Sold as loaves, the cakes are fragrant with a rich buttery texture and often, one slice is never quite enough!
Founder Chan Siew Kian, 45, shared that she prioritises good quality ingredients for her cakes and uses premium flour, fresh oranges, free-range eggs and of course, French butter!
Watching her in the kitchen, one would assume Chan’s been baking all her life. However, she told FMT Lifestyle this was hardly the case.
Very much in the corporate line, Chan used to work in the trading and shipping industries and even dreamt of climbing the corporate ladder. But that changed when her only child, Isabelle Tan Hanna, was born.
“After I gave birth and became a mother, my priorities changed. I’ve never felt and known a love like this where I couldn’t bear leaving my child in the care of others,” she said, adding that her daughter will turn 13 this year.
Chan took up baking only when Isabelle started nursery school. Since she was free for many hours every day, she enrolled in a part-time baking course at the Academy of Pastry Arts Malaysia. Later, she enrolled for a full-time diploma course.
Around 2015, she started a home-based business called Jaymee Patisserie, and rebranded the business to Luvatte Patisserie in May 2023.
Today she is grateful for having started her cake business as it has helped supplement the family income, particularly when her husband, a businessman, fell ill.
“My husband had a heart attack 11 years ago and underwent an angioplasty,” she said. A heavy machinery mechanic, he has also had two surgeries on his spine.
Besides mounting medical bills, Chan worries about her daughter’s education. Driven by the desire to provide the best for her child, she considered the options she had.
“It has been hard for me to go back to the workforce after so long. I actively applied for jobs but to no avail. So, I thought that the best solution for us right now, is to use my current skill in baking as the business is already ongoing,” she said.
“The only issue is that the orders are not consistent enough to provide a stable monthly income.”
To that end, she introduced a cake subscription programme in the hopes of creating a base of loyal customers.
“Our French butter orange cake loaves are sold for RM30 each. So, to encourage customers to sign up for a year, I introduced an incentive where those who buy 12 loaves receive one complimentary loaf,” she shared.
She said she wasn’t seeking donations, but simply wished to invite people to purchase her cakes so she was better able to support her family financially.
Besides her French butter orange cakes, she also sells French macarons, French butter pineapple tarts and cookies.
She has big dreams for the future. “If the subscription plan works really well and I need to expand, I hope to hire other mothers. Because I know how challenging it can be when you’re a woman and you don’t have a source of income. If anything happens to your husband, it’s tough.
“Even if you have someone helping you, how long can they help? You cannot depend on handouts. It’s best to have your own skill, earn your own income and be an independent person.”
To place your orders, click here. Learn more about Luvatte Patisserie on its website and Facebook. For more information, contact Jaymee Chan at 012-381 8162.