What do you get when a graphic animation/design whiz swaps tech life for the sweet life? Your dog’s face on a block of chocolate. Come again? That’s right, Bakedown Cakery might have started out as an Instagram-fuelled cake creation outlet for Creative Director Jen Lo, but it has quickly become a modern Willy Wonka world of all things chocolate.
This year, with a brand new, schmick setup in St Leonards, Jen has been making hundreds of pieces of face bark. Inspiration struck in the shower one day, when she decided to put Donald Trump’s face on a chocolate bar. It was by no means a political statement, she’s still not sure why this popped into her head, but that’s exactly what she went and did. One Instagram post later and suddenly people wanted other people, even their pets, to be printed on their own blocks of chocolate. Since Christmas, Jen has made hundreds of chocolate bars with everything from celebrities to poodles printed onto them using edible transfers.
Chocolate celebrities are not Jen’s only claim to fame. Bakedown Cakery is the stuff of Instagram-lover’s dreams. From the pink neon signs to the subway tiles above the kitchen, the space is so on trend we feel a little bit cooler just by stepping inside. Glass display boxes have chocolate pieces on show like colourful jewels – there are gold-flecked skulls, mint green cactus, speckled hearts and geometric shapes that are almost too pretty to eat. The walls are lined with Jen’s Single Origin Blocks, with chocolate sourced from single plantations in Arriba, Madagascar, Ecuador and even Uganda. There are freshly baked brownies and cookies, even chocolate chips if you want to do it for yourself. We say leave it to the expert, or sign up to some of the soon-to-come workshops.
Jewel-like chocolates. Image by Alana Dimou
Keep an eye on the Bakedown Instagram page for limited-edition numbers from when more inspiration strikes this talented chocolatier – the Crack Koalas were a very grown up take on Caramello Koalas, with Tasman sea salt caramel and couverture milk chocolate, and didn’t last long!
At the moment, Baketown is busy making handcrafted Egg-spresso Martini, Pandan Coconut Lychee and caramelised white chocolate Toasty Eggs. Trust us, you’ll be the best Easter bunny out there.
Bakedown Cakery
62 Atchison St, St Leonards
http://www.bakedowncakery.com/
