free. “I started baking for my children’s birthday parties and since there has been no looking back. At Cake’Oclock we specialise in theme cakes, wedding cakes, baby shower cakes,” she said.
A certified chocolate maker, her chocolates are available in varieties of paan, mint, caramel, hazelnut and gulkand. She also does dessert jars in an array of flavours like blueberry bonanza, caffeine blitz, gems cake and mud cake.
The starting price for her desserts is Rs 300 and can go up to Rs 1,000 depending on the customer’s requirements. Chocolate truffle cake is her most sort after product.