Kalhari The queen of creative cakes | Sunday Observer

Kalhari The queen of creative cakes

3 March, 2019

I spend about seven hours on theme cakes, as there is so much detail in the design

Baking is a culinary art that requires precision timing, a creative mind and finally loads of patience. All of these attributes manifest beautifully in Kalhari Perera, a young woman who is making raves in Colombo. This former banker turned professional cake maker has created her faithful clientele with her dazzling cakes which look so life like. Kalhari explained “When I studied at Methodist College, Colombo I was not a foodie or that much interested in cooking. However I did excel to a certain level in painting and making crafts. I made greeting cards for fun”.

Having pursued a rewarding career in a global bank the newly married Kalhari went to Connecticut, USA with her husband. It was here that she realised her dormant talent for baking which came about as a surprise to her and her family.

The amiable and unassuming girl went onto explain “I was in the process of looking for a job. As you know there are so many cake related ingredients readily available there. I did a few birthday cakes for friends and they declared that it was awesome. I got in touch with Wilton and did their baking course. I began experimenting and learnt by trial and error. Once I returned to Sri Lanka I decided that baking creative cakes was the right choice for me”. Kalhari scrolled on her tab and showed me some amazing cakes - for kids, teenagers, weddings, bachelor parties and corporate events. She was in the middle of making a massive order of cookies for MAS Holdings. She added “I always listen to the customer’s basic requirement and help them to enrich that idea and bring it to edible form. I spend about seven hours on theme cakes, as there is so much detail in the design. The largest cake I have made is a seven tier structure for a wedding.

Children always ask for cartoon related characters as toppers for their cakes. I spend a long time in getting these figures to perfection. My husband who is an IT engineer helps me with fixing tiny lights inside the cakes when required. Some people think cup cakes are loaded with calories, but there are alternate options. I fill my cup cakes with kiwi fruit and strawberries”. Her signature cake is the red velvet. Having dazzled VIPs and ambassadors with her succulent cakes she remains humble, with a radiant smile. A mother of two children Kalhari Perera has a large online following for her cakes and is a glowing example to other young women of how you can augment a hobby into a successful business enterprise, whilst balancing your work and family. (– Dishan Joseph)

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