Internationally renowned cake artist Prachi Dhabal Deb’s 100 kg edible royal icing structure makes it to the World Book of Records.
Pune: Whether it is baking artisanal cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or customised theme cakes, Pune-based and internationally acclaimed cake artist Prachi Dhabal Deb invariably hits the bull’s-eye. A cake artist par excellence, Prachi’s winning stroke is her mastery over the intricate art of royal icing, which she has learnt in the United Kingdom, under the tutelage of the world-renowned cake icon Sir Eddie Spence MBE.
Prachi’s latest feat has been her recognition as an exemplary royal icing artist by the World Book of Records. The acclaim is for her towering 100 kg vegan royal icing edible structure that has been a majestic recreation of the grand Milan Cathedral, a monument whose regality offers a perfect blend of beauty and aesthetics.
Speaking about her feat, Prachi, who is in her mid-30s, said, “There has been a lot of effort over years that I had put towards my work. I feel so grateful that the outcome has been received by the industry so warmly and appreciatively throughout. 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. 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), in association with an Indian company-Sugarin. The product is available in India, as well across the globe.
Her work is crisp and precise, with a keen eye for detailing. She has mastered the art of creating royal-looking, luxurious bakes, which are regal in their appeal and delicious in taste. She has often been christened as “the queen of royal icing,” and her designs justify the moniker.
Taking inspiration from the artistic elements around the world, Prachi incorporates these in her cake designs. “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 elucidates.
Being titled as one of the top royal icing artists in India is no mean job, given that the medium is rather difficult to work with, and is regarded to be fragile. Royal icing is highly prestigious and has been used for decorating cakes for the British royal family. However, this delicate art requires a high amount of patience and skills and finds very limited commercial success worldwide and it is one of her ambitions and goals to promote this art and keep this medium alive for its artistic and historical significance.
But for Prachi, learning is a life-long process, and she’s always at it, “As an artist, it is of utmost importance that I keep trying and experimenting with the royal icing medium. It helps me grow and evolve. Back in 2014, I attempted my first 3-4 inches tall edible royal icing gazebo, and kept on further honing my skills and attempted various structures, for instance, a 3.9 feet royal icing structure that I created in 2020. With the Milan Cathedral, this year, I ended up creating something much bigger, and got recognised and praised for it.”
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.
On her plans, she informed, “I want to keep exploring new techniques and elements to keep