Cake for one

While scrolling through YouTube this writer stumbled upon a social media influencer attempting a ldquominirdquo cake What intrigued us was the size It was larger than a cupcake but smaller than a traditional cake Turns out they are called bento cakes and are immensely popular in KoreaThe term lsquobentorsquo comes from Japan and literally means convenience In the Asian country a bento box is typically a singleportion meal that can be homecooked or purchased at restaurants These are packed with meat and rice Bento cakes were created along similar lines but they are a more delicate version with pillowy cakes inside They were popularised in South Korea and can be found in nearly all Korean cafes and bakeries People in South Korea are known to send these cakes to express their love and gratitudeJust like Korean television shows music and fashion bento cakes are now taking over the Internet These are also known as lunchbox cakes because they are only three to four inches in diameter and fit perfectly in compact lunch boxes Theyrsquore messfree and enough to satiate a sweet cravingAlso Read A hearty clean sweepThe Lil Whisk is an online cake shop run by baker Shilpa Khuranna and her daughters Disha and Reeth who began making bento cakes after realising that despite the global popularity they werenrsquot widely available in India Today they specialise in making ldquoCOVIDinspiredrdquo bento cakes with messages such as ldquowash your handsrdquo ldquowear your masksrdquo and ldquostay positive and ldquotest negativerdquo Currently they offer nutella chocolate Belgium dark chocolate blueberry lemon and chocolate vanilla flavours ldquoWhen customers reach out to us we send a form where they need to specify the colour design and specifications of the cakerdquo says Disha whose cakes are priced at Rs 450 onwardBaker Nausheen Dalvi who also specialises in bentos says quite often cakes go in waste because they are too large for one person In such cases these lunchbox cakes are an excellent option because they minimise waste and satiate a sweet craving Dalvi runs the 180 Degree Celsius cake shop on Instagram and began making bento cakes with this thought in mindBento cakes are typically known for their minimalistic designs and messages Priya Shah a cake artist who runs Another day Another Bake specialises in making bento cakes with intricate designsNausheen Dalvi owner of 180 Degree Celsius offers bento cakes in red velvet and chocolate flavoursAccording to Shah the cakes are quite simple to make ldquoItrsquos usually prepared with buttercream or whipped cream never fondant There are numerous frosting options for these mini cakes and if yoursquore skilled at piping letters you can even write a small message on toprdquoTo Order 180degreecelsius INSTAGRAM thelilwhisk INSTAGRAM anotherdayanotherbake INSTAGRAMAlso Read Bite the biscuit