A place where chocolate flows like rivers, houses are made of sweets, colourful candies grow on trees, and a table stretches endlessly with cakes — and nobody asks you to stop eating.
The kind of fantasy built from childhood stories lives somewhere inside all of us. Somewhere between growing up and becoming adults, we leave those imaginary worlds behind.
But sometimes, something brings that wonder back like a room full of cakes.
That is the idea behind Cake Picnic, a gathering of home bakers with a simple rule: No cake, no entry.
At Lemon Tree Premier, Thiruvananthapuram, such a gathering, Cake Picnic x Brew Edit, is happening this Saturday. Featuring 30 handpicked bakers, this is the second edition of Cake Picnic in the city.
The event is curated by Saumya Thomas and Tessa Thomas, two friends brought together by their love for food and the joy of creating spaces where people can connect.
“For the first edition, we brought together bakers we already knew. It was not planned as something huge. We wanted everyone to share cakes and interact with each other. But after that, we realised people were looking for a more relaxed atmosphere,” says Saumya.
The first edition had around 15 bakers in a spring-themed room. Soon, photos and videos reached more people, bringing messages from cake lovers who wanted to be part of the next edition. A small gathering had unearthed a larger community waiting to meet.
“Community building is not easy. Bringing competitors under one roof to enjoy each other’s work can be challenging. But we thought food could connect people. That was the whole idea,” says Tessa.
She adds that the gathering is also about recognising the people shaping the city’s evolving food culture.
“There are so many talented people here. The city’s food culture is not spoken about enough. Everyone who has been part of this evolution deserves to be celebrated,” she says. Saumya agrees, “Bakers are always busy making cakes, handling orders and managing their work. They hardly get time to meet another baker or interact beyond the final product. We wanted to bridge that gap. The bakers are the main characters.”
Unlike a regular food event, Cake Picnic is not a sale or exhibition. It is a space where cake lovers can slow down and discover the stories behind each creation.
The event also celebrates vegan cakes, high-protein brownies and unique dessert creations. An 11-year-old baker is also part of the lineup. Along with cakes, coffee brewing experiences will be part of the afternoon.
“We are not building a community from scratch. We are supporting one that already exists through fun events and experiences. Today, there are 30 bakers, who knows what the number will be in the future,” adds Tessa.
As more bakers and cake lovers find their way to the table, the sweet community continues to find new flavours, new faces and new stories with a little sugar high. A cake picnic for those with a sweet tooth.