For 35-year-old Preeta Devi Ganapathy, baking was a passion long before it became a profession. Born and raised in Ipoh, Perak, as the only daughter, her love for desserts began in her childhood kitchen.
“On my mum’s side, everyone was a great cook, especially my auntie,” she told FMT Lifestyle. “She taught me how to bake when I was just eight.”
However, a career in the culinary arts wasn’t initially in the cards. Her parents, both accountants, envisioned a more conventional path for her. Obediently, Preeta pursued a degree in financial mathematics in Australia and worked in banking for two years after graduating in 2012.
But the call of the kitchen never faded. “I realised that it wasn’t the career for me,” she explained.
“It was more like a deal with my father. He thought I’d change my mind after working in the corporate world. But I stayed firm about studying culinary arts.”
In 2014, she took a leap of faith, moving to Paris to study at the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu, where she earned a diploma in patisserie after 10 intense months of training.
Returning to Malaysia, Preeta honed her craft at Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia before launching “Sucree by Preeta” in late 2015.
FMT Lifestyle joined Preeta at her home in Bangsar where she was decorating the last bits of her mango, kaya and clotted cream cupcakes for order.
Initially, her offerings focused on cupcakes, with her lychee rose cupcakes quickly becoming best-sellers – a status they still hold today.
“When I graduated, people wanted basic butter or chocolate cakes, but I wanted to push boundaries and develop different flavours,” she said.
Over time, she expanded her repertoire, leaning into her roots to create desserts inspired by local and Sri Lankan flavours.
A prime example of her creativity is the pandan opera cake, a sophisticated take on a French classic. It features layers of pandan syrup-soaked joconde (almond sponge), salted coconut ganache, and gula Melaka buttercream.
Another standout is her masala chai tres leches, which she introduced last year, filling a gap in the market for South Asian-inspired desserts.
“My father’s Tamil, my mother’s Sinhalese and Chinese, and I grew up in Malaysia eating a variety of cuisines,” she said.
This Christmas, Preeta’s festive menu promises to wow with its blend of tradition and innovation.
Her flourless hazelnut black forest cake is a head turner with whipped earl grey dark chocolate ganache topped with homemade cherry compote. It’s gluten-free but truly indulgent.
For something boozy and bold, try her eye-catching lemon and gin tart featuring gin and tonic jello infused with rosemary and dried rose petals. Now that will surely wow your guests.
No Christmas table is complete without fruitcake and Preeta’s version, a recipe from her late grandmother, is made with semolina and aged for over four months, making it rich and moist.
Other highlights include her Christmas gâteau Basque. “It’s a rich buttery French tart filled with pastry cream and brandy-soaked vine fruit jam instead of the traditional cherry filling,” she said.
And her chestnut roll cake – featuring a light sponge, chestnut paste, dark rum mousse, and whipped vanilla cream – makes a welcome return to the menu.
Her signature cookies, which sparked her love for baking, are up for grabs this Christmas. Unique versions include a Parmesan and cayenne pepper sable which is a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread.
These specialties, along with bottled homemade mulled wine, and other unique treats like Austrian pastry Linzer Torte round out her impressive Christmas offerings.
“What I love most is coming up with new creations, making people try them, and seeing their happiness when they enjoy my food,” she said.
With a menu that’s equal parts inventive and nostalgic, “Sucree by Preeta” promises to bring an unforgettable touch to this year’s Christmas celebrations.
Check out the ‘Sucree by Preeta’ website or follow it on Instagram. For a look at Preeta’s Christmas menu, click here.