Designer cakes to theme cakes: Hyderabad doctor-owned `Country Oven' takes baking to next level

Hyderabad: A New Year celebration without cutting a cake is boring. Not just an ordinary cake, it has to be a designer one.

It has to be a photo cake, a theme cake, or a designer cake. Nowadays, cake designs are trending. Be it birthday cakes, marriage cakes, anniversary cakes, or any other celebration. Everyone wants a designer cake with socially relevant messages, says Hari Prasad Mullapudi, Director of Country Oven.

Country Oven is one of the oldest bakeries located at Greenlands, Ameerpet. With 30 years in business, it is all geared up for trendy, designer, and theme cakes.

Whenever there is a party or an event, the first thing that comes to mind is cake. Cakes are an important part of every celebration. No party is complete without cakes. Cake symbolizes happiness, success, and love. Cakes are the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions like New Year as they help people express their feelings clearly.

A beautiful note with their favorite-flavored cake would make the day of a loved one, near and dear. Similarly, cake design also holds a special place. Designer cakes are the center of attraction at every party. That is why a lot of people are ordering theme cakes, explains, Niharika Gourineni, Director of Country Oven.

A political worker ordered a cake to welcome President Draupadi Murmu in Hyderabad. A teacher wanted a cake with a message of world peace. A fin-tech company ordered a cake with 'Go Digital' message on it.

"Cakes are ordered with these special messages. Not only do these special messages make the occasion special, but also add photo value. The photo of the celebration also becomes share-worthy, so that they can post it on their social media handles," adds Hari Prasad.

A traffic constable wanted a cake with the socially relevant message ' 'Don't Drink and Drive" printed on the cake. Seeing him, another lady visitor to the bakery purchased a cake with a similar message to present to her husband, to tell him gently to avoid 'drunk driving'.

Looking at the trend, cakes with "Mask Up Message", "Love Hyderabad '', "Avoid Using Mobiles While Driving '', 'World Peace', 'Stop War Etc have been runaway hit.

Now the trend is for fascinating cakes with unimaginable themes and messages. So you don't feel like cutting and eating. "Everyone wants a designer cake because it just attracts everyone and makes the dessert look more presentable and enjoyable," adds a customer, Rani.

Many people demand designer cakes to surprise their loved ones. A designer cake is specially designed in a unique theme like a cricket pitch, shirt theme, uniform theme, or any kind of design that you want. "Adding a personal touch to the cakes by customizing them according to their profession makes them even more elegant and captivating. There is no limitation for their imagination," adds Hari Prasad.

Country Oven, unlike many bakeries, is a different one. It has been founded by a doctor. It started as a passion. Today the city has well over 500 bakeries. But this one stands out for its quality. Though bakery food is considered junk food, the ingredients we use are healthy and safe, unlike many

"We are a doctor family. I myself am a doctor. We don't compromise on quality, she said. We have three branches in the USA and three in the city and one in Warangal. We would like to add a couple of more branches in the city. We are also exploring Vegan Bakery Products. We have well over 200 employees working for us. Nearly 30 lakh customers patronize our outlets each year. Public trusts in us. We sell well over several thousand cakes each month. On occasions like Christmas and New Year, we sell many more. We were the first Bakery in India to introduce e-commerce way back in 1998. It has served NT Rama Rao, and PV Narsimha Rao, by supplying the biggest-ever cakes of 60kgs and 70 kgs in those days, says Niharika.