Attention all home bakers and small bakery shop owners!
Are you ready to turn your Followers into actual cake clients? Want to learn how to build an unforgettable Cake brand and develop products that will be easy to sell and grow a profitable baking business?
INTAKE IS NOW OPEN for our 12-month Online Baking for business mentorship program. Deadline to join is June 17th, 2023.
Introducing the Amari Followers to Cake Customers program – an intensive Online Business Bootcamp for Bakers. This is a 12-month Online Mentorship Program designed specifically for bakers like you, who are eager to harness the power of digital marketing. This program is your ticket to unlocking the secrets of building a successful Cake Business brand and increasing cake sales over time to build a profitable baking business.
Early Bird Price for all who pay & enroll between now and June 5th is Kshs. 15,000. Take Advantage today!
Program Details:
Starting officially on June 2nd, our Online Mentorship Program will be a game-changer for bakers looking to get serious and grow their cake brands and boost sales using the power of digital marketing strategies. We have meticulously crafted a comprehensive curriculum that covers all aspects of building a strong online presence, engaging with your target audience, and increasing sales over time. Check posters below for the main program topics taught:
Why Invest and join now?
The clock is ticking, and the deadline to join this exclusive program is June 17th. But here’s the catch: those who take advantage of our early bird price, available until June 5th, will not only secure their spot but also get a one-on-one video intro call to discuss their current business challenges & direction. We believe in rewarding those who show commitment to their growth by investing in their knowledge.
If you pay and enroll between June 6th and 17th; price of the program will be Kshs. 19,000
Benefits and Bonuses:
By dedicating yourself to this mentorship program and implementing the lessons, you can start seeing remarkable benefits within the first 4 months. Imagine increasing your online visibility, attracting a steady stream of potential customers, and ultimately witnessing a significant surge in your cake sales. The program’s tried-and-tested strategies will help you leverage digital platforms, build a loyal customer base, and establish your brand as a force to be reckoned with in the competitive baking industry. We also have bonus modules to help you set up and streamline your baking business operations as well. See posters below.
The time to take action is now! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to elevate your cake business to new heights. Secure your spot in our 12-month Online Mentorship Program today before the June 17th deadline. Remember, the early bird price is only available until June 5th, so act quickly to save money and seize the chance to supercharge your brand’s growth.
Get ready to unleash your baking prowess and become a digital marketing maestro in the cake industry. We can’t wait to join you on this exciting journey of transformation and success!
If you have any inquiries about the program; you can use the link below to send us a WhatsApp DM or contact us via: +254701796688 (Monday – Friday: 9am to 5 pm & Saturday: 9am to 3 pm)
We are so thrilled to announce that we now have a new class bakery workshop where we’ll be holding our baking and decoration classes on Ngong road in Nairobi – Adams Arcade area. The class workshop is located in a conveniently accessible spot at Discounts Arcade – Shop no. 51 – Ground floor, the building is next to The Green House.
We are now open for class intake and we’ll be taking on students each week. You can actually book a class and make a payment by Friday and start Monday. Please do note; that it will depend on availability of class & current schedules – so please do visit ahead of time to inquire and enroll.
Our new class workshop is meant to offer a hands-on, practical & effective learning experience through personalized classes with a one-on-one focus, we’re currently taking on a minimum of 2 students per class. We’re also ready to take on one class student at any time as well. We believe that individual attention fosters skill development and effective learning.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned baker looking to learn a new skill, our diverse range of classes will cater to your skill level and interests. From basic cake making techniques, Cake decoration and bread-making techniques, our expert instructors will guide you every step of the way.
Student Mary; Amari alumni – at our new Class workshop
To accommodate different schedules, we offer both morning (9am to 1 pm) and afternoon (2 pm to 6 pm) segments for classes. You can choose a time slot that suits you best from Monday to Saturday. This flexibility ensures that anyone with a passion for baking can indulge in their baking or cake decoration pursuits.
