Founded back in 1930, Excelsior Bakery has the proud distinction of being the oldest in the city. 26-year-old Saipreeth Muralidharan, who currently runs the establishment talks to ranjani madhavan about a legacy that has been handed down from generation to generation for 87 years and about balancing tradition with modernity
Raisins soaked in rum, cashewnuts and a dash of secret spice powder – these are the ingredients Excelsior Bakery has put in its famous plum cake for the last 86 years, an indication of long, rich legacy. Founded in 1930 by an Englishman named Emery and his Indian friend Sahadevan, the bakery in Shivajinagar holds the distinction of being the city’s first, started when the area held nothing but a mostly empty street and a solitary bus stand.
Today, stands in the midst of the neighbourhood’s bustle, run by 26-year-old Saipreeth Muralidharan, a fourth generation baker who quit his IT job to follow his calling. Painted in cheery oranges and yellows, a number of black-and-white photographs adorn one wall, paying tributes to the earlier generations of bakers who helped the establishment grow. "The area was desolate, but commuters would get off their buses and stop to get something to eat at our bakery, so we would have huge crowds at the entrance as early as 6 am,” said Saipreeth, smiling proudly as he adds, “Many of our customers, who once came here as children, now arrive with their kids and grandkids.”
Saipreeth and his father, Muralidharan are full of stories about their bakery’s rich history. When it was founded, staff had to make do with a brick and firewood oven – “My grandfather would have to put his hand near the fire to check the heat. A pan would be placed atop the oven, making upto 50 cakes at a single go. It took a great deal of effort,” added Muralidharan, Saipreeth’s father. In the 1970s, the bakery supplied 400 loaves of bread a day to the army in the city’s army grounds. “Back then, when there were no gyms, army men would come to the bakery every day to knead the dough, as exercise.”
Tradition lies at the heart of the bakery, even today, as they add their personal touches to tried-and-tested classics. Christmas is the busiest time of year for them – their sponge cake and plum cake are in high demand – “We bake upto 4,000 kilos of cake in two weeks,” said Saipreeth. Their three-layered cake with chocolate, strawberry and vanilla frosting, is one of their seasonal specials. “Our special touch is the almond icing filling between each layer,” Saipreeth explained. “A rage during the holidays, the six-kilo cake is two-feet high. “We make upto 25 cakes a day near the festive season.” Lots of bakeries do cakes for Christmas, although Excelsior sets itself apart by throwing in other traditional delicacies as well, like rose cookies, marzipan and kal kals.
Every September, they bake their iconic 80-kilo cake for the St. Mary’s Feast, one of their oldest traditions. The eight-foot-long cake with butter frosting is transported to the Church and cut at the stroke of midnight. It has, over the years, become a sight to behold for the thousands of devotees who come from all over India to pay their respects to Mother Mary. “Three people do the baking while four others work on design. It takes about three days to complete,” Saipreeth said. “One year, they asked for an island with a Church on top. Last year was a simpler – a ship!”
They pride themselves on their age and tradition, but understand the importance of evolving with the times. Much credit goes to Muralidharan’s brother, Dharmalingam, an expert baker. “He started baking cakes in different shapes, making them very famous in Bengaluru around 20 years ago,” said Muralidharan. “A cake shaped like Rajnikanth was sent to Chennai and another resembling Amitabh Bacchan went to Mumbai, both for the stars’ birthdays,” he recalled. A politician, whom they choose not to name, ordered a cake shaped like the Vidhana Soudha, which took a whopping 15 days to make.
Many of these traditions have given way to newer customs and Saipreeth, still in his twenties, decided to bring about a major change in the way they do things. “We started serving meat, custom-made breads and sugarless cakes as well,” he said. They have also branched out across the city, supplying their wares to some of Bengaluru’s biggest colleges, including St. Joseph’s and Mount Carmel. “We swapped the brick oven for an electric oven,” Saipreeth laughed, adding that a rotary diesel model is on the way. “These use less electricity and are far more efficient. Tying up with theatres is next on the agenda.”
This reporter stopped to chat with a customer on her way out. 70-year-old William Walters enters the bakery on a Wednesday afternoon, as he has done for many, many years. “I have been coming here since I was six years old,” he smiled. “I live in Banaswadi now, but this bakery remains my favourite. I know all those people on the wall,” he said, gesturing to the black-and-white photographs of previous owners.
