The new year is around the corner and the inevitable fitness resolutions are already being drafted. But before we get to the boring, strict routines, it is only right to celebrate the year-end with homemade decadent cakes, syrup-laden sweets and delicious baked goodies. Irrespective of whether you are an amateur baker still struggling with measurements and recipes or a professional who can easily whip up complex desserts with ease, the first step is to pick out the right equipment and tools for your creations. These seven stores in the city are the ideal spots for everything from moulds and mixers to essence and chocolate.
K&A Cake Decors
This place has been a common spot for bakers in the city since 2015. Located in Ashok Nagar, K&A Cake Decors has all the basics that a baker needs – varieties of moulds and spoons to additional ingredients. “Unsalted butter, whipping cream, different kinds of moulds are customers’ recent favourites at the store. With Christmas only a few days ahead, there is a huge demand for plum cake containers,” says Lokesh T, the store manager. The recent attraction here is morde chocolate. This chocolate – available as milk chocolate, dark and white – can be melted and used while baking to add more flavour to the cakes, explains Lokesh. Six years into the business, the store has regular customers in and around the city, especially for the basic baking needs including cooking cutters, containers, and shaped moulds.
Purchase at 4/2, 49th street, 7th Avenue, Ashok Pillar or call 7905549218
Price: Rs 10 to Rs 7,000
Royal Baking Mart
From ingredients to the packaging, Royal Baking Mart promises something for every stage of the process. The newly found store (2020) is equipped with essence, plum cake mixes, moulds and boxes, as well as holiday specials such as Christmas-themed cake toppers and moulds, tags, ribbons, and cookie cutters. Those looking to indulge in trends can also find a shell for the popular bomb cakes — the shell explodes like a bomb to reveal the cake.
Apart from customisation, the store also excels in keeping their customers updated. “We have a WhatsApp group with our customers where we regularly update them of what we have. We believe in transparency and only offer what we can deliver,” says Tarun M Jain of Royal Baking Mart. Those in the city can get products through Swiggy and Dunzo, however, Tarun urges bakers to come and explore their collection to get a feel of what they’d like.
Purchase at 97, Bishop lane, Perambur Barracks Rd, Purasaiwakkam, or call 35522191
Price: Rs 15 onwards
Baker’s 360 Degree
This one-stop store in Nolambur is every bakers’ dream; reason: Baker’s 360 Degree has everything from moulds, sprinklers to toppers. “My target is home bakers. In most of the shops, one cannot simply buy 100 g of cocoa powder or whipping cream, but here everything’s possible,” says the shop owner Naushad Ali, who started the store in February 2021.
Special items line the shelves — cake toppers and decor, jar dessert bottles, icing bags, silicone moulds, palette knives compounds, varieties of packing materials and sprinklers. Other fancy items like dry berries, flavoured mayonnaise, essences, various kinds of baking tools etc, are also available. “We have everything from Rs 10. The range of silicone moulds starts from Rs 40 and we also have moulds for Rs 350 and more. We have essence starting at Rs 20 and also for Rs 200, which will be of premium quality. The price depends on quality and quantity. A few customers are very specific about the brands and we serve their needs,” he adds.
Purchase at Bharathi Salai, Nolambur Phase II, Mogappair West or call 8925245987
Price: Rs 10 onwards
Jain Baking Solutions
Edible, non-edible, decorative and packaging items, Jain Baking Solutions or JBS is a treasure trove for the essentials. If you are looking for something new to try this holiday — apart from all the staples they have to offer such as cake stands, boxes, hampers, silicone moulds, fondant moulds, and more, you can work with their 3-D sled chocolate mould that allows you set chocolate in different pieces and assemble them to create a mini version of Santa’s ride. The store also has orange peels, ginger and nutmeg powder for a rich Christmas cake.
And for a full experience, you could try something unique and experiential. “JBS allows you to rent out a space where you can prepare, create and pack your cakes,” explains Shilpa Ranka, the owner of the store. When you are there to pick up baking accessories, you could also pick up decor items on your way out.
Purchase at 56, 111, Avadhanam Papier Road, Purasaiwakkam or visit jbsbazaar.com
Price: Rs 10 onwards
Passionate Baking
At a time when baking supply stores were unheard of in the country, Passionate Baking emerged as a unique concept.
The store has a wide product range for a baker’s every need, ranging from ovens (commercial and semi-commercial) and stand-mixers (including the highly sought-after KitchenAid ones) to pastry packaging and everything in between.
“Christmas is the most wonderful time of year at Passionate Baking. We make sure to stock novel products such as Christmas toppers, special Christmas packaging, Christmas fondant, chocolate moulds, and much more. You name it and we’ve got it all under one roof,” says Farzanna Imran Currimbhoy, the founder.
Purchase at M-73 3rd Avenue, Anna Nagar, East or call 04426289807
Price: Rs 10 onwards