During our class learning experiences, you will not only learn the art of baking and/or cake decorating; but also gain valuable insights into various baking styles and industry trends. We foster a supportive environment where you can exchange ideas and ask questions. We also offer 5-day practice sessions for any of our alumni who choose to practice after they learn but may not have the tools to do so at home.
Our aim is to provide an unforgettable experience that goes beyond learning techniques & recipes. We want you to explore your creativity, enhance your skills, and leave Amari classes feeling inspired to create beautiful and delicious treats.
So, don’t miss this incredible opportunity to join our class workshop! Enroll today to secure your spot in our personal classes, where you can develop your baking prowess under the guidance of expert instructors. Click here to see full list of all our available practical classes.
Above are details of how our classes run, how to enroll & a list of classes we offer.
Contact us on no. 0701796688 to visit the workshop or make inquiries:
Are you a Home Baker selling Cakes and you’ve been wondering why you’re getting no sales from your Online Marketing efforts?
Would you like to start marketing your cake business online but you’re not quite sure how?
Join our Amari 5-Day “Followers to Cake Customers” Bakers’ Challenge.
This is a mini-training that will run from March 9th to 16th, 2023. To help bakers take action on marketing their small baking businesses and gain momentum over time.
DETAILS:
A mini online training that is designed to help Bakers who sell cakes or pastries for business ‘take action’ (hence the name – Challenge). When you attend the online mini training and do the assignments (take action on the challenge given), you will set your baking business on the right path to attracting the RIGHT target customers for your business
There will be FIVE main live video training sessions (5 challenge days) with tons of insights and action points for you to take.
There will be TWO live video reviews for clarification, Q&As, etc.
All video live sessions will be Re-posted and will be available for students to watch any time of day once posted for the duration of the training (8 days)
The training will run in a Private Facebook Group.
This is a sample of our main Baking for business Mentorship program offered separately.
Dates: March 9th to 16th, 2023. Deadline to join is March 10th (you will find already posted class session in the group to watch).
PRICE:Kshs. 250 ($3 for non-Kenyan payments)
MAIN TOPICS COVERED: How to set up your social media accounts effectively to attract your Target market, Types of content to share in your accounts with examples of how to create them. Tips on posting consistently & how to avoid overwhelm. Tools to use to make your online marketing easier and many other helpful online marketing tips.
PLEASE NOTE: This training will only be effective for those who join WHEN you take action and do the Challenge assignments. Please do not join if you will not have time to do the assignments since this is a limited time period training.
Make payment of Kshs. 250 to Lipa na Mpesa, Buy Goods till no. 89736 (Amari Quickbreads Bakery)
Send payment notification & email address to WhatsApp no. 0701796688
We’ll share the link to the private group & details on how to join.
For Non-Kenyan payments: we have various methods of making payment: Option 1: Paypal (amaribreads@gmail.com) Option 2: Mobile money payment via Mpesa to no. +254701796688 Option 3: Mobile money payment using sites such as: worldremit.com , sendwave.com OR mukuru.com. Please do reach out via WhatsApp (+254701796688) or Email: info@amaribakery.com to inquire.
I’m the founder & Director of Baking with Amari (formerly Amari Baking Center) – a business founded in 2012. We’re a baking business that offers both practical & online baking and decoration classes. We also offer baking recipe books; both printed & eBooks.
We offer Baking for Business online courses, masterclasses & mentorship programs through our Baking for Profit Program.
I am also founder & owner of Chiffon cakes by Amari Bakery; a bespoke online baking business that sells Chiffon cakes only; founded in 2019. I am a professional Baker and Cake decorator in the Kenyan Baking industry and a baking recipe developer. I have been baking for years and professionally for over 12 years.
I was born & currently live in Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa. I learned and developed a passion in baking and pastries in high school & college when my family moved & lived in Ohio, USA when I was growing up. I have a background in Hotel Management training.
I came back home a few years back, started a small shop that failed within 5 months. I then worked in the food industry for 5 years in two cities in Kenya; Nairobi & Nyeri. In 2012, I decided to follow my passion for baking and started my first Baking business. I then started a 2nd Baking business brand in 2019.
