From Air Hostess to Cake Artist: Anuya Apte’s Story of Exploring Creativity through Desserts
Gone are the days when cakes were just about simple circular desserts with some flower patterns and flakes on it as decorations. After all, it is what is placed at the very center of your celebration, right? From custom designs and 3D to rotating tiered masterpieces, women bakers are redefining the way we see cakes for our special occasions. Just like Anuya Apte from Out Of The Box Cakes, who is bringing custom-designed cakes and dessert tables that are a flavourful blend of artistry and innovation. Recognized among the “Top 10 bakers in Mumbai” for three consecutive years, Anuya's journey is as exciting as the cakes she crafts.
What Inspired Her To Start Her Business
Mumbai-based Anuya Apte’s journey into baking began after a successful career as an air hostess with Singapore Airlines. Traveling the globe, she discovered a passion for artistic bakes and desserts. But the idea to start her own business was sparked from a personal challenge she faced. It was at the time of her son’s 6th birthday, when she struggled to find a creative cake that is also flavourful. This led her to create something of her own. So, what began as a solution for a personal challenge soon transformed into a thriving business.
However, Anuya didn’t blind make the jump, she spent time honing her skills through masterclasses with internationally renowned bakers and cake artists. With eagerness to explore more and upskilling she was able to make a name for herself in the space of custom cakes. With over 12 years of experience and more than 500 happy clients, her expertise continues to set her apart in the competitive baking industry.
What All She Offers & What Makes Her Special
The name – Out Of The Box Cakes – says it all. Anuya’s cakes are anything but ordinary. She creates -grand, tiered and elegant wedding cakes; custom cakes tailored to themes and preferences; and a range of other baked products. You can also find a wide range of cupcakes, cookies, brownies, macarons, cake pops and cake jars, all of which can be customized and personalized to suit clients’ special occasion and preferences.
Anuya’s speciality lies in crafting – 3D Cakes, tiered cakes, and Moving and Rotating Cakes, which are edible works of art that add wow factor to any celebration. Apart from this, she also creates customized dessert tables, featuring a variety of desserts to complement any event. She also ‘grazing tables’ for brand and corporate events.
Starting at ₹1,000 and scaling up to ₹25,000 and beyond, her creations cater to a wide range of budgets while maintaining impeccable quality and creativity. Anuya actively promotes her business through Instagram, Google, and word-of-mouth referrals.
What have been her Challenges and Triumphs
As most people largely bought pre-made cakes from local bakeries, her biggest business challenge was to make them understand the cost of her creative, custom cake that was made-from-scratch. Along with that, finding her footing in custom cakes category as a homebaker was tough as well during her initial years of starting. However, Anuya's dedication to quality and her ability to create cakes that truly stood out quickly won over clients.
Awards and recognitions soon followed, solidifying her reputation as a top-tier cake artist in India. Anuya has been named as one of the “Top 10 Bakers in Mumbai” by Home Bakers India, three years in a row. She received IFBA recognition this year. She also won second place at Cakeology in the “Structured Cake” category.
Anuya’s Mission, Vision and Growth
Out Of The Box aims to craft desserts with authentic ingredients that become the centrepiece of every celebration. Her plans for the future include venturing into destination wedding desserts, taking her signature style to celebrations across the globe.
Anuya’s unwavering commitment to understanding her clients’ needs and their pain points before executing their order is what sets her apart. She always tries her best to deliver cakes to their complete contentment. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and constantly upgrading her skills, she has carved a niche for herself as a creative baker, which is why you can find many customer testimonials on her social media page.
Women Listed wants to highlight stories of creative women entrepreneurs as a way to help them reach new audiences and give them a chance to grow their ventures further. By connecting customers with businesses like Out Of The Box Cakes, we aim to make it easier to discover and support women-led brands.
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