Fazla Akram loves baking cupcakes that keep you guessing. Though she may have begun with recipes culled from cookbooks, the menu at her Colombo Cupcakery is now filled with signature cupcakes, many of which you may not find any place else. Sticky date and toffee, marble, passion fruit and banana all make an appearance as do more traditional favourites like double chocolate and brownie cupcakes.
Sitting in her apartment at Wellawate, this mother of three admits that cupcakes are a passion. Though she’s always cooked for her family, it took all their encouragement before she decided to go commercial. Though she’s been an accomplished cook for nearly 20 years, Fazla attempted her first cupcake recently. Working out of a cookbook gifted to her by her nephew, Fazla discovered that she had a gift for this kind of baking. She also has a gift for innovation. She dreamt up her passion fruit cupcakes, and though they are a seasonal delicacy, she counts them among her best sellers. The sourness of the fruit and the sweetness of the chocolate work well together, she says, adding that she takes great pleasure in dreaming up new combinations.
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Her family serves as her guinea pigs and most ardent supporters. It was her son who came up with the name Colombo Cupcakery, and she works with an industrial oven her husband gifted her (“the best birthday present ever!”). Though Fazla would like to make the transition from cottage industry to running her own bakery at some point, she’s determined to take it slow.
Currently, she runs her business off a Facebook page and her customers must call a day in advance to place an order. So that she can ensure quality and consistently meet her own exacting standards, she insists on making each cupcake herself. She often starts early in the morning, taking a break to see her family off to school and work and then going back into the kitchen. By carefully juggling her various responsibilities, Fazla finds time to bake over 100 cupcakes a day. They’re then delivered to her customers’ doorsteps.
Business for Fazla has been its most hectic during the festive seasons such as Hajj and Valentine’s day. However, the largest orders she receives are from offices and students for school events.
The minimum order of cupcakes that can be placed is 25. Prices for each cupcake range from Rs. 60 for her standard melt-in-your-mouth cupcake to Rs. 100 depending on what goes into the custom-made cupcake. Her priciest, at Rs. 100, is currently the Rocky Roads which is an explosion of flavour and texture in every bite as you chew through marshmallows and chomp on nuts. A goldmine for those with a sweet tooth, apart from her famed Passionfruit Cupcake, customers have found her Red Velvet, Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Orange also irresistible.
Fazla’s creativity is not limited to what goes into the cupcake batter. When coming up with new ways to dress the fluffy cupcakes, she is an artist and the cupcakes her canvas. From sliced strawberries, fondant stars, dyed sugar and twirly frosting, Fazla’s designs are certainly innovative.
Her most recent design includes the Avurudu special which had a fondant betel leaf perched on top of the cupcake.
All her products use Halal ingredients and are free of alcohol and preservatives. To place an order call on 077 224 3043 or email fazlah@hotmail.com and for more information check out the Colombo Cupcakery Facebook page. |
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