Annantika Vig's cakes are an ode to her father, who passed away on February 15, 2020. "He used to feel very happy when I would bake him a cake," recalls Vig (26), a resident of Sector 12, Noida, and owner of Freshly Baked by Annantika Vig.
On the 15th of every month, she'd bake a cake in his memory that the whole family ate. Vig first thought of making her passion into a vocation on her dad's first death anniversary (Feb 15, this year). The year-long baking had given her enough practice to refine her skills.
"Perhaps, it was dad’s wish that I start this venture. I could see that in these trying times, many people could not afford customised cakes which cost between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000. Also, Delhi has several home bakers compared to Noida that only has a handful," she says, a bit emotional.
So Vig joined an online baking workshop to learn the intricacies of baking, after which she launched her venture in April. "My first order came from my mother's friend. As luck would have it, her 90+ motherin- law enjoyed the cake and gave me her blessings. This great start motivated me to continue further."
Vig is extra vigilant about the ingredients; none are ready-to-eat. "Even the tutti-frutti I use is made by me, not from the ready-to-eat packet. I purchase all ingredients from a wholesale shop in Sector 34," she says, adding it is the quality of her cakes that takes precedence over all else.
"Now, all my friends, relatives and people in their network, and those from my neighbourhood connect with me when they need a cake. Be it for birthdays, baby showers, anniversaries, and festivals. I even got orders for Rakhi, though it is an occasion for traditional sweetmeats," she adds, happily.
Vig’s best-sellers are the Rasmalai Cake and Chocolate Truffle Nutty Cake. From the dry cakes, the Walnut and Vanilla cakes have gained popularity.
Encouraged thus, Vig wants to expand her business to chocolates and brownies, and also start delivery in Delhi. "As of now, I only deliver in Noida. Either, I go myself or use the services of We Fast or Uber," she says.
Vig gets 3-4 orders per week. Her dry cakes are priced at Rs 520-Rs 620 per kg and customised cakes (including designer ones) cost anywhere between Rs 800 and Rs 1,100. This means, many times she ends up not earning a single penny. "But that’s okay. The happiness on the faces of my customers more than makes up for it. After all, my venture is all about emotions," she says.
HIGHLIGHTS
Vig's bestsellers are the Rasmalai Cake and Chocolate Truffle Nutty Cake. From the dry cakes, the Walnut and Vanilla cakes have gained popularity. Encouraged thus, Vig wants to expand her business to chocolates and brownies, and start delivery in Delhi.