Gold or Glenfiddich, it’s all in Gurgaon’s cakes!

Gurgaon is developing a demanding taste for fancy cakes, say the city’s bakers, and they want not just the biggest or the most detailed cake, but also quality and exotic ingredients. From Swarovski studs to real gold leaf, to bizarre cakes with spices and curry powder, Gurgaon wants the most unusual centrepiece for birthdays, anniversaries, pet birthdays and even birth announcements. And who said anything about money?All that glitters is cake While the world wears gold and silver, Gurgaon, err, is busy eating it. Deepika Khaitan, a professional cake baker in South Delhi, tells us, “For a 50th birthday party in Gurgaon, we made a cake of Swarovski embellishments. We used a stones line-up. which is like ribbon, but made of studs. The cake also had 24 carat edible gold and silver layers. The 10kg order was for `22,000.” Anushka Kakkar, co-owner of Divin-e-licious in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, says, “For a wedding in Gurgaon, we did an 8kg three-tier cake worth `14,000. It had Swarovski, gold and silver hangings and also an edible photo of the couple’s wedding card on top.” So then, is cake the perfect alternative to jewellery? Businessman Aman Khurana, 52, who lives in Belvedere Park, certainly thinks so. “We ordered a cake with gold leaf for my wife on her birthday, because she is very fond of jewellery. It was my daughter’s idea to get a cake with gold and Swarovski crystals. The price was of no importance when I saw my wife’s reaction at the party. I think she was shining as much as the cake!”Little kids, big cakes Bayiravi Mani, owner of Bee the Baker in Vatika City, says, “I’ve noticed that parents splurge on their children’s birthday parties, more than they would on theirs. Kids are so demanding, they know which cartoon they want, what theme, and parents succumb to those demands. Initially, people raised eyebrows at the prices, but now, I see they care more about the the whole experience that comes with a cake.” Prerna Jatin Verma*, 34, a housewife in Sector 44, echoes the sentiment, “I had a grand party of 50 guests for my daughter’s tenth birthday at a farmhouse. When you’re spending so much on venue, décor and theme, the cake has to match up. My daughter’s only insistence was a princess cake. We got one for `8000 with flowers, bows and her photo on top.”Great cakes come in small packages Big cakes are nice, but cupcakes are cuter, according to Gurgaon. Anushka Kakkar says cupcakes are a fast catching-on trend in the city. “Cupcake towers are very popular with our Gurgaon customers. The tower has a big cake on top, with tiers of cupcakes below. The pricing depends on sugar work, printings and detailing. A cupcake tower can cost from `15,000 to `20,000. A Mickey and Minnie birthday cake, with layers of cupcakes in between, goes up to `20,000.” Cupcakes are also handy for bite-size lovers. Gayatri Abhimanyu Mehra, a professional baker and guest chef at heritage hotel Ranjit’s Svaasa, tells us, “Nowadays, people don’t want more of the same cake but want to try different flavours. So, cheese platters are now copied into the dessert section, with tiny cupcakes just enough to tease the palette. A three-tier stand with 21 bite-sized cupcakes costs `6000.” Marketing professional Jaya Madan, 35, who lives in Sector 41, preferred cupcakes for her anniversary party, as, she says, “Large cakes are very common, and everyone doesn’t like chocolate or strawberry. With cupcakes, you can have more flavours. A bulk order of cupcakes also costs the same as a big cake, or even less. I ordered 30 pieces and paid `2,100.”No mithai; Gurgaon’s birth announcements come with cupcakes Anushka says that cupcakes are not just for parties, but are now also used for occasions. “A new trend we’ve seen is of birth announcements. When somebody has a baby, they send out cakes. A cutely packed set of five simple cupcakes costs `350, which is the starting price. Normally, clients order 15-20 hampers for their relatives and friends, and the total cost goes up to `4000-5000. In that range, the present has a metal stand with two tiers with an assortment of brownies, muffins and cupcakes.” Ananya Dhall, 29, an interior decorator who lives in DLF Phase II, says, “Four months ago, when my daughter was born, my in-laws suggested we send