If you’ve ever craved for a cake larger than a cupcake but smaller than the ones served at birthdays, the Korean bento is your answer
Founders of the Lil Whisk, Disha Khuranna with daughters Shilpa and Reeth
While scrolling through YouTube, this writer stumbled upon a social media influencer attempting a “mini” 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 Korea.
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The term ‘bento’ comes from Japan and literally means convenience. In the Asian country, a bento box is typically a single-portion meal that can be home-cooked, 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 gratitude.
Just 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. They’re mess-free, and enough to satiate a sweet craving.
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The 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 weren’t widely available in India. Today, they specialise in making “COVID-inspired” bento cakes with messages such as “wash your hands,” “wear your masks,” and “stay positive and “test negative.” Currently, they offer nutella chocolate, Belgium dark chocolate, blueberry, lemon, and chocolate vanilla flavours. “When customers reach out to us, we send a form where they need to specify the colour, design, and specifications [of the cake],” says Disha, whose cakes are priced at Rs 450 onward.
Baker 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 mind.
Bento 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 designs.
Nausheen Dalvi, owner of 180 Degree Celsius, offers bento cakes in red velvet and chocolate flavours
According to Shah, the cakes are quite simple to make. “It’s usually prepared with buttercream or whipped cream, never fondant. There are numerous frosting options for these mini cakes, and if you’re skilled at piping letters, you can even write a small message on top.”
To Order: @180degreecelsius, INSTAGRAM ; @thelilwhisk, INSTAGRAM @anotherdayanotherbake, INSTAGRAM
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