Janmashtami is a celebration of devotion, music and a little bit of mischief, and this year, those familiar Lord Krishna-inspired elements are finding their way onto the plate in forms of cake and chocolate. From delicate peacock feathers and tiny matkis to playful renditions of Kanha and his flute, city bakers are giving traditional symbolism a fresh, contemporary twist.
Pune-based pastry chef and chocolatier, Ashmita Muchhal has kept her cakes rooted in traditional Indian flavours, but also made them fun with an interactive matki phod element, inspired from Dahi Handi. “The matki is such a playful part of the festival that, as a pastry chef, I thought why not turn that joy into a dessert? Cake artist Monica Singh from Mumbai wanted to create a cake that captured the joy, innocence and divinity associated with Krishna’s arrival rather than making it just another Krishna-themed cake. We wanted every part of the cake to contribute to the theme.”
That’s how our Matki phod dessert was born,” she says. She says, “We wanted the design to feel like a little scene from Krishna’s world. The baby Krishna, Vasudev carrying Him on his head to safely take Him to Vrindavan, the traditional colours and Sheshnag all come together to represent different elements,” adding, “What makes this cake special is the amount of storytelling incorporated into it.
