It all began with the innovative concept of cheesecake on a stick at Karachi Eat 2018 and since then there has been no looking back for Khadija Mubasher. Now running her home based venture ‘Baked’, Khadija is putting her heart and soul into the desserts she churns out every week. We talk cheat meal worthy desserts and entrepreneurship with the home based baker.
1. How did it all start?
Baking has been a very prominent part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching my grandmother make fresh bread and jam in her kitchen. We eventually moved away and this was my way of staying connected with her.
For years I’d bake for friends and family but I never got into it as a business. Then one year ago, I was presented with the opportunity to put up my food at Karachi Eat. I knew we needed a name and a page so I got started and designed my logo, started testing recipes, taking a million pictures and so ‘Baked’ was born. I had no idea what would happen after but the response was so overwhelming that we kept going and here I am a year and 200 cheesecakes later. Phew!
RELATED: 4 Worst Places You Can Go For A Cheat Meal In Karachi
2. What’s your specialty?
Baked brought cheesecake on a stick to Karachi Eat in 2018 and ever since, it has expanded into many new things but every month our cheesecake orders beat everything else. Presently we have seven flavors and that’s not even counting some of the crazy experimentations we’ve done. We’ve also brought Flan to the mainstream, and it’s like nothing you’ve had before!
3. How feasible is baking as a profession?
Anything is feasible if you’re passionate about it. The more work you put into something the more you earn from it in terms of satisfaction above all else.
4. Your absolute favorite dessert and why?
Cheesecake. It can be topped with anything and everything under the sun and still tastes amazing. It’s tart yet sweet, light yet dense. I can’t imagine anything better. Except maybe Flan…
A kitchen that smells like Vanilla all the time. That’s the ultimate goal. And most days I’m lucky enough to have that.
6. Your dream project?
‘Baked’ is my dream. The fact that it’s real shocks me every day. That I get to do this still astounds me. I wake up excited and I can’t imagine anything better.
7. What’s your recipe for success in the field you’re in?
There’s no set recipe for success, you just work hard and pray it’s received well. So it’s all trial and error. Everyone needs to figure out what works for them and their audience. I think you need to be constantly innovative. I believe in having a page where people enjoy what they see and read as well as what they eat. ‘Baked’ is more than a cake in a box.
8. One thing you have that other bakers in the industry don’t?
I think the one thing that sets me apart is how interactive I try to make ‘Baked’. I do tons of live sessions, where we get the food ready with you, that’s my spin on a #GRWM. I also work very hard on developing a feed that should have you salivating. That’s important, that you enjoy what you eat. Or sometimes you just enjoy scrolling through and laughing.
I wouldn’t say I have one particular favorite per say. I love when someone does something innovative and I enjoy following things that are new. A few accounts I follow on Instagram that I am obsessed with though are katherine_sabbath and pollykoshelva.
10. What would be your advice to people wanting to enter this field?
Take the plunge. There’s no other way you’ll figure out what works for you. You have to find your niche and give it your all.
11. Future plans?
I like keeping everybody on their toes, so you’ll have to stay tuned to my page to hear what surprises we have coming up. There are new flavors, new products and most importantly new puns every day!
RELATED: Aloo Dishes For Your Inner Vegetarian
For questions and feed back, comment below!