To celebrate Qixi Festival, 2024, we collaborated with much adored Melbourne bakery, Mali Bakes to create bespoke floral and cake bundles. We sat down with Mali Bakes Founder, Patti Chimkire, to discover where she draws her inspiration and how she celebrates the often delicate changing of the seasons through her designs.
Can you share a little about Mali Bakes?
Mali Bakes is a Thornbury based cake studio, founded in 2020. We specialise in creating bespoke cakes with a distinct flair, drawing inspiration from the vibrant designs of the 1950s to the 1970s. Our cakes are known for their unique flavour combinations and playful designs. We offer bespoke celebration and wedding cakes, and every Saturday, delicious cake by slices.
How do you embrace each season through your work?
At Mali Bakes, we truly capture the essence of each season through our flavours and floral designs. Lately, I’ve been fascinated by incorporating fresh flowers into retro designs. For instance, using vibrant summer flowers against a pastel chartreuse cake or pairing a deep burgundy winter orchid with a forest green cake creates stunning contrasts.
We also love utilising fruits at their peak. Whenever possible, we create new seasonal flavours, with many of our offerings being fruit-forward, especially in summer and autumn. One of my favourites from last year was a fluffy sponge cake with whipped yoghurt cream and lemon thyme white peach jam.
What has been one of the biggest learnings you have experienced on your journey so far?
Mali Bakes turned 4 this year, and I’ve learned countless lessons along the way. The most significant lesson has been to stay true to myself in my creations. It’s easy to get distracted by social media, but I’ve found that my best inspiration comes from old books and nature. This helps me remain authentic and original in my work.
What are your favourite flavours for winter?
Rhubarb and pistachio are definitely among my favourites. There’s something wonderfully comforting about the tartness of rhubarb paired with the rich, nutty flavour of pistachio. I also love using spiced apples, which bring a warm, cosy feeling that’s perfect for the winter season. One of the new cake flavours we are launching soon pairs spiced apple with miso caramel.
What are your most adored winter blooms?
There’s nothing like seeing a red camellia tree in full bloom on a winter’s day; it’s truly a stunning sight. I also adore our native flowers, especially wattle. Its golden yellow fluffy blooms bring so much joy and warmth to cold grey days.
Explore the Mali Bakes x Vasette Qixi Festival collaboration here.
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