Baking cakes is never ending

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ever since Padma Renjith returned from Dubai three years ago, she has taught more than 500 baking enthusiasts in the capital city. She claims that almost three-fourth of them are doing roaring business from their home which has affected the prospects of small-scale as well as leading bakeries in the city. But they are approaching the Christmas season with apprehensions as the cake market has also been affected by the demonetisation.

The 51 year old had been taking baking classes at her home, Grace, on the Vellayambalam – Sasthamangalam road near KPCC office after spending more than two decades in Dubai. During the last two years, she held Christmas sale of her cakes at Trivandrum Club. But this time she is not into the sale but has been busy taking classes in basic baking, advanced baking, fondant icing, making sugar flowers and wedding cakes ranging from Rs 3,500 to Rs 20, 000 spanning three to ten days.

“It is Best Bakers in Kottayam who makes the tastiest cakes in Kerala. Last year they told me that their business had been affected with the women folks across the State delving into home-based baking units. So this year, the bakeries across the state would definitely be affected more,” said Ms Renjith who has a Facebook page, Art.Padma Renjith. M. Madhusoodanan Nair, manager, Supreme Bakers, Kowdiar confirmed that their cake business had taken a hit by the thriving home based cake units as well as by the demonetisation.

Anna Samuel, an architect turned baker makes decorative cakes as per order from her Seasons Apartment at Kuravankonam. Ever since she started her baking business more than three and a half years ago, she has got a loyal clientele. This year too she is inundated with orders for special Christmas cakes. Most of the home-based units sell cakes at an affordable rate without compromising on its quality which is being lapped up by the clients.

But P. M. K. Premnath of the famed Santha Bakery, which brings nostalgia to the city dwellers, is challenging all the home based baking units run by women to start cake shops. “Only then they would be able to understand the hardships of running a shop. It’s a different ball game altogether when running a shop. This year I am apprehensive on demand for Christmas cakes. Still, I am hoping that cake lovers would not let us down,” said Mr Premnath, son of the late P. M. Krishnan who founded Santha Bakery in 1940.