I have gained experience by running baking businesses in the last 12 years and growing my brands by using digital marketing. My YouTube channels combined have over 12,400 followers & growing. Over 20,000 followers on our Instagram Accounts and 24,000 followers on our Facebook brand pages. I have built a profitable baking business which I run currently with the help of a small team of 7 amazing individuals.
To inquire via Email: please use the form below, thanks.
*Cost of class is $15; we accept payment either via mobile money or Paypal.
*You can enroll in the class directly on our site by paying via Paypal – click here.
You can use mobile money sites such as WorldRemit or Send Wave. Please reach out via WhatsApp for inquiries or more details using this number: +254701796688
Class content is held at our separate online class site. Support group is on Facebook.
P/S: You need a Facebook account to join the support group.
Class will be facilitated by Maureen Kamari of Baking with Amari
WHY IS MAUREEN QUALIFIED TO TEACH THE CLASS:
I’m the founder & Director of Baking with Amari (formerly Amari Baking Center) – a business founded in 2012. We’re a baking business that offers both practical & online baking and decoration classes. We also offer baking recipe books; both printed & eBooks.
We offer Baking for Business online courses, masterclasses & mentorship programs through our Baking for Profit Program.
I am also founder & owner of Chiffon cakes by Amari Bakery; a bespoke online baking business that sells Chiffon cakes only; founded in 2019.
I am a professional Baker and Cake decorator in the Kenyan Baking industry and a baking recipe developer. I have been baking for years and professionally for over 12 years.
I was born & currently live in Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa. I learned and developed a passion in baking and pastries in high school & college when my family moved & lived in Ohio, USA when I was growing up. I have a background in Hotel Management training.
I came back home a few years back, started a small shop that failed within 5 months. I then worked in the food industry for 5 years in two cities in Kenya; Nairobi & Nyeri.
In 2012, I decided to follow my passion for baking and started my first Baking business. I then started a 2nd Baking business brand in 2019.
I started teaching individuals how to bake and decorate in March 2014 and have since taught over 1,000 Bakers in various practical individual & group classes all over Kenya. This is not including the numerous online courses I have taught the past 6 years.
I have improved my personal training knowledge based on various courses I have taken on Andragogy (study of teaching adults); as well as my personal experience in successfully training bakers in the last 8 years in the Baking Industry.
I have built a profitable baking business which I run currently with the help of a small team of 7 amazing individuals.
Enroll in the class today – Send a WhatsApp DM below for more inquiries or call us on 0701796688
Would you like to learn how to cost and price your cakes and pastries in a practical class setting?
If you’re a home baker looking to either start or you’re already selling your cakes and pastries but you’re not sure if you’ve done proper costing and pricing for your cakes and you want to make a profit – this upcoming class is for you.
We’re holding a Practical Cake Pricing class on October 15th, 2022 in Nairobi CBD, near Haille Sellasie Avenue at the Aug. 7th Conference Centre – behind the Bomb Blast Memorial park from 9 am to 1 pm.
This is a Business Masterclass for Home bakers who are baking for business and want to cost and price profitably. Price of the class is Kshs. 1,000 and deadline to sign up and secure your spot is October 13th, 2022.
We’ll be giving away 3 Prizes to our attendees who arrive earliest ^_^
If you’re a home baker struggling with costing and pricing; don’t miss out on this chance – to do an actual costing and pricing for a cake and pastries practically. You’ll also get to ask questions that will help you with your costing.
Book your spot in the cake costing class by sending payment to Lipa na Mpesa Buy Goods till no. 89736 today to secure your spot. Make sure to send the payment notification to us via WhatsApp no. 0701796688 and your email address for further details.
For inquiries: Call/SMS/WhatsApp no. 0701796688 (Monday to Fridays: 9am to 5 pm and Saturdays: 9am to 3 pm)
You can also send us an inquiry using the Contact form below and we’ll reply via email:
Hi Bakers and Foodies! Today I’m going to share some of the Wheat flours used by bakers. This is another post about types of baking ingredients used in baking.
