KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Let them eat cake, make friends and share stories!
That’s the gist of Cake Piknik, an event organised by Nadia Halina from Grey Cube (IG:@greycube.co), Amalina Jamil from Jars by AJ (IG:@jars.byaj), Nur Sarah from Baking Junkie (IG:@bakingjunkie), Tan U-Mae from Bitter Sweet Empire (IG:@bybtterswt), and F&B expert Julieann Ragojo, who bonded over their love for cake… over a group chat.
The five ladies bring varying expertise to the table for Cake Piknik.
“Amalina, Sarah, and U-Mae have long made their mark in the baking world with their creative flair and thriving businesses, while Julieann, with a strong background in F&B and past work with U-Mae, knows the ins and outs of the cake and café scene,” said Nadia, who admits she’s the group’s “resident cake enthusiast who lives for bake sales, dessert hunts, and documenting every sweet bite”.
Cake Piknik takes its delicious cue from US-based Cake Picnic (IG:@cakepicnictour) that started in 2024 as “a gathering for the love of cake”, which reached epic proportions this March where the ultimate cakewalk in San Francisco had a whopping 1,000 plus attendees.
Delicate florals accentuate this cake (left) while there’s even a magnificent ‘croquembouche’ (right). — Picture courtesy of Cake Piknik
“Honestly, the vision of a long table overflowing with beautiful cakes was just too dreamy to resist. But as our chats evolved, we noticed something missing — there were food festivals, dessert corners, and café pop-ups, but nothing that truly celebrated cakes and the talented cakepreneurs behind them. So, we thought: why not create a space that’s all about cakes, made for the community we know and love?” explained Nadia.
On February 23, Cake Piknik took over the space at byBitterSwt Café where 30 attendees paraded their stunning sweet creations, took home each slice of cake in a box, and engaged in sharing sessions with experienced bakers like Sugar and I’s Syed Ilyas and Sooji Cakes’ Farah Sooji.
Even the sponsor MyFlavor who manufacture and supply edible food colouring, joined the session.
“Cake Piknik was born out of a desire to give bakers — from home-based entrepreneurs to seasoned professionals — a stage to be seen, celebrated, and supported. This first event was just the beginning of what we hope will become a growing platform to highlight the artistry and heart of Malaysia’s baking community.”
Cake Piknik was made even sweeter as US-based Cake Picnic acknowledged them on social media, even saying they hope to join them one day.
Keeping the momentum going for CakePiknik was important hence CakePiknik 2.0 will be held on May 17 at Kota Damansara.
Each cake (left) is handled with care when distributing it to the eager participants as slices of the cake (right) is shared in boxes to take home. — Picture courtesy of Cake Piknik
“Our challenge was wanting to keep the momentum going and ensure everyone leaves with more than just cake but with memories, connections and inspiration to grow,” said Nadia.
The ticketed event sold out quickly but fret not as Cake Piknik intends to hold more events this year, including a possible nationwide movement to bring the community of cake lovers closer.
Lucky participants who scored a ticket to the sought after event, will have what is described as, “a day packed with sweetness and inspiration.”
“Get ready for even more cakes, more fun activities, and endless good vibes at Cake Piknik! This time, we’re adding a Best Cake Award to celebrate pure creativity and skill,” added Nadia.
This round, Cake Piknik has partnered with MyFlavor, Kitmens, Wasep.me, Tea Depot, Kopinuts, Toko Makan Maharaja, Sundri’s Bakes and Bites, Mekkie Beauty, Delicate Cakes, and Mess In Vending.
The core of Cake Piknik is the sharing sessions (from left to right) with Farah Sooji from Sooji Cakes and Syed Ilyas from Sugar & I, together with the host, Nani Roslan. — Picture courtesy of Cake Piknik
MasterChef Season 1 winner Dr Ezani Monoto and TV chef and host, Chef Deedee will be their guest speakers.
Lessons learnt from Cake Piknik 1.0 will see a more efficient way to tackle cutting the cakes to reduce waiting time.
There will be a dedicated team to cut the cakes, ensuring everyone gets to sample the cakes. However, if the person prefers to slice their own masterpiece themselves, they will accede to their request.
The cakes will also be distributed earlier in the event, allowing everyone to sample the cakes at the event.
A contingency plan has also been hatched, ensuring, “everyone gets a slice of the action and no cake will go to waste!”, where activities with chances to win or grab limited extra cake boxes will be added to the itinerary.
One rule borrowed from Cake Picnic states, “No Cake, No Entry!”, allowing even cake lovers who are non-bakers to bring store bought cakes.
Attendees of Cake Piknik with speakers Syed Ilyas (left) and Farah Sooji (right) including the Cake Piknik organising committee Amalina Jamil, Nadia Halina, Nur Sarah and Tan U-Mae (front). — Picture courtesy of Cake Piknik
“We welcome all cakes — store-bought, mum’s recipe, or even that wild wedding cake you’ve been dying to show off. Sweet or savoury, as long as they’re Muslim-friendly. We recommend cakes 8 inches or bigger for plenty to share, but we’ll accept a minimum of 6 inches if you’re feeling shy!”
Nadia also explained that they have received invitations from a few parties to host Cake Piknik at their places.
It’s not limited to just Cake Piknik events but a much bigger picture of building a community for the bakers.
“We are committed to growing the cake community and creating more platforms for bakers to shine. Our role is to contribute to this movement, and we wholeheartedly encourage smaller groups to start their own mini cake picnics. The cake picnic wave is already here, and we believe it will only strengthen the community, bringing bakers closer together.”
“Cakes bring joy and bring people together. For us, they’re more than just desserts – they’re a creative passion, a livelihood, and a way to spread happiness, one slice at a time,” Nadia said.
CakePiknik, Instagram: @cakepiknik
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