Cakes for your every desire

What is baking for you and also tell us about your love for cake decorating and how it started? 

Anuja Kalsi:- ‘Baking is therapeutic’ seemed like a cliché’ before I moved into this industry. I discovered its true meaning when I got involved in my cake-making process – while baking, designing or sculpting my cake toppers, I get so lost in my baking world that time almost stops. Even after long cake baking and decorating sessions – I feel energised while perfecting and admiring my unique creations. 

Though I am a trained ‘Maria Montessori teacher’ and a ‘fashion designer from NIFD’ but I never realised that my learnings of being a patient teacher and an ability to play with varied, colour palettes would work to my advantage while decorating cakes. I was comfortably settled in Delhi while teaching kids at the flagship branch of The Millennium School, when I got uprooted to Mumbai due to transfer of my hubby. This uncomfortable situation made me realise that I’ll have to take up a profession which I can pursue irrespective of the place where I’m located. Based on my situation and skill set, I started connecting the dots and discovered Baking profession. Mumbai was an ideal location and it was home to many popular names in the baking industry. I started learning the ropes from prominent cake-masters, transversed my journey of trials and errors and finally discovered my passion for themed cakes. 

What has been your most encouraging and loved workshops at ‘Sweet Reasons by Anuja’? 

Anuja Kalsi:- I am yet to start taking workshops. But I do have plans for setting up a professional studio in near future. This should be the next milestone in my baking journey. 

The macron is truly back en vogue – so what makes for the perfect macaron? 

Anuja Kalsi:- Making a perfect macaron can be quite tricky but practice, practice and practice is the only way out. A perfect macaron is chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. This requires making a fluffier and airier meringue, ensuring fine-mixing of the dry ingredients to ensure a smooth, shiny top and finally choosing a day-n-time when humidity is the least. 

What would you call your most magical creation? 

Anuja Kalsi:- One of my proud creations was ‘Coconut Cocktail 3D cake’ which got featured under the ‘Spring and Summer’ theme of Fond bites Magazine’s June 2019 edition. 

What has been your biggest accolade by far as a cake artist? 

Anuja Kalsi:- I was amongst the select bakers from Mumbai chosen by Fab-Flavors to showcase its dessert table at recently concluded annual bakery event ‘Cakeology’. Though my creations got featured in various popular baking magazines like Sugar, Fond-bites etc but the biggest accolade for me has been the loyalty of my customers. Many of my earliest customers have continued to support my baking journey of the last five years. 

What was the biggest challenge when you started your profession as a baker? 

Anuja Kalsi:- Being a person who loves to maintain work-life balance, getting loaded with weekend orders was the biggest challenge. Gradually, I have learnt to discipline my clients to give prior intimation of weekend or holiday orders. This helped me to plan out my job schedule diligently. 

Do you prefer using cake mould/chocolate mould and which is the best place to find the best mould, have you ever made any mould for yourself? 

Anuja Kalsi:- While working on tight deadlines, cake/chocolate moulds do help in speeding up the things but you still can’t stock every available mould. Many times, I have created my own moulds for cake decoration aided by my laptop and printer. Earlier these moulds were not so easily available but now all thanks to Neha Shah @ Sugar Lane, Seema Bantavia Shah @ Ultimakes, these are widely available in Mumbai now. They do provide customisation options also. 

And finally, you are granted three wishes to change gastronomic life – the nation’s food habits – in India. What would they be? 

Anuja Kalsi:- As a baker, I wish customers opt for customised cakes rather than ‘factory made cakes’ to ensure fresh, quality ingredients. India being considered as the world’s diabetes capital; Indians should prefer to celebrate their occasions with less cream cakes like rustic or naked cakes. Lastly, I wish that people opt for freshly baked cake with healthy ingredients which melts in your mouth with a burst of flavours. 

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