Throwing a celebration? This time, how about doing away with the multi-tier floral cream extravaganza or that OTT-style chocolate creation that you break into with a hammer, and try something different – in the way of a naked cake?
What’s A Naked Cake?
Like its name, this is about a cake that has nothing on, there are no usual trappings of calories, no overload of swirling buttercream frosting on the sides that ends up in one big sticky blob of dessert on your plate, and instead just plain sponge or some good old fruit and berries with barely-there cream, instead.
Think of it like a minimalist apartment, with clean lines and no fuss. It’s not only scoring visually on the Insta-meter,
but for those watching their weight, this is just perfect. The stars love it! Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had a naked cake at their wedding and so did Chrissy Teigen and John Legend who had a four-tier carrot cake at their do.
And in the present day, the trend has garnered so much appeal, that it’s making its way into baby showers, weddings, housewarming dos, anniversaries and more. We spoke to three bakers who enjoy whipping up the barely- there confection…
Easier To Transport
Mumbai-based home baker Swheta Mutreja (@Instagram/kookie_cake_crumble/) says the demand for naked cakes is on the rise. “I’ve recently made so many of these including one for a 70th birthday, where pared down the sides of the cake and added strawberries instead of the heavy frosting. So many people keep telling me, ‘We want less cream, less chocolate’, so they end up enjoying this more. They even ask for their own flavours with nuts or grains to be added to it,” she says.
From her viewpoint, too, the confection has so many pluses. “For one, it takes less time to set than the usual heavy cake. It also stays in better shape if it has to travel the distance. Plus, in a naked cake, you can see all the different layers as the sides are so bare so you can add interesting designs to the top with ganache, macarons and fruits as well as different textures and then cover the sides with plastic.”
Also Read: No Maida & No Eggs! This 2-Minute Mug Cake Recipe Will Satisfy Your Midnight Cravings
Attention-Grabbing For Raw & Rustic Look
Naked cakes have been elevated in their appearance over time and Bunty Mahajan of Deliciae (@Instagram.com/delcakes.in/), who specialises in gourmet, wedding and custom cakes give the trend a creative thumbs-up, too.
“Initially, the naked cake wasn’t in demand, but people have really taken to it. It looks raw, rustic and perfect for any open-air setting that calls for it; like we recently did for a celebration at a farm where the cake just blended into the ambience. We also match the cake with the outfit all the time as the naked cake can have any number of pretty layers stacked atop each other with fillings inside. You can make it with chocolate, raspberry, or cream cheese, but just remember since there is
no outer protection, it can’t be too soft. For first-timers, I’d advise making the cake sturdy as not much will be holding it at the sides, the rest can be your whole look, the way you like it.”
Minimalist Yet Creative
When Divya Advani (@Instagram.com/brownsaltbakery) started making naked cakes three years ago in Wadala, Mumbai, there were very few as not everyone had heard of it, and now, it’s one the hot faves on the menu at her venture, Brownsalt Bakery.
She informs, “I make the naked berry cake at least 10 times a week now. It’s quite satisfying – with layers of vanilla sponge fresh cream and a mix of exotic berries like blueberry raspberry, mulberries and strawberries, and in season, we also add mangoes to it. The cake looks so good, it’s light and tastes delicious with the fresh burst of fruit flavour that no one misses that heavy cream frosting. It can also be made vegan sans eggs and dairy. I think people have gotten a lot more health-conscious, of late, so they feel that they should make the pared-down choice with this. Other naked cake varieties include
vanilla and chocolate with seasonal fruit.”
So, have you tried this naked cake?
Cover image credits: Canva
– This story is written by our contributor, Ismat Tahseen