I WOULD call myself an accidental baker and this is how it all started.
Back in 1994, I was working with Wesley Church as a youth worker and we had a Sunday coming up where the youth group I was working with was to take charge of Sunday morning breakfast sale. So I volunteered to bring chocolate cake (which was then baked by my aunty Yong and mum).
Anyway, Saturday evening rolls around and I am home waiting for them to return to start the baking session. Note, at this point, I have never done a solo bake before. As kids, we helped out with the process – sifting the flour, breaking the eggs, fighting who gets to lick the bowl or spatula – and of course, cleaning up and washing all the equipment after.
It is 7.30pm, no sight or sound of their return, I panicked and started to call around to find out where they were. Back in those days, mobile phones came in the form of ATUR brick-breaking monstrosities. Used most commonly by contractors and men in rough trade!
So calling around meant that I was calling my other aunties in their homes in search of Yong and mum. I find them eventually and to my surprise, they had forgotten all about helping me with the bake. My aunt proceeds to tell me to bake on my own – “it’s very easy… just follow the recipe and call us should you need help!”, she quips.
So, being the church mouse that I was, I said a prayer and started the bake! Half an hour into it, I popped my first two chocolate fudge cakes into the oven. I remember saying to myself, “that wasn’t so difficult…let’s bake another!” and proceeded to put another batch of chocolate cake together.
After which, I found myself with no variety to sell. So I decided to bake a vanilla butter cake. I think some baking fairy must have been present because I then baked a marble butter cake. Midway layering the marble swirls – must have been about 11.30pm by then – my aunt and mum returned home! Anyway, a lot of help they were… but I was already finishing up and enjoyed the entire process of it.
At the end of all that baking, it dawned on me, at the dining table, staring back at me, was 16 KILOGRAMS of cake. Well, church Sunday breakfast was indeed fuelled with flogging my first ever bake of cakes. Thankfully, we were pretty blessed as church members bought most of it.
So a baker was born! It was September 6, 1994
Fast forward to 2001, Just Heavenly was incorporated with my partner Nigel Skelchy. The love of baking delicious homemade cakes continued. It was in the early years that we realised our love for creating beautiful cakes and sculpted cakes.
Being the grandfathers to Cake as Art here in Kuala Lumpur, we created all kinds of novelty cakes, from kids-themed cakes to adult novelty cakes, from Corporate cakes to wedding cakes. The journey was a lovely one and very rewarding knowing that we have created someone's dream cake.
Over the last 20 years, we have been honoured to create cakes and desserts for corporate clients. The list includes making 100 cakes for Mont Blanc’s 100th Anniversary, event desserts and gifts for Prada, Miu Miu, Luis Vuitton, YSL, Ferrari, Nestle, Warner Brothers, and Kit Kat – the list goes on. But the most fun was creating little Sugar Jewelled Handbags commissioned by Melium Group for the launch of Enid Collins.
In the two decades, some highlights of cakes and sugar sculptures we have made include cakes made for the Sultan of Terengganu’s inauguration as the Agong of Malaysia, cakes for his birthday as well as Hari Raya gift from a client, a fire blowing Dragon made out of 82 cupcakes, the king of horses the Pegasus in a galloping stance and wings stretched out, wedding cakes weighing over 100kg that fed 1,200 guests, 1,300 miniature wedding bonbon gifts that were a take of the actual wedding cake, Fabergé egg display sculpture with 1,500 Swarovski crystals that was 3-feet-tall, a Sugar Dress that was worn on a Fashion runway as a finale piece and a 7-foot Dragon from the Game of Thrones series.
As the Chief Angel at Just Heavenly, I became a sculptor, an engineer, an architect of possibilities, and a dreamer of what could be. I love the fact that I could have a dream and formulate the creation of that dream to life.
Since Covid-19 pandemic
With the onset of Covid 19, we knew we had to change things up and do it quickly, if not we would be badly hit. As businesses continued to go belly up the world over, we know this new way of life is here to stay (for a couple of years at least). We had to make hard painful decisions to stay afloat. We negotiated with suppliers with regards to extending payment terms being one of the first steps.
Just Heavenly flagship cafe in Bangsar Shopping Centre had to be closed for good, next came the downsizing of our kitchen. We sold off and gave away much that we didn’t need and moved our cake production facility from Sunway back to our birthplace of Bangsar. Renting a small home and baking from there, just like the days when we first started! Nostalgic indeed.
So now, I am back full time in the kitchen, creating, crafting, designing, and frosting all the cakes we make. It is full circle in many ways! Donning my apron and getting frosting and cake batter stains on it is a daily joy once again
Adding to the list of offerings, we have created smaller cakes, too. These 4-inch cakes make a lovely gift to friends and loved ones. Understanding the new normal, with MCO home quarantines to smaller parties to keep families safe, these small cakes decorated with French buttercream flowers are a delight. Just enough to feed two to five people, no special occasion needed!
A message from someone who's been there
Baking as a hobby and baking as a business require very different skill sets. As a business, I have learned, a baker needs to be careful not to undercharge for our time spent, effort and skill. Especially in times like these, keep your overhead costs as low as possible.
Many factors would add costs to your operations, for example, overtime (if you're hiring staff), accounting fees, audit fees, tax, repairs, and upkeep of equipment. I have made those mistakes and wondered where the profits went.
More than anything, do what makes you happy. Growth equals more headaches if you're not ready for it. So don't be pushed into opening more outlets or an expansion just because it sounds good. Welcome to the school of hard knocks! Enjoy the process, enjoy the bake, may it bring you joy every moment! – The Vibes, May 16, 2021
Allan Yap is the co-founder of Just Heavenly, a purveyor of some of the loveliest homemade cakes for your enjoyment
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