Despite being in business for less than a year, the 35-year-old founder of Thirty One Fine Bakes has already achieved so much while pursuing her true passion.

Unfortunately, her journey has also been tainted by several racist customers.

The most recent incident, which involved a customer demanding to know the ethnicity of the company owner, made waves when it was shared on the online-bakery’s Instagram page last week.

“I thought it was about time for me to speak up because I didn’t want to go through it again. But I didn’t expect it to blow up and I was afraid of the backlash,” said Kaanchana, who was involved with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) before the pandemic.

In just two days, Thirty One Fine Bakes gained around 3,000 followers, with many reaching out to enquire about her cakes.

She recalled other similar experiences, including one last year when a customer cut off contact after learning the ethnicity of the bakery’s boss. On another occasion, a customer expressed reluctance to order cakes from two particular races because “they use too much sugar.”

Following her viral Instagram post, Kaanchana now knows she is not alone in the fight against racism.

“I’m very thankful for the words of support. There were a lot of comments from other business owners who experienced the same thing. It’s reassuring to know that other people are facing this too, but at the same time it’s very sad.”

Despite calls for Kaanchana to reveal the racist customer’s name, she remained committed to protecting the customers’ privacy, regardless of how she was treated.

“I think it’s not right for businesses to do that (reveal personal details) because people trust me with their phone numbers and house addresses,” she said, noting that the past few days have felt “like a roller coaster”.

“I did get very upset when I read comments that it was a publicity stunt. After that, I realised that no matter what I do, there will always be those who will have negative things to say.”

But the grind doesn’t stop. The dedicated self-taught baker continues to fulfill orders six days a week with her assistant at Cookhouse, a cloud kitchen in Petaling Jaya.

Part of Thirty One Fine Bakes’ success is attributed to its unique alcohol-infused cakes with fresh ingredients, all concocted by Kaanchana from March to August last year.

“It’s ironic. I’m not a big drinker but I’ve always been curious about incorporating alcohol into my desserts. In fact, every Deepavali or Christmas, my mother-in-law gets me to make her favourite fruit cake with alcohol in it. So, I thought maybe it was time to take this further.”

One of the most notable gems on Thirty One Fine Bakes’ menu is the triple-tiered “Baileys Chocolate Cake”, a real treat with its decadent ganache and frosting infused with Irish cream liqueur.

Priced at RM197.70, it is the bakery’s bestseller as well as the most expensive item on the menu thanks to the generous amounts of Baileys Irish Cream liqueur in it.

Those who prefer a stronger kick can dig into the “Not-So-Traditional Black Forest Cake” (RM192), filled with rich layers of Valrhona chocolate, sweet crème Chantilly and cherries soaked in kirsch brandy for five days. It is topped with either fresh cherries (RM20) or handmade cherry-infused marshmallows, free of charge.

With 20 delightful desserts now on her menu, Kaanchana told FMT that the best thing about her job was the positive response to her creations.

“It’s a pleasant surprise that people are so into alcoholic cakes. That was something I was afraid of because I didn’t know if people were going to like it,” she said, adding that she has since expanded and included non-alcoholic options to cater to all customers’ preferences.

Those interested can place their orders at Thirty One Fine Bakes’ Instagram or Facebook. Do place your orders a minimum of three days in advance.