Guilty pleasures of Sweet Mischief Ja
Published:Thursday | September 19, 2019 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson/Gleaner Writer
There’s so much to be said about the pure indulgence of a guilty pleasure. Treating customers to the creatively chic delights of desserts for more than a decade is cake connoisseur, Sweet Mischief Ja.
Food went behind the scenes to find out more about what has been baking in the kitchen.
What started as a hobby 11 years ago for the mother-daughter duo, Yvette and Alison Balfour, blossomed into a production of ‘gateau’ beauty. “We began doing cakes for family and friends, out of the sheer desire to satisfy their cravings and sweeten special occasions. Those family members and friends recommended us to other friends, who referred us to their friends and family. And the business just grew from there,” explained Alison.
Self-taught, the two enrolled in ‘YouTube university’, meticulously watching the relevant materials. They read cake decorating books, blogs and cake forums; they also conducted a myriad of trials and errors in effectively pragmatic fashion.
Today, Sweet Mischief Ja provides a wide variety of delicious signature cake and cupcake creations that are guaranteed to meet and exceed your expectations in artistic presentation. This, the team attributes to years of practice and a keen attention to detail, bordering on a healthy bit of obsessive compulsive disorder. “We pull design inspiration from everything around us – architecture, fashion, nature, art and more.” The customised cakes speak creative volumes!
RICH FLAVOURS
With rich cake flavours like chocolate, vanilla, coconut, lemon, carrot, banana, pineapple, red velvet, black forest, ice box, mocha chocolate, and chocolate dreams; and tasty fillings in the form of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, cream cheese, mocha chocolate, as well as butter creams of vanilla, strawberry, lemon and coconut, these treats are sure to soothe both your soul and your sweet tooth one ‘melt in your mouth’ bite at a time. “We work closely with our clients to ensure that the cakes we provide are specially tailored to suit the event or occasion. Our cake line includes tiered cakes, sculpted cakes, sheet cakes, cupcakes and cookies.”
Home-based, the company spread its wings, opening a storefront bakery three years ago. The palate-pleasing pair shared that for them, pastry making means the dynamic expression through the sweetness of food.
One of the biggest challenges faced as cake decorators in Jamaica is heat and humidity. After extensive research, the two have found appropriate types of fondant and buttercream frostings that work in this climate.
Being a successful baker and cake decorator, Alison says, does not happen overnight. Her advice to aspiring bakers is to be passionate about it: be willing to accept failure and try again.
So for your next special celebration, indulge in significant cake creations from Sweet Mischief Ja.
For more information, visit 39 Beechwood Avenue, or follow via social media: Instagram: @sweetmischiefja or Facebook: Sweet Mischief Ja.