BakeBe's Make Your Own Cake in Dessert Museum - Review
If you are looking for a recreational activity over the weekend or anything that you can bond over with a friend or family, you may want to consider getting a session in BakeBe. Located in the Dessert Museum in S Maison, BakeBe is a DIY dessert workshop where you get to bake your own cake, cupcakes or cookies.
How did I end up in BakeBe?
My friend always wanted to try baking, and when she learned about BakeBe, she immediately messaged me up and scheduled a session for us. BakeBe has a website wherein you can book a session and choose which specific pastry you want to bake. One session may range from P1,200 to P2,500 depending on your selected item. Cookies and cupcakes normally are at about P1,200+ per person, and cakes averages at about P2,000+ per person.
What happens in BakeBe?
The process is pretty much straightforward here in BakeBe. As you enter the work room, a staff will be touring you around the place, and introduce you to the different sections of the room. He will begin with the ingredients section, which is subdivided into two: (1) the frozen/chilled ones and the (2) dry ingredients. Since you are the one who will be getting the ingredients yourself (i.e. self-service), there are weighing scales and bowls for you to use.
The staff will then proceed to the tool section where the baking essentials are found such as the tray, spatula, knives and etc. The third area would be the mixing section where you will find the KitchenAid. This is then followed by the baking area where you will find the microwave, and the baking oven. The brief tour will end in your work area where you can begin getting messy with your chosen pastry.
An iPad, where a guided instruction will be playing, will also be provided for each baker. It basically contains the step-by-step illustration, supported with a video guide, on how to proceed with the recipe.
Is DIY via BakeBe better than enrolling in a baking class?
Definitely not. I previously got to experience four sessions of baking class in Enderun before (read more about it here: Learn How to Bake Pastries in Enderun Extension, Taguig), so I couldn't help but to compare.
In a baking class, there is a chef who would facilitate and assist you along the process, and they will provide lots of insights as they talk more about the ingredients, the recipe and the procedures. Given that the chef is very hands-on as you bake a recipe, the final product often comes out really great and of restaurant-quality. Hence, when I compared this with the type of cake that we came up with during our session with BakeBe, the difference in the taste and quality became very apparent.
With this, if you are more serious about learning the basics and you have the intention to start a journey with baking, I suggest that you go for a relatively more formal baking class. Of course, if this is just going to be a one-time thing, BakeBe will be a smarter and more affordable option for you to take.
Is BakeBe beginner friendly?
Generally speaking, yes. The guided video instructions are easy to follow, and you basically have to just repeat or imitate what is being shown. The great thing about BakeBe is that the staff is friendly enough to approach, and they will be happy to assist you if ever you get stuck in any of the procedures. This makes it generally beginner-friendly.
Why do I have some reservations about it being beginner-friendly?
I personally feel that if you have previous baking experience you would benefit more here in BakeBe. I'm saying this because you have the liberty to tweak the recipe and introduce slight variations here in this workshop. This further means that you can add more chocolate if you are the type of person who is chocoholic. You may also increase or decrease the level of sweetness by changing the sugar volume.
The overall experience was really fun and exciting, and I can personally say that it is a great bonding experience because you get to feel stupid with your friends or family together. Whenever someone seems to get it wrong, it instantly becomes a laughing matter and that's what makes it really fun and exciting. Baking a fine and delicious product will just be a bonus (if you manage to achieve it), because at the end of the day it is going to be the shared moments that is going to be deliciously memorable.
I searched it up, and apparently there are two branches of BakeBe. One is in Dessert Museum (the one featured in this post), and the other is in SM Aura.