We spent the last few weeks developing and testing a variety of fun, new delicious and creative Christmas goodies. We had so much fun and are so excited to finally be able to start accepting orders for our Christmas collection.
Our kitchen is already busy with baking thousands of gingerbread cookies and decorating lots of Christmas cookies, cake pops, Christmas tree cupcakes and cakes. We love this time of the year when we can listen to Christmas music while working and work with delicious fresh gingerbread smells coming from the oven.
We are so excited for Christmas 2020!!
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Isn’t it extremely frustrating to bake a cupcake that’s bit knobbly? Don’t worry, it’s actually pretty common. The baking powder helps the cupcakes to rise high like mountains in the oven. If you like it that way then go ahead with it. But if you are someone who likes to decorate the cupcakes with frosting and other edible accessories then we have a hack!
Get the yummy cupcakes out of the oven and use your oven mitt to press them down lightly. (They have to be super hot) As they are still fresh out of the oven, pressing them down will help in changing the shape. And there you have it - nicely rounded cupcakes! Dress them the way you want to!
2. Keep it cool
This hack is for all those bakers whose cakes are super delicious but are facing a hard time with icing. The key is in the temperature! It certainly plays an important role in desserts.
Whether it’s tempering of chocolate or setting an ice-cream, temperature is paramount. Without it, there’s no dessert. So, if you are facing some issues with your icing or it’s getting difficult to decorate your cake, check your room temperature. The chances are that it might be too high.
Whenever you want to decorate a cake, do it in a cool, air-conditioned room. If that’s not possible then try using a cooling rack or you can freeze each layer for some time. It’s easier to decorate cakes when they are cold.
3. Make the cake run
If you have followed the above hack and still you are finding it difficult to frost the cake smoothly then Ankrish has another trick up his sleeve. Put your cake on a turntable and cover it with frosting. How? As you move the table, the cake also moves and you can run your palette knife against the surface. Remove the excess. And voila, you will end up with a perfect cake that’s even and smooth.
4. Semi-Naked cakes are always the best option
If you aren’t sure about frosting or don’t have much time decorating the cake but still want it to look like Instagram-worthy? Try making semi-naked cakes. No, you don’t have to strip down your cakes. What we meant that you don’t have to completely cover the cake in icing. Make it messy. You don’t have to make it perfect; decorate it with fresh flowers and there you have it - a cake that’s delicious and beautiful! Check out some amazing semi-naked cakes from our website. Psst, we are taking orders!
5. Cutters to the rescue!
Do you want to take your baking skills up a notch? Have been looking at a tiered cake but not sure how to go on? Making a tiered cake is definitely time-consuming. In addition to making different layers of cake, you will have to make the frosting, and add different decorations on it. We have a simple hack for you to save some time! Buy some cookie cutters and then dip them into flour. Press them in the dough. Why? It will reduce the stickiness. They are amazing for cake decorations!
By the way, if you just want to have some of the best cakes in Hong Kong then visit our store. We maintain the utmost hygiene and are following safety guidelines given by WHO. And don’t worry, we take online orders too!
Hope you’re all safe and practicing physical distancing. Yes, you’ve read it right. Physical distancing is the correct term and not social distancing, even the World Health Organization (WHO) agrees.
With the current COVID-19 situation that we are experiencing, we should keep our (physical) distance but still remain connected with our family and friends during these tough times.
This is the perfect time to reconnect with your friends and family, wherever they may be. Give them a phone or video call. Stay physically active at home by watching workout/yoga videos online. You can even pick up a new hobby. Learn a new language, join an online course or may we suggest ignite your passion for baking! To get you started, watch our IGTV video for a tutorial on how to decorate a naked cake with fresh florals https://www.instagram.com/p/B_88wwvDUw5/
We hope this can inspire you to find something that you are passionate about, to challenge yourself or to simply keep yourself busy and enrich your mental health and emotional well-being. Stay safe and see you in the next post!
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If you are looking for something different than a decadent chocolate cake then this one is just perfect for you. While there’s nothing wrong with a chocolate cake (We mean, it’s a classic, who doesn’t love it?!) but there are certain times when you want to try and explore something that’s equally fantastic.
Also, if your mom isn’t fond of chocolate then this rustic red velvet might just be the perfect gift for her! Doesn’t like red velvet either? No problem, this heavenly naked cake is available in 42 flavours along with fresh flowers. So, you can customize it the way you want to! Available in two sizes, you can place your order online now.
2) Cupcake Bouquet
We all love receiving a bouquet of flowers every now and then but we would die for a cupcake bouquet. It’s such a sweet way of saying ‘I love you’ and whether you admit it or not, it’s extremely adorable. Cupcakes are basically a mini version of cakes and so versatile! There are so many flavours to choose from and not just that, you can experiment with different types of frosting too. What better than to give your mom a bouquet of completely edible cupcakes.