In this post, I’ll be covering the different types of flours that you’re going to find in baking recipes.
When it comes to baking, most recipes call for wheat flour. In the baking world, there are three main Categories of Wheat Flours that are used. These are based on the protein levels (gluten level).
One is called All-purpose flour. This is supposed to be a wheat flour that’s generally used for any type of baking; therefore the gluten level has a nice balance
Then there is Bread flour (also known as High Protein Flour), which has a higher gluten content. This gives you a more elastic, better bread. The thing about is you can’t use it for cake because the gluten content is really, really high.
Then the third type of flour that’s used in the baking industry a lot is cake flour. This has the least amount of gluten and makes really amazing, amazing cakes. Has very low percentage of gluten, but is not really good for baking bread.
If you’re in the baking industry, those are the three main categories of flours that are going to be used.
1. All-purpose Flour
This is the best type of wheat flour to use when you’re baking most recipes. The reason is that it can be used for various purposes. It can be used for most baking recipes such as cakes, cookies, breads & many other pastries that require wheat flour.
All Purpose flour is easily found in supermarkets or shops in your local area. It’s the best type of wheat flour to use for baking. It doesn’t have any type of raising agent added, so it’s a nice blank canvas to bake with. As a baker; I would suggest having all-purpose in your pantry, at all times.
All purpose Wheat Flour
2. Self-raising Flour
This is a type of all-purpose wheat flour that has a chemical raising agent added to it. Usually, if you’re baking Cookies or Pancakes; this is a perfect flour to use because it already has some raising agent in it.
However, when you’re baking Cakes, you might have to add a little bit more baking powder when mixing your cake because sometimes when you use self rising when baking cakes – it may not always give you satisfactory results. What I would advise, if you’re using self-raising flour, for every one cup of flour, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder when it comes to some of the cakes. Please do triple-test for your specific recipes to ensure best results.
Self Rising Wheat Flour
3. Bread Flour/Baker’s Flour
This is a type of commercial wheat flour that’s used by Bakeries that are mass-producing breads & other yeast products. This type of wheat flour has high protein content (higher gluten content), which makes it very effective when used for yeast products; the texture of the products will be very elastic and stretchy.
In Kenya especially, or at least in East Africa, it’s usually sold in 50kg bags, so usually you need to buy in bulk. There is maybe only one company (Maisha Millers) – who produce & package in 2Kg packets and bales, for the high protein flour.
High protein bread flour
4. Gluten-free Flour
Another popular niche that has really grown is gluten-free baking. A lot of the times, for this type of baking – you want to make sure that you bake your bread, cakes or cookies with a flour that has no gluten in it.
Gluten is a protein that forms when you add water to wheat flour. There are some people who are allergic to gluten and if you have that kind of condition, you will start looking for flours that you can substitute in your baking that don’t have any gluten.
Some of the gluten-free flours you can use are Almond flour, you may have heard of that. It is made of almond nuts that have been dried & grounded.
Another one you can use is Rice flour because rice doesn’t have any gluten. This is made by grinding dry rice grains.
Another type of grain flour you can use for your gluten-free baking is Millet Flour or Sorghum flour, these types of flours can be used for gluten-free baking as well.
My advice always though, is to always experiment and test them out; some of the flours may never really give you the same exact result as baking with wheat flour – but some of them do come pretty close.
You can also search in food stores & major Cake supplies shops, there are actually brands that sell gluten-free flours for baking. If you also search for those, you can find them as well.
Almond Flour
5. Cake Flour
In East Africa or in Kenya, most of the time, it’s not easy to find cake flour being sold in smaller packages. Though some wheat flour millers do package and sell cake flour for medium to large bakeries in larger bags/sacks.
For home bakers and small-scale bakers; you can make your own Cake flour.
