Many of us grew up savoring sweets for special occasions, like cakes on our birthdays or ice cream for self-treats at the end of a long day at work–it’s hard to explain, but there’s just something so endearing and euphoric about stuffing our faces with delicious desserts.
When the pandemic hit and people were forced to sit at home waiting for the situation to get better, I, like everyone else, spent too many hours scrolling down my phone; and in those scrolls, I was introduced to so many new, unheard-of dessert and pastry shops that were popping up all over the town.
Turns out many people were running towards baking to fill their suddenly-abundant free time in lockdowns. Whether it stemmed from a long-time hobby that hadn’t been touched for years or a new journey taken out of curiosity and boredom, the activity often turned into a business when the delicious baked goods were met with a hungry audience. Three years after it all started, the local online bakery scene doesn’t seem to slow down; many even have expanded into larger businesses and transformed into brick-and-mortar joints.
Here are some of our current favorite online bakeries that are worth trying:
Best Desserts You Can Find Online
The Moody Bakerr
Going with the moniker of Moodybaker, Kartika Wijaya literally depends her decision of what to bake on her mood. Like others, the home baker started the page as a visual diary of her baking journey during the pandemic and started selling her creations when those around her asked to buy. Besides her delicious baked goods that captured the attention of foodies online, her candid persona and spontaneous nature got her thousands of loyal followers, presenting customers with the exciting experience of waiting and rushing to grab a slot once it’s open without notice. Her creations, such as Mont Blanc, Lemon Meringue, and Chocolate Cake, have become the talk of the town, and once you’ve had the opportunity to taste the decadent desserts, it’s a promise that you’ll find yourself eagerly waiting for the next time she’s in the mood to bake again.
Olivia Sumichan’s Creations
Graduated from one of the most prestigious cooking schools, Le Cordon Bleu and William Angliss Institute, it’s no surprise that though Oliv Sumichan’s creation is technically ‘homemade,’ her desserts are definitely of patisserie quality. Here, you can find comfort sweet snacks like the famous ‘Tape Cracker,’ a mixture of tangy fermented cassava and custard sandwiched between sugar crackers, or the OG buttery soft baked chocolate-chip cookies. There are also more decadent dessert options, such as basque burnt cheesecakes and pies that come in a variety of flavors like Banoffees, Tiramisu, and Mango Passion fruit, as well as beautiful birthday cakes. The catch is, Oliv Sumichan’s doesn’t offer the same menu every day, so you need to regularly check her Instagram page to see the daily availability.
Dr. Deb Bakes
At first, Dr. Deb Bakes only started baking for her own exploration and never really considered selling her creations. But the delicious-looking baked goods she shared online got people asking, and now–when she has some time away from the hospital life–the doctor opens a bake sale on her Instagram page, and people would finish them off quickly. The nature of her business doesn’t have a fixed menu. Instead, customers can participate as the taster in her exploration, enjoying the unique results of Debryna’s current experiments, which often combine French-technique baked goods with local palates, like Sourdough using mutton curry (Gulai Kambing) or Canelé with lap cheong and chives, available only on a limited timeframe.
Sinless Break
The idea of Sinless Break is to provide healthy yet delicious treats for people to indulge in without feeling guilty. Their menu focuses on gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan dishes, using quality ingredients with great health benefits like flaxseed, cacao nibs, and almond/coconut flour instead of a regular ones. But healthy doesn’t mean their dessert lacks taste and richness. For instance, their Magnum Cake is a deliciously moist and rich cake bar covered with dark chocolate and hazelnut, mimicking a famous ice cream bar with a similar flavor profile. They also offer various Indonesian-inspired desserts, like Es Podeng Cake, traditional doughnuts, and Kopyor Pandan, which are all ‘guilt-free’ of refined sugars, dairy, and heavy calories.
Scones Alley
Don’t get fooled by the name because this online bakery offers more than just a plain scone. Scones Alleys specializes in Korean-style cakes and pastries, presenting simple and beautiful cakes with unique combinations of flavors. For those who appreciate straightforward flavors, options like the classic Matilda chocolate cake (with dark chocolate ganache and strawberries) or the dense and milky ‘Strawberry Milk’ is the perfect options to wow the palate. If you’re more the curious type, Scones Alley has the Oriental series that highlight combinations like ‘Sweet Potato and Cheddar’ or ’Black Sesame Injeolmi’ cake, and the Tea Series with flavors like ‘Lemon Yuzu Chamomile’ and ‘Coffee Jelly Tea’ for more fragrant and complex flavors. Besides cakes, Scones Alley really does offer delicious homemade scones with different flavorings and toppings.
Crusty Loaf
Crusty Loaf is the brainchild of Chiria Leozha, a seasoned banker who also happened to be an avid baker. Since its opening in 2020, Crusty Loaf has evolved from only quiche and canelés to the go-to for individuals who crave a properly crafted slice of pie or a wonderfully layered babka. Crusty Loaf doesn’t play much with trends in its creations, and they don’t necessarily rely on unconventional flavors to entice customers. Instead, we can depend on Crusty Loaf for guaranteed good, simple, well-made baked goods that are sure to be simple and tasty, like the classic Pecan & Dates Pie, Valrhona Chocolate Soft Cookies, and Chocolate Babka, all of which are produced with high-quality ingredients that shine through in their flavor.
Flavours By Us
Nowadays, french pastries have become much easier to find in Indonesia and even come with various unique flavors hardly found in their place of origin. If you’re looking for the boozier kind, Flavors By Us got your back. The North Jakarta-based bakery offers multiple types of desserts, from eclairs, baked croquant chou, cookies, to shokupan buns. However, their baileys-infused choux is the mainstay, combining a crisp choux pastry filled with custard and a shot of bailey stuck on top. The soft and creamy vanilla custard provides a good base for the flavors and fragrances of Baileys to stand out, creating a decadent spiked dessert for adults to enjoy. Not only choux, their bailey-infused series can also be found in other creations such as Madeliene.
Dua Nona Pastry
Starting in 2021, Dua Nona Pastry has quickly captivated bread connoisseurs with its Hokkaido Cream Buns. Dua Nona Pastry cream buns use imported Japanese flour, resulting in a fluffy and soft texture, similar to the Japanese ‘shokupan’ milk loaf, which they form into buns. The bun has a delicate texture and subtly sweet taste, with a light and fluffy interior that melts in your mouth. Split this bun, and you will find a burst of generous rich cream filling of different flavors. From classic flavors like chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla to dessert-inspired flavors like tiramisu and creme brule, these Hokkaido Cream Buns have become the regular resident of my fridge every time a craving of rich yet light, sweet bites emerged.