For cupcakes with pink frosting, you can choose any of the following flavours:
You can let us know your preferred flavour in the notes section when you check out.
3) Handbag Themed Cake
If you want something that’s personal, that speaks about your mom then you can try our custom-styled personalized cakes. We deliver the best cakes in Hong Kong by sourcing the best ingredients from all over the world. A handbag themed cake will definitely win over your mom’s heart. Handbags not really her thing? We can customize whatever it is she is passionate about! Cakes are a great way of celebrating the event and since we are celebrating mother’s day, why not give her something she loves?
4) Mother’s Day Surprise
It’s an amazing gift to give to a mother to be! What a great way to celebrate life and an amazing journey. You can surprise her by giving her this absolutely adorable cake. Some personalised cakes take ten to twenty hours and certain special requests take a little longer. From a naked cake to eight tiered creations, Baking Maniac makes it all, even edible jewellery! (So, if you are planning something extra special, keep in mind that some orders take time) But that’s because we are that good – we make sure every minute detail is looked at carefully to make your celebration as perfect as it can be!
And you know what’s the best part? We cater to everyone and we mean it. If you have any specific dietary requirements, or have allergies or prefer eggless/vegan/gluten-free, we will take care of it. You name it, we will bake it.
In light of the recent COVID-19 situation that has affected each and everyone of us, we’ve been implementing stricter sanitation policies by closely monitoring anything and everything that goes in and out of our BM Kitchen. We’ve also increased disinfecting, deep-cleaning and implemented extra precautionary measures.
We would like to encourage everyone to do their part in keeping Hong Kong a safe place. Be mindful, wash your hands and observe proper hygiene. If you’re feeling unwell, stay at home or see a doctor.
For our customers that don’t feel comfortable picking up their orders, we’re currently offering 50% off on delivery for all online orders. Click here to shop now: https://bakingmaniachk.com/collections
We value YOU, our loyal customers, your health and safety as well as our staff. And it warms our hearts that even in these trying times, you are still choosing us to be part of your special celebrations. We would like to express our GRATITUDE for your continuous support. It really means so much to us. It also shows us that even during hard times, there’s always something to be thankful for.
May we all continue to find something to be thankful for especially in these difficult times. We’re all in this together!
Ever heard of a naked cake? No, it’s not the kind of cakes that you see in bachelorette parties. We’re keeping this blog post PG-13!
]]>Ever heard of a naked cake? No, it’s not the kind of cakes that you see in bachelorette parties. We’re keeping this blog post PG-13!
Naked cakes are cakes that are semi-dressed so to speak. These are cakes which have minimal coating or finish that allows you to see the cake’s layers and filling. Most of the time gives off a raw, unfinished and rustic vibe. Although it sounds a bit basic and boring, naked cakes have taken over the spotlight since 2007!
What is its secret to fame? Well, for starters, it’s less complicated to make. If presented side by side to an elaborate fondant cake, it will probably take 1⁄4 of the time to make a naked cake. All you need are your cake layers and frosting of choice. Throw in some berries or flowers and you’ve already created something aesthetically pleasing, perfect for Instagram! :P Here are some of our bestsellers that our clients couldn’t get enough of!
Another reason for it’s success, the truth is, not everyone is a fan of fondant? Wait, what’s fondant? To keep it simple, fondant, also known as sugar paste is mostly made from, yes, SUGAR. It’s used to cover cakes, sculpt edible figures and other decorations. And even if it’s 100% edible, it’s not really something you’d want to eat a lot of. Just facts. [We’ll talk about this a bit more in another post ;)] So, if you’re cutting your sugar intake, but still want to sink your teeth into a heavenly cake, then naked cakes are definitely an option.
We mentioned about how it takes less time to make a naked cake compared to fondant cakes. And in almost any industry, Time equates to money. So opting for a naked cake would save you some $$$ especially if you don’t really need an extravagant one. But if you’re worried that it doesn’t have that wow factor you’re looking for, fret not, because Baking Maniac’s got your back! You can always opt for a naked cake with the flavour of your choice and we’ll customize it to your liking!
Got a friend that’s addicted to ketchup, no problem!
Love shoes? We got you!
Photographer? Capture more memories..
Moving to a different country? Make your goodbye a little sweeter with something like this!
More of our naked cakes here: https://bakingmaniachk.com/pages/naked-cakes
So next time you’re celebrating a birthday or having a gathering of friends, keep in mind that naked cakes are definitely a perfect choice to consider!