How to make Cake Flour: measure out one cup of all-purpose flour, scoop out 2 tablespoons from the 1 cup measure and replace with two tablespoons with corn starch. Adding the corn starch; reduces the gluten content in the all purpose wheat flour and that gives you a nice cake flour you can use for baking moist & fluffy cakes. Using Cake flour in your cake baking will give you good results overall; really soft cakes that have a very nice crumb (inner part of a cake).
Cake flour
6. Boxed Cake Mixes/Pre-mixes
Even though these are generally a mix of flour and other ingredients, I do want to mention these types of flours. You can find these in supermarkets and they’re dry ingredients that are ready to mix in with other liquid ingredients to make a cake.
Please note that cake box mixes and Cake pre-mixes are not wheat flour by itself. Usually, they have flour, some raising agent, maybe some dry/powder flavoring, maybe a preservative & other chemical improvers. How to use Cake boxes or Cake Pre-mixes: you add some liquid (e.g. water or milk), eggs and depending on the mix, you may add a types of fat or oil; mix to make a batter – which you then pour into a cake pan and bake.
This is supposed to be a healthier version of wheat flour that really doesn’t have the husks removed, and it usually looks brown, right? You can use that if you’re looking for a healthier option and it can actually be used mainly for bread. It’s really good for bread and it can also sometimes be used for cake. If you’re looking for a healthier option of wheat flour, you can use brown bread flour, you can use atta flour, you can use whole wheat flour.
Please do note you have to experiment with them because each of them give you different results. This type of flour has the least amount of gluten, so if you’re making cakes or cake might not rise as much and it might not give you the same exact texture. You need to know, every time you use something that has less gluten, it’s gonna give you a different result. If you’re looking for healthier options, it’s a really good option to go with.
To recap, the types of flours used for baking are;
Are you an experienced baker who’s looking to INCREASE your income by sharing your skills and knowledge with others by offering baking or cake decoration classes?
But you’re UNSURE as to where to start or even how to cost and ensure that your student learns what you teach them.
Or even what to consider when planning out your class sessions.
You should definitely attend our upcoming 2 week online class running in May 2022. The class will start May 2nd and run until May 15th, 2022. Deadline to join is May 2nd, Monday.
Amari May 2 week online class for Bakers looking to start classes
How the class will run:
*It’ll be held in a temporary Private Facebook group for the 2 weeks.
*Once you pay; you’ll be added into the group; class will start May 2nd and after the last day, May 15th – group will close & members removed.
*All sessions will be live sessions – a total of 6 video sessions in the group. For those not able to attend the live; no worries, the class will be re-posted in the group – Guides section and available for the duration of the 14 days.
*Lesson plan will be shared in the group on topics covered & when.
*Class templates will be shared & assignments to assist you with understanding class concepts in the group. They will also later be shared to you via email – After the class ends (May 16th)
*To sign up & join; Make full Payment of Kshs. 2,000 to Lipa na Mpesa, Buy Goods till no. 89736 (Amari Quickbreads Bakery), send payment notification and E-mail address to WhatsApp on 254701796688. You will get further details on how to join the group class.
*Deadline to pay and join is May 2nd – midnight
Anyone in the world can join and attend this online class; for non-Kenyan/International students; Class cost is $20. You can make payment in various ways:
Paypal Payments, using our email: amaribreads@gmail.com
The TWO main reasons why you won’t be able to GROW your home baking business this year..
1 – You don’t have CLARITY on exactly what you offer as a baking business – this means that you’re trying to see what customers want and then you offer them that product (this is not very sustainable or profitable)
2 – You don’t know WHO you’re selling to (target market), that’s why you consistently get inquiries, but not a lot of sales.
If you’re struggling with these two issues, then you should definitely consider joining our upcoming online 3-month Amari Baking for Profit Program. It’s a baking for business mentorship online course specifically for home bakers or small bakery shop owners looking to set up their baking business for success and to start earning profits over time.
What it is:
Please note; this is a 3 month Baking for Profit strategy online course & mentorship program. N/B: This is not a baking or cake decoration course.
