33 Beige Cakes offer delectable baked treats

What would a celebration be without a cake to complete the occasion? A delicious, fresh, beautifully decorated cake usually complements the occasion, whether a birthday, wedding, baby or bridal shower. It also has to be scrumptious enough to leave customers asking for more. Heidi Gopolang’s cakes fit the profile. They are not only visually appeasing but are also delectable to taste.

Gopolang, who operates under her registered company, 33 Beige Cakes, describes baking as her calling. “I have found my calling. I love baking and it is also a labour of love,” she says. Her company offers an array of customised cakes, scones and muffins, complete with deliveries within Gaborone.  It is her customised cakes, which have garnered her a huge following. Some of the designs that she has recreated include handbags, cartoons like Spider man and Minnie mouse, as well as pretty cakes for bridal and baby showers.

Gopolang is a perfectionist who is committed to offering her customers the best service; therefore she prefers that requests be made in advance.  “The time I take to bake a cake depends on the design and decorations. Because the fruitcake in a wedding cake needs to mature, one to needs to make their request a month in advance. Smaller cakes for birthdays and parties usually take less time,” she says.

Gopolang has loved baking since she was seven years old but the idea of making money from her passion did not cross her mind until last year after a disappointment with a cake order. “I had ordered a cake and expected much more than what I got considering the amount that I had paid.” It was that event which gave her the idea of starting her own baking business.

The rest is history.  She has received positive feedback so far. She only started the business in October but she is already inundated with requests and orders. “Many people have shown faith in me. Social media has also been a great platform for me to advertise my business,” she says.  She however admits that there are day-to-day challenges that include customers cancelling their orders at the 11th hour. “I usually give the cakes to my neighbours and friends but it is bad for business because I incur costs, only for someone to change their mind at the last minute. It is an occurrence I wish did not happen on a regular basis,” she explains.

Gopolang says that baking requires a lot of effort and time. “There is so much work that goes into baking these cakes especially the customised variety because I have to pay attention to the specific details that the customer wants.” She plans to start hosting baking classes in order to share her skills with other baking enthusiasts, especially children. “I will teach them how to do everything, from mixing to decorating. I am currently still looking for premises from which to run the classes from,” she says.