mithai to our relatives. I found the idea too traditional and boring, so I suggested sending out pink cupcakes. Each basket had eight cupcakes, with each letter of the phrase ‘It’s a girl’ on one cupcake, all joint together to form the sentence. Each basket cost us `600, and we sent them to 18 people.”Mundan or even bathroom tiles – you name it The price of a cake doesn’t just depend on the size and flavours, but also on the detailing and ideation. Deepika tells us, “For a combined birthday party of two kids that had a Winter Wonderland theme, I did a 15kg cake which cost `27,000. It was `1,800 per kg, and was 28 inches in length. It was very detailed, with little penguins, a Santa Claus, Christmas tree, stars and reindeer sleighs.” Ideas also get crazy and out-of-the-box, especially for the grown ups. “We get bizarre demands for adult parties. A bride holding handcuffs and a whip, a woman’s anatomy etc, are popular for bachelor parties. For Hen parties, the designs go even more extreme!” Deepika laughs, and adds, “Such cakes are made of sugar and fondant, so the prices are `1,500 per kg, and we usually get orders for 4-5kg cakes.” Bayiravi says, “A lady wanted a birthday cake for her workaholic husband, who owned a bathroom fittings and tiles store, so I made a cake which mirrored his shop and also made a smartphone next to it. Another time, for a mundan, I made a cake with a head that had hair on one side, and the other was bald.” For such personalized cakes, a good amount of discussion is required. Aarti Chaudhury, owner of Aarti Cakes-n-More in Sector 51, tells us, “I try to understand what the client wants, as Gurgaon’s clients care about the taste and the presentation and not so much about the price. The simple cakes I make are for `750 per kg, but the designer ones, like a Chanel bag cake, or detailed ones like cakes with laptops or remotes, or a two-tier cake, can stretch between `1,100 to `1,700 per kg.” Often, personalizing goes to the next level. Hermann Schueler, co-owner of Edelweiss online bakery in Sector 51, says clients want to help bake it too. “A lady wanted a fancy cake for her son, but wanted to make it herself, giving it a motherly touch. I went to her place and we made a giant Mickey cake together. I helped her put it together and guided her with the technique. We’ve done designs such as a cake that looks like cushions with gold flowers on them, or a cake with dolphins made from sugar which had cost `7,000-8,000.”Rum’s passé; curry powder or chili, anyone? Gayatri Abhimanyu Mehra adds that now, Gurgaon is starting to understand the importance of good ingredients in baking, “More than the décor, the expense is on the ingredients. Although some clients want a more showy and flamboyant cake, there are some foodies who look for unique cakes with exotic elements. I think Gurgaon is really ahead in desserts because of TV, and so many international cuisine restaurants. Cakes with surprise elements, like chocolate brownies with red chili; mango, green chili and vodka cake, and curry caramel cake – which is curry powder, Muscovado sugar and caramel in French butter batter, are gaining popularity.” Rum’s been around in cakes for ages, but how about expensive malt whiskey? Gayatri adds, “For a 50th birthday cake, a client wanted me to use Glenfiddich, his favourite brand of whiskey. The cake weighed 5kg and cost `21,000. The price was higher because of the quality of liquor chosen.” There are ‘healthier cakes’ too. “Sugar-free, wheat and multigrain cakes are quite in demand from senior citizens who are diabetic, and diet-conscious women. These cakes are harder to bake, so cost `1,700 per kg,” adds Gayatri.Doggie cakes for your pooch If you thought doggie treats only meant chewy sticks or cookies, think again. “I once made a peanut butter carrot cake with cookies for my neighbour’s dog, and then started getting orders from other dog owners. A doggie cake costs `750 for a little more than a kg, and for dog parties, `1,500 for a 2kg one,” says Bayiravi. Housewife Punya Gupta, 42, who recently celebrated her dog’s fifth birthday, tells us, “I got the idea to celebrate Buddy’s birthday from my friend, who had celebrated her pet’s homecoming. We invited seven dogs and their owners, and had a couple of ball games, chicken treats and a cake at the end.”(*Name changed on request)