What you’ll learn:
How to clarify your bakery business offer (Business plan, Legal requirements, knowing your Niche & target market – Detailed sessions)
How to cost & price correctly for your niche (Very intensive Course module)
How to attract your correct target market (Building demand for your products & content creation – especially online)
This includes the very detailed Social media Marketing for Bakers Module. How to Convert and make sales (Creating a marketing plan & how to attract customers who buy).
*WHERE:
Class is held online in a separate site: amarionlineschool.thinkific.com. The Course videos are on the site and can be watched at any time. Once you gain access and have an account; you can watch at any time. You will gain access once you pay (from Feb. 7th, 2022).
We also have a support group on Facebook (you will be immediately added into this group once you pay) where we’ll have discussions and monthly live videos for clarification and Q&As as well where clarity is needed. The lives will be announced before they happen. Once they are completed, the live video will be available to watch for anyone any time for the duration of the Online class.
DURATION: Class Period:
Class will run for 3 months; you will have access to the content, during that period (P/S: NO matter what day you join – you get exactly 90 days access). Class Content is available from Feb. 7th. After class duration – you will be sent the templates via email and video access to content and lessons will NO longer be available (P/S: you can opt to sign up again to gain access to the content at a discounted price after the 3 months – just send an email stating you would like to pay for an extension).
Assignments are shared in the course site and you can fill and share via email for me to check for you own personal business and offer specialized advice to your business.
*Who is this for:
Home bakers looking to run profitable businesses (works whether you’re just starting or already have a business). This can also work for anyone who has a small bakery shop (1-5 employees); though it is originally for home bakers – the same concept applies.
Payment-Sale offer for February 2022: Kshs. 5,000 (one-time Payment) or Kshs. 6,000 (2-part payment). Payment made to Lipa na Mpesa Buy Goods till no. 687789 (Amari Foods).
Option of Two-part payment of Kshs. 6,000. First payment is Kshs. 3,000 and 2nd payment due latest: March 20th, 2022.
Once you make a payment; you will also sign an E-agreement for the coaching program before gaining access to the content. You will be sent the agreement to review and you can make inquiries if you would like before signing.
If you have any questions feel free to inquire (Contact us or Use form below); for testimonials from previous students, Click here.
To contact us: Call/SMS/WhatsApp: 0701796688 or 0791384890. Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hi Bakers and Foodies! Today I’m going to share some of the sugars used by bakers. This is another post about types of baking ingredients used in baking.
I will also mention some liquid sugar syrups that you can use when you’re baking as well.
1. Granulated Sugar
This type of sugar is called granulated sugar because of the size of the sugar granules. They are supposed to be regular-sized granules (not too big or too small); therefore it is called granulated sugar.
Regular Granulated Sugar
Depending on which area you’re from, you’re going to find that especially in Kenya or in East Africa, our sugar does tend to be slightly brown color. Though we do have manufacturers that produce granulated white sugar.
Kenyan sugar is either a very light brown or a white granulated sugar. That’s the one you’re going to find being used in most recipes. It can be used for butter cakes and sponge cakes; as well as all types of baked pastries and products.
You can find granulated sugar in Kenya in most shops that sell food items or major supermarkets.
2. Caster Sugar
This is a finely granulated sugar that’s purely white. Caster sugar is preferred; especially when doing Meringues, Sponge cakes, or Desserts that really need the sugar to dissolve as much as possible. In our recipe books, we use Caster sugar as an ingredient especially for the Sponge cakes.
Caster Sugar (Image Courtesy: Pixabay)
Where you see Caster sugar as an ingredient in a recipe, if you have regular sugar that’s white and finely granulated, you can actually use it instead. If it’s specifically mentioned as an ingredient in a type of dessert recipe, I would suggest getting the caster sugar. This is because it’s important for you to have those small granules for a successful recipe result, and it’s important for it to be very white as well.
Caster Sugar packet
You can get Caster sugar in Kenya in most major supermarkets or in cake supply shops.