For most people, New Year means a chance to start with a clean slate or form a new habit. So as we begin 2020, we’re starting something exciting. Aside from a revamped website that we really, really love, we’re adding a blog page for our fellow maniacs not only to enjoy, but to keep you guys updated with our latest works.
Making amazing cakes has always been our mission and our passion. As much as we are excited to welcome 2020 with brand new opportunities to create even more out-of-this world edible masterpieces, we’d like to take you with us as we look back to some of our favourite creations last year.
]]>Before anything else, Baking Maniac wishes everyone a Happy New Year!
For most people, New Year means a chance to start with a clean slate or form a new habit. So as we begin 2020, we’re starting something exciting. Aside from a revamped website that we really, really love, we’re adding a blog page for our fellow maniacs not only to enjoy, but to keep you guys updated with our latest works.
Making amazing cakes has always been our mission and our passion. As much as we are excited to welcome 2020 with brand new opportunities to create even more out-of-this world edible masterpieces, we’d like to take you with us as we look back to some of our favourite creations last year. Believe us when we say it wasn’t easy to pick 10 out of the hundreds that we’ve made, but we did it. (yayyyy!)
So here’s our TOP 10 cake creations of 2019:
The beauty of this cake is simply undeniable. The bright summery colors, tropical leaves and flowers made this tiered cake come alive. And to top it off, a large coconut (made from rice krispies, YUM!) A cake that transports you to PARADISE!
Here’s another tiered cake that we enjoyed making. Why do we love it? 2 reasons. First, because of the charging bull – all edible, hand-sculpted using fondant, sprayed with bronze edible paint. Second, all those writings, details on the buildings, taxis as well as those on the board were all hand-piped using royal icing. And it’s not very often that we get requests for square cakes!
Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and it just blows our mind that we’ve made this Mont Blanc inspired cake for someone who has actually climbed it! Just a little reminder that inspiration can come from anything/anywhere, even from a cake!
This was our first Geode cake last year, and isn’t she a beaut? All in all, the marble pattern, gold and pink macarons, fresh
flowers, candy crystals and gold details gave this cake a sophisticated and classy look.
Who would’ve thought that Baby Shark + Pineapple Bun would be an interesting combination? It’s not a design or a concept that you’d see very often (or at all). But hey, it worked! And did you notice the mini bolo bau he’s holding? Sooo cute!!
If you’re into Japanese manga, then you’re no stranger to One Piece. Known to be the best-selling manga of all time, nearly 500 million copies sold to date! And that guy there is Charlotte Katakuri. You might be wondering what’s so special about a cake with a toy on top of it? Well, that’s NOT A TOY! Charlotte Katakuri was carefully hand-sculpted using fondant, and hand- painted to achieve the details that make his character well- known. Truly an edible masterpiece that’s too good to eat!
What’s not to love? Not only does this dreamy cake have these adorable unicorns playing in the clouds, but it also has this rainbow slide that goes around the 10-inch tall cake. The concept was out-of-the-box, that it left us in a state of bliss. And for a moment, life was all about RAINBOWS and UNICORNS!
Just look at this cake and tell us you don’t think it’s adorable? IMPOSSIBLE, right?! From the pastel color scheme, comfy looking sugar pillows, stars and clouds blanket, to the 12 hand- sculpted, edible, fondant 4-year-old figures, this is by far the BEST sleepover cake we’ve seen (and done) to date! (If you want to see the behind the scenes, here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCrqXpT9E5w)
It’s very fitting that we chose this 4-tiered cake as our top 1 because whenever we look back to 2019, making this cake (from conceptualizing to assembling) was truly the highlight of last year.
Each tier is designed to showcase a arcade/video game. The bottom tier being Plants vs. Zombies was made by hand cutting the characters and hand painting the fine details. The Donkey Kong tier was brought to life with Donkey Kong himself sitting by the edge. As for the Pac-Man tier, it was no joke creating all those lines and dots. And lastly, it wouldn’t be complete without Super Mario popping out of the pipe at the very top. (If you want to see the behind the scenes, here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HldAxSnhOt0&t=6s )
But aside from the amount of time and effort we’ve put into creating this amazing cake, it was also then that we were able to appreciate working together as a team, knowing that we can rely on each other and make sure that we finish this cake without sacrificing the quality. And we think that clearly shows when you look at this masterpiece!
There are soooo many more cakes that we consider our favorite. But even though the other cakes didn’t make the cut, we loved making every single one of them. Thank you to everyone who enquired about our cakes, confirmed their orders, and referred us to their family and friends. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to do what we love doing the most.
Here’s to making another year even sweeter, one cake at a time! ‘Til our next post! :)