Pune-based baker creates royal icing structures, makes world record

Prachi Dhabal Deb, an Indian-origin baker from Pune, was inducted into the World Book of Records in London for producing a 100-kilogram vegan edible royal icing structure of the Milan Cathedral.

Prachi’s newest achievement was her accreditation as an excellent royal icing artist by the World Book of Records, London. She is a master in baking artisanal cakes and personalised theme cakes. The praise is for her towering 100 kilograms of vegan royal icing edible construction, which is a majestic recreation of Milan Cathedral, a monument whose regality gives a perfect blend of beauty and aesthetics.

Speaking about her feat, Prachi said to ANI, “There has been a lot of effort over years that I had put toward my work. I feel grateful for the outcome received from the industry that is warm and appreciative. The World Book Of Records, London, having certified the same in such a dignified manner has been an achievement that has been beyond my dreams and goals. I feel so grateful for this unique and coveted honour and feel elated at heart to have received it.” Explaining more about the achievement, she says, “The planning and preparation took a lot of time as it needed about 1,500 pieces to demonstrate the Cathedral, and I single-handedly piped every piece, and later, assembling those pieces took about a month. Getting every aspect of this Cathedral structure right was surely a challenge, but I thoroughly enjoyed creating it.”

The monumental structure measures 6 feet 4 inches in length, 4 feet 6 inches in height and 3 feet 10 inches in width and approximately 100 kilograms in weight. Typically, the traditional recipe for royal icing has eggs; but to make it ideal for the Indian market, Prachi developed an egg-free and vegan product of royal icing (Vegan Royal Icing). Taking inspiration from the artistic elements around the world, Prachi incorporates these in her cake designs. “It has been 10 years since I have been working in this industry and I always wanted to celebrate this milestone. So, I decided to create this unique structure with royal icing. I have always been fascinated with the beauty and elegance of Victorian and European architecture, and the grandeur of these monuments is spellbinding. I love to recreate these with my cakes,” she added.

Prachi’s parents are from Dehradun and she is married to an IT professional working in Pune but has roots in the royal family of the erstwhile Dhalbhum estate in West Bengal.

(With inputs from ANI)