This festive season, go beyond the usual soan papdis and kaju katlis for an array of unique sweet treats. Surprise your loved ones with delectable delights from some handpicked bakeries by us across India. Their bakery items will elevate your celebrations -- whether a party with friends, a family gathering, or simple festivities at home. Here is a handpicked selection of bakeries to check out, offering everything from artisanal to traditional confections to customised treats.
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Sabhyata and Sohum Marwah - Downtown Bakers, Dehradun
Downtown Bakers in Dehradun ensure their cakes are not just delicious and well-presented but also create a memorable interactive experience. This festive season, founders Sabhyata and Sohum Marwah are offering gift hampers including a fusion of traditional Indian flavours and innovative creations like chocolate-coated almonds and butter pistachio khatai. Plus, they have introduced a variety of candles to create a complete gifting solution in one goodie bag.
"We love adding a creative twist to traditional treats, especially during festival season. Our approach is to respect the flavours and memories tied to these snacks while enhancing them with custom, artistic touches that make them feel extra special," said Sabhyata Marwah, co-founder and cake artist.
Dessertvala is an artisanal dessert shop in Shahpurjat, New Delhi, that creates a luxurious experience with every bite. Founder Chef Dev Dhanda is well-recognised for using the finest ingredients that promise unparalleled quality and flavour. This parlour is a must-visit for everyone who enjoys innovative and stylish desserts.
"Graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and having trained and worked extensively under award-winning pastry chefs in New York City has helped me refine my pastry skills and instilled a sense of professionalism that reflects in the brand. Constant innovation and emphasis on creativity in all aspects of Dessertvala is what sets the brand apart." - Pastry chef Dev Dhanda.
Cakesmith is an online bakery based in Indore, best known for its customised cakes that are not only a treat to the palate but also to the eyes. Their festive hampers include many delectable options like cookies, cakes, brownies, and more that can be customised to your liking. What's better? Cakesmith offers to swap flour and refined sugar for healthier alternatives, offering a guilt-free yet indulgent experience.
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Baker Shruti Maheshwari shared the story behind her brand. "I run a home bakery called CakeSmith by Shruti. Baking for me has honestly always been very therapeutic. Amid all the chaos, baking is the one thing that calms me down & it has taught me patience. I used to see my mom making cakes at home when I was little & even then if would take the bowl from her and whisk the eggs, butter & sugar by hand. My brand is run solo by me. Everything is made from scratch without compromise and with lots of love."
Celebrate Diwali with plant-based desserts and meals from Simi's World in Hyderabad, which believes that festivals "are not just about celebration but also an opportunity to honour our health, the planet, and the spirit of togetherness in new, creative ways. From baked goods to cultural sweets, this cafe offers it all." Whether you want to satisfy your sweet tooth or are craving a wholesome meal, Simi's is the place to be.
"Our festive treats include millet-based laddoos, gluten-free sweets, and sugar-free delicacies—designed not only to indulge your taste buds but also to nurture your well-being. We bring you desserts that resonate with ancestral wisdom, minus the dairy and refined sugar, making them perfect for a healthier lifestyle," said Simi K, founder of Simi’s World Vegan Experience Centre.
Simi's World Vegan Cafe's custom cakes, Diwali special thali
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Megna Jain - Dream a Dozen, Bengaluru
Dream a Dozen is a women-run cloud bakery based in Bengaluru, offering a range of delightful creations like cakes, cupcakes, cookies, crackers, and more. This festive season, they are introducing gourmet gift hampers that include innovative treats like besan laddoo cookies, rava laddoo cookies, magic masala crackers, baked shakkarpare, achari aam crackers, and more, that are innovative yet remind us of traditional festive flavours. (Select items delivered Pan-India).
"Our team sat on a video call to share a nostalgic food that their grandmother or mother makes. They shared dishes from different regions of the country and even though I have had a lot of different types of desserts, there was so much I hadn't even heard of. We recognised that in a lot of these things, there are some common ingredients so we took inspiration from them to create [the Diwali menu]," shared Megna Jain, founder.
Blissful Bakes is a home bakery in Delhi known for its delectable goodies that bring comfort with every bite. This charming business founded by Chef Tara Sondhi, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu London, is rooted in the finest of ingredients and a strong passion for baking. This Diwali, their gift hampers include a banana walnut cake, shortbread cookies, chocolate tarts, apple crumble, and a whole lot of love!
In a 2023 interview with SheThePeople, Sondhi shared her journey as a home-based food entrepreneur. "The main challenge in this day and age is the amount of competition there is for home bakers in India. These days wherever you go, the demand for home-baked goodies is only multiplying, and, especially with the new and upcoming variations like keto diet, gluten-free diet etc. There's a lot more to baking than what people actually think - it requires immense passion, skill and commitment"
Akanksha Bisht - The Wild Flower Cafe, Gagar, Uttarakhand
The Wild Flower is a cafe, bakery, and homestay in the serene mountains of Gagar, Uttarakhand. From Insta-worthy views to drool-worthy sweets, this place packs the perfect Diwali holiday into a single experience. The tempting treats are made of fresh ingredients that will romance your taste buds and leave you craving for more. PS: Don't shy away from taking your furry friends along at this must-visit joint.
"I started baking back in 2018 at my brother's cafe in Himachal. Decided to pursue it professionally. The Wild Flower Cafe is a 'COVID baby', which has evolved from a basic coffee shop to now a cafe offering a mix of Indian and fast food. Along with coffee and cakes. What makes our brand different is that we stick to baking old-school desserts and cakes the way they were first made and that everything is baked super fresh and in small batches," Bisht shared.
Smitten is one of the most sought-after bakeries in Delhi, known for its decadent and irresistible desserts. From cakes and cookies to eclairs and pralines, founder Mandakini Gupta sure knows how to create masterpieces that are a delight to the senses. For their Diwali hampers, Smitten has a range of creative treats like molasses cookies, boozy chocolate cakes, chocolate barks, and caramels.
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