Icing sugar is usually caster sugar that has been ground completely to powder form.
Icing Sugar also known as powder sugar or confectioner’s sugar
It is used mainly in cake decoration to make frostings and icings. You can use it directly by itself (by dusting) or to make a type of frosting like Buttercream frosting, Fondant, Glaze and many other types of frosting.
Amari Chiffon SwissRolls with Icing sugar dusting
Before using it to make frostings; make sure to sift the Icing sugar because it does tend to get lumpy.
Icing Sugar stocked by supplies – Topserve Ltd
There are a few dessert recipes that call for Icing sugar; even cookie recipes e.g. Macarons. This is when a recipe requires a really fine sugar; however, most of the time it’s used for cake decoration in cake making and pastries.
4. Brown Sugar
There are different types of brown sugar; based on how light or dark the color of the brown sugar. Availability of the various types of brown sugars depends on the region you’re in. In Kenya; there are quite a variety of brown sugars; though the regular brown sugar is more easily available and budget-friendly.
3 types of Brown sugars (Image courtesy: WikiCommons)
Brown sugar is a type of sugar that generally has molasses added to it. Most of the time, it’s granulated sugar or caster sugar plus molasses. The authentic brown sugar though; is actually supposed to be sugar that hasn’t been fully refined. That’s when the liquid is left in the sugar during production (basically the molasses). Brown sugar has a dense, sticky and wet consistency. If you hold it with your hand, you can actually form a ball.
Brown sugar packets sold in Kenyan market
It’s used a lot for very rich or heavy recipes e.g. Light or traditional Dark Fruit cake. You can use it to make Carrot cake as well. Some cookie recipes also require the use brown sugar in their ingredients for a chewy and darker colored baked result.
Fruit Cake slice from Amari Recipe book
Brown sugar in Kenya is usually sold by major supermarkets, food wholesalers and cake supply shops.
I want to mention two liquid sugars that are sometimes used in baking:
5. Molasses
This is this sort of dark, thick liquid that is a byproduct of sugar.
Molasses
In the baking industry; it is used in making traditional fruit cakes and some other rich fruit cakes or spicy cakes.
Jar of Molasses
It is a type of sugar; when you add molasses to your recipe you may have to adjust the sugar content in the recipe as it sweetens your cake.
Black treacle can also be used instead of molasses as they are similar products.
Black Treacle
6. Glucose Syrup
This is also a byproduct of a sugar; though it is not extremely sweet, it is a sweetener.
Glucose syrup (Image: ragus)
Glucose syrup is used especially in rolled icings (e.g. fondant) or in candy making. If you’re a cake decorator who has made fondant; you know it is one of the ingredient used.
Glucose syrup jar
Glucose syrup in Kenya is mainly sold by commercial Food supplies shops, Cake supply shops and also some select major supermarkets.
P/S: I would also like to mention some types of sugar that you may have seen written in cake or cookie recipes. They’re not very popular in the Kenyan market but they are sold in some specialty food stores and supermarkets. Examples are; Muscovado sugar or Demerara sugar.
Images courtesy: Amazon
These are types of brown sugar that are processed to a certain extent. When used in a recipe; they tend to give a deeper baking result in color.
7. Sanding Sugar
Sanding sugar are sugar crystals that have color in them. You can use sanding sugar to make a Sugar Sheet for cake decoration – click here to watch the tutorial on how.
In the Kenyan market, they’re a bit expensive and sold in smaller 50-gram containers. These are a type of decorative sugars that you can use in your decoration.
Sanding Sugars
You can purchase sanding sugar in Kenya via Cake supply shops.
8. Isomalt
If you’re an intermediate to advanced cake decorator, you may have heard of this type of sugar. It’s used a lot to make Isomalt sails, a sail is a type of sugar decoration used by Cake decorators.
Isomalt sail at top of cake (Image courtesy: Pinterest)
You do need to handle the Isomalt very carefully and make sure you know exactly how to use it. You have to heat it, it becomes a liquid and then you make a sugar sail out of it.
Isomalt Sugar packet
In the Kenyan market, it is also a bit expensive, but it is very available if you want it.
Isomalt sugar in Kenya is mainly sold by Cake supply shops such as Topserve Ltd.
In summary; some of the types of sugar used in baking & cake decoration are;
Granulated sugar
Caster sugar
Icing sugar
Brown sugar
Molasses
Black treacle
Glucose syrup
Sanding sugar
Isomalt
I hope this post has been really helpful to you; please do share to help out other bakers and foodies as well ^_^
If you are curious about any other type of sugar not mentioned above and you would like to know more about it, please leave a comment below.
We sell locally triple-tested Recipe books (both e-books and printed versions), for details – click here.
Hi Bakers and Foodies! In this post, I’ll be sharing the different types of food colors that are used for baking, especially by bakers and cake decorators.
As a baker; you can use food colors for frostings and icings, especially when you’re decorating, or you can also use them if you want to color your cake or pastry. I’ll be sharing the types of colors that are all purely edible.
1. Powder Food Colors
One of the most commonly found and popular food colors are powdered colors.
Powder food colors
These are food colors that come in different sized containers in powder form. To use them, you either add a little bit of water, or – I would suggest also using food glycerin, so that the mixture becomes like a gel or paste consistency and it becomes very concentrated.
Red Food powder color (Image Courtesy: Topserve Limited)
Point to note, when using powder food color you don’t want to put too much into your frosting or in your fondant as it does tend to become bitter. This is because of the preservative that is used in it. When used in excess; the frosting or product may actually become very bitter, so be careful when using the food color.
When you use the powder color in frosting or fondant; it may not give you a very dark color, so my tip would be to use glycerin. You can add a little bit of water or a little bit of glycerin to the color, when you’re using it to make it easier to work with.
Powdered food colors in Kenya are easily found in major supermarkets and cake supplies shops as well such as Topserve Limited.
2. Liquid Food Colors
Liquid food colors are a bit more concentrated than the powder colors.
Liquid Food color
These work very well as long as you have a very good brand. You should be able to just put a drop or two in your frosting or in your cake batter and it colors very well.
You can find liquid food colors in Kenya mainly in cake supplies shops; sometimes, some major supermarkets stock them periodically.
3. Gel Food Colors
These are more highly concentrated food colors that come in a gel-like consistency. Depending on the brand; some are like a thick liquid and some are quite firm. They’re perfect for use in both frostings/icings, cakes and other pastries.
Gel Food Colors – Brand: AmeriColor
To use; you just need a little drop or use a toothpick to scoop the gel color and put it into your frosting to mix. When using gel color; you tend to use less e.g. a few drops, as opposed to the others – the powder color or the liquid color.
Gel Food color – Brand: Sugar Flair
Especially for cake decorators who use fondant icing, this is a really effective food color to use.
Sugar Flower colored with Gel color by Amari Student Alumni
4. Emulsion Food Colors (Colored Flavor Pastes)
Emulsion food colors are a type of combination of color and flavoring. For example, if it’s purple in color, it’s also blueberry-flavored, if it’s orange, it’s also orange-flavored.
Food Color Emulsions – Brand: Pradip
These are preferred by people who tend to do commercial cakes that have the color that matches their flavor. You may have seen these types of cakes especially in retail walk-in types of bakeries.
They are used mainly for cake making or pastry making. Emulsions are rarely used for frostings or icings, but they can definitely be used if you prefer to do so. Emulsion food colors in Kenya are mainly sold by cake supplies shops such as Topserve Ltd or Pradip Enterprises.
Colored Cake slice
In Summary; the four types of Food colors used by bakers and cake decorators;
Powder Food colors
Liquid Food colors
Gel Food colors
Emulsion Food colors (that are also flavors)
To read more about other types of ingredients used by Bakers – click here.
I hope this post has been helpful to you; if so, please feel free to share to help out other foodies or bakers. Do leave a comment below as well ^_^
Baking with Amari | Baking Classes 