They say a celebration without cake is just a meeting, and if you’ve ever been at a Goan wedding you know that bridal cakes can be physical works of art.
It’s always fun to attend weddings, but hosting one can get stressful. It’s a hassle to find a cake that’s both visually stunning and something your guests can enjoy.
Out of the many things you need to get done, simpler decisions like selecting the cake flavor can be extremely taxing and time-consuming.
To make things a little easier for you, we have these Goan home bakers to get your dream wedding cake.
1. CAKE BAKES MAURA
A home baker from Taleigao, Maura Viegas works on traditional and modern cakes, naked wedding cakes as well as chandelier wedding cakes.
Her baking journey started in 2018 while she was pursuing her MCom degree. She happened to bake a cake and distribute it among her classmates.
One cake led to another and order requests kept pouring in. It’s been about four and a half years now that her baking business has been flourishing, with her learning a lot of recipes and techniques along the way.
For her, baking and decorating bridal cakes is both a special experience and a daunting task.
Right from the initial sketching to setting up the cake at the venue, everything is stressful, but what makes the job satisfying is the privilege she gets to showcase her work and be part of the bridal couple’s most special day.
Apart from baking elegant wedding cakes, she also specializes in a variety of pastries and bread.
DETAILS
CONTACT: Instagram (@cakebakesmaura)
Facebook (Maura Viegas)
PRICING: Rs 15K-30K (Depending on the tiers, flavors and customization.)
DELIVERY: Available for wedding cakes and cakes exceeding 3 tiers
2. BAKED PLEASURES
With years of practice, baking comes naturally to Vasco-based Melanie Godinho. As a child, she’d assist her mum and grandmother in baking cakes and other Goan delicacies.
It was only years later, in 2014, that she started Baked Pleasures after rediscovering her passion for baking through intricate cake decoration.
Cakes elevate any celebration. Every bridal couple requests cakes that follow a theme or tell a story, and for Melanie, it’s these personalized details that make every wedding cake unique.
She creates simple two to three-tier cakes; chandelier cakes, custom cakes and even mapping projection cakes.
She offers a variety of cake flavors. Using premium quality ingredients, she makes most of her fillings and frostings from scratch.
For her, executing a wedding cake is all about proper planning and time management. Once the order is placed, she tries to implement every detail to create a statement wedding cake.
DETAILS
CONTACT: Instagram (@bakedpleasures)
Facebook (Baked Pleasures)
PRICING: Rs1600-2500 per kg (Final price depends on the tiers, flavor and customization.)
DELIVERY: Available only for wedding cakes
3. NADIASWEETOOTH
Although she’d majored in Textiles (Home Science), run a fashion boutique and worked as a hand embroidery teacher, Nadia Aslam’s love for baking grew stronger as soon as she enrolled in a local baking class.
She took her first cake order in 2016, and since then, there’s been no going back.
Making bridal cakes for about nine years now, she specializes in fondant wedding cakes as she finds they have a lot of scope for creativity and detailing. Her bestselling cake is Chocolate truffle cake.
Wedding cakes have a sentimental value, especially for the bridal couple, who cherish such moments forever. Nadia, therefore, ensures her cakes are exactly how her customers envision them to be.
She also specializes in celebration cakes for anniversaries and First Holy Communions, and also makes some mouth-watering customized chocolates.
She has been invited to baker’s conventions and has received a lot of guidance in chocolate modelling and sugar crafts from top chefs and cake artists across the world.
DETAILS
CONTACT: WhatsApp 7875759977 (Taleigao)
Instagram (@nadias_sweetooth.studio)
Facebook (NadiaSweetooth)
PRICING: Per kg Rs 2,250 onwards (depending on the tiers, flavor and other customizations)
DELIVERY: Available
4. LIA’S SWEET TREATS
Zelia Fernandes, the proprietor of Lia’s Sweet Treats, learnt most of her baking skills during her training years. After studying at Goa’s Hospitality and Culinary College, she had aspired to join the hotel industry.
However, due to the odd working hours, she decided to pursue her passion from home.
It’s twice the thrill to bake bridal cakes, as she gets to play a tiny yet integral role in somebody’s big day. Her cakes have all eyes on them as she turns her client’s vision into reality.
As an experienced baker, she always offers her input to better the experience. For instance, she suggests tiered moist cakes are riskier and difficult to transport, fondant cakes are more suited for summer weddings, etc.
Despite being a recent entry to the menu, her wedding cakes are a delight. She also specializes in customized novelty cakes, cupcakes, brownies, some desserts and pastries.
DETAILS
CONTACT: Instagram (@lias_sweet_treats)
Facebook (Lia’s Sweet Treats)
PRICING: Rs 10k-25k (depending on the tiers, flavor and other customizations)
DELIVERY: Available; delivery charge depends on the kilometers to the location.
5. CAKES BY NISHA
Nisha Fernandes is a home baker based in Varca, South Goa. As someone who finds joy in being creative, Nisha’s journey started with baking cakes at home for her kids’ birthdays.
Decorating cakes especially intrigued her, and she took a few courses to better her skills.
Incorporating new details and trying out new designs is something she always looks forward to. Even before tasting, we eat with our eyes, and she considers it important to create a work of art that captures the attention of the guests, who then can savor and enjoy them.
She encourages the bridal couple to save a few cake pictures as references that give her a starting point for the style they want, based on which she recommends a design.
She does take notes from the internet as far as the flower placements, textures and other cake trends, but her inspiration mainly comes from fresh flower arrangements.
Her ultimate goal is to make her clients happy; that is, happy with the look, taste and price of the cake.
DETAILS
CONTACT: Instagram (@cakes.by.nisha)
CAKE BOOKINGS: At least 8-10 months in advance
DELIVERY: Available
