Baking has no age & gender: Jammu’s Professional Baker Rakshit Gupta on the ingredients for success

For far too long, home baking has been associated with girls and women. However, Rakshit Gupta is breaking the glass ceiling and how. Growing up, he liked working in the kitchen with his mother. So it was no surprise when he showed interest in baking as early as when he was in class six. The young man, who is now on his way to college started his professional journey as a baker on 7th October 2020. The exhilaration of handing over a cake to a customer and seeing the smile on their faces, cemented his resolve. He created an Instagram page and started his business along with his mother. Social media and, most importantly, reels on Instagram helped create a buzz in the market. Rakshit Gupta had finally arrived.

Boasting of more than 25 flavours, Rakshit’s cakes are always in high demand. His best-selling ones are chocolate truffle, chocolate mousse, pineapple, fresh fruit, rasmalai and blueberry. “The recipe I use is my mother’s,” he says, adding that everything he knows about baking, he owes to his mother. She is the person who continues to support him throughout his journey as a professional baker.

Rakshit pours his heart and soul into his baking to make sure his orders make his clients happy. For him, customer satisfaction is prime. When he started, if he made mistakes, some clients were patient with him more than the others. Even at a very young age, he handled difficult clients with grace. “If I have made a mistake, I will do my best to rectify it,” he says. Over the years, he has learned to recognize his flaws and work on improving them. “When I was starting out, I realized that certain times the sponge can remain dry, filling can be uneven, etc. Every time something like this happens, I make note of it to ensure that a similar situation doesn’t arise again.”

As he learns more, he has become more meticulous and while that is a wonderful trait to have, it poses a challenge when clients want something at the very last minute. “I get many last-minute orders.” He often sits down and talks to his clients to walk them through how tedious the process is and with how much care he wants to bake their cake. “I then explain to the customer that intricate patterns and flavours will not fit their time constraints and instead offer them options that are simpler yet made with the utmost care.” What is the shortest notice he’s ever gotten? Half an hour! In the baking process, he explains that rushing is the recipe for disaster.

Attention to detail is must, Rakshit says with a smile on his face which reflects wisdom and patience much beyond his age. “Everything about baking is tough. From folding the ingredients together to decorating the cake, the art of patience can go a long way as a single mistake can lead to having to start from scratch. So instead of being hasty, plan out each step before starting and be careful during the entirety of the baking process.” When probed about what he finds the toughest task to execute, he says, “working with fondant during the monsoons is a challenge as there is a complex process involved.” Despite that, many of Rakshit’s cakes are adorned with intricate designs often involving fondant.

“I panic a lot due to last minute or big orders on whether the baking would be possible or not but I also have a resolve to give it my best. This is what keeps me going.” he says, advising other bakers to do the same.

Rakshit often bakes for birthday parties and big events including for those people he knows personally. ‘Best cake ever’, very delicious, ‘good job’ are just some of the glowing reviews his cakes get.

“I am grateful to the people in my life and the public for loving and supporting me. Their appreciation keeps me going,” Rakshit says, adding that he intends to continue pursuing baking as a career.

“In my experience I believe that if you work happily, your work will keep on thriving.” He plans to keep the momentum going by launching French desserts on his menu including adding Choux pastries and macarons.

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