Home bakers’ seasonal treats
@bakesbyamma
Step into the world of Bakes by Amma, and you’ll instantly feel the warmth that has made this beloved home-grown brand a Christmas favourite. At the centre of it all is Warunika Mahadiulwewa. What began in 2003 as her simple love for baking has flourished into a family-powered venture that continues to charm Sri Lankan households year after year.
Warunika’s journey started with butter cakes, baked on order, filling homes with comforting aromas and happy memories. In December 2020, she launched Bakes by Amma, transforming those cherished recipes into a thriving business. Her daughter Oshadhi recalls, “Amma has always baked with love. That authentic taste that you can’t find elsewhere is what people come back for every time.”
Their signature Christmas cake sits proudly at the heart of their festive menu. Rich, fragrant, and made from Warunika’s traditional recipe, it has become the most requested item each season. They even prepare a special non-alcoholic version so everyone can enjoy a slice of tradition. Alongside it are Yule logs, love cake, themed cakes, ribbon cakes and Christmas cupcakes, all baked fresh each day.
December brings a joyful whirlwind into their bustling commercial kitchen, where a team of 25 works together like family. The atmosphere is filled with laughter, Christmas tunes, and shared treats as they decorate cakes, pack orders, and celebrate the season through their craft.
What makes the brand truly special is how deeply family is woven into every layer. Warunika leads the kitchen with her signature calm strength. For her, Christmas is a season of generosity and joy. “Every cake becomes part of someone’s celebration,” she says, a sentiment at the core of everything she bakes. With a new front-of-house space opening soon and plans for continued growth, Bakes by Amma is about traditions, celebrations and family.
@chums_bakes
Some journeys begin quietly. For Chamindri de Fonseka, baking started as a healing outlet that soon blossomed into a cherished home-baking brand known for its warmth, flavour and unmistakable festive magic.
Chamindri’s love for food runs deep; she grew up surrounded by the culinary brilliance of her mother, the pioneer behind Tasty Caterers. Drawing from that legacy, she began experimenting first with cinnamon rolls and then with the treats she missed from years spent in the US – bagels, breudhers and sweet bakes with thoughtful flavour twists.
At Chums Bake, the breudhers take centre stage. Soft, fragrant and crowned with a luscious cream cheese topping, they carry the perfect balance of spice, and sweetness, her seasonal favourites cinnamon apple, cranberry white chocolate and the much-loved boozy Christmas breudher. Her bundt cakes – spicy carrot, blueberry lemon, chocolate orange – along with her playful, handcrafted cookies like macadamia white chocolate and s’mores chocolate, complete the menu.
Everything Chamindri makes is crafted with intention and heart. She sources the finest ingredients, importing most nuts, berries, and dried fruits from the US. All orders are made fresh on demand, allowing her to maintain quality.
December turns her kitchen into a festive workshop. From mid-month to Christmas Eve, trays of breudhers fill her counters, ribbons and ornaments are tied by hand, and every box is packed with the eye for detail that comes from her years as a branding and packaging design professor in San Francisco.
“Baking brings me joy,” she says, “but it’s even more meaningful when it brings joy to someone else.”
@bakes_by_hashie
For Harshani Lazarus, Christmas doesn’t begin in December, it begins the moment the first fruits are chopped, mixed, and set aside in late November. In her cosy home kitchen where she bakes side by side with her mother, the season arrives early in a swirl of spices, candied peel and warm anticipation.
More next week
What began as a simple hobby helping her mother bake birthday cakes and trying her hand at simple decorations, slowly grew into a passion. She taught herself discovering along the way that decorating cakes gave her the perfect outlet for her artistic heart. One cake for a colleague’s father led to another for a birthday… and another for a wedding anniversary. Soon, word of mouth helped her transform a hobby into a home business.
Her Christmas menu is simple but full of heart: traditional Christmas cake slices wrapped in festive paper, love cake, daily cakes, chocolate sweet rolls, and butter cake with butter frosting. She offers her Christmas cake as individually wrapped pieces – perfect for gifting and serving at seasonal gatherings. Her love cake, fragrant and rich, is a staple for those who want something heartwarmingly familiar on their Christmas table.
“I love seeing people happy, knowing that my food becomes part of their celebration,” she says.
As she prepares her festive menu for the season, Harshani dreams of gradually expanding, maybe moving to a commercial kitchen one day. But for now, her magic lies right where it began: in her home kitchen, with her mother beside her, creating Christmas magic.
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