Teetotallers raise a toast with chocolates, cakes on NY bash

Hyderabad: The excitement among the masses on the eve of New Year was quite visible, as the city witnessed a surge in demand for cakes, while established bakeries across the city saw long queues for fast-selling items.

Mouth-watering cakes of different flavours are the first choice for teetotallers during the New Year celebrations. Bakeries in the city are doing brisk business selling customised chocolate, vanilla, and fruit-filled cakes. The demand for dry fruit plum cakes is also high, as customers were asking for a wider variety of cakes to savour and welcome the New Year.

Along with different flavours of cakes, exotic fruit cakes are in high demand and this year, home bakers have received a good response. To attract customers, various bakeries have come up with multiple gift hampers and discounts. Also this year, there has been a drastic increase in prices, with the price of black forest cake, which was Rs 620 per kg during regular days having gone up to Rs 1,240 per kg.

A few bakers stated that compared with the previous year, the sales this year have picked up, as they have received bulk orders for the entire month of December.

Mohamed Salim, an owner of a prominent bakery in Secunderabad said, “This year, we have received a good response. One week prior to the new year, many customers pre-booked the cakes, and also customers nowadays ask for customised cakes that are theme-based. We have tried to cater to their demand by providing cakes specially made for the occasion at affordable prices”.

“Cakes iced with marzipan and fondant fruit plum cake are popular right now. Sales are exceptionally good at this time of the year,” said another owner of a prominent bakery in Banjara Hills.

Seema D’Souza, a home baker, said, “The sales were beyond my expectation, as this year there has been a high demand for plum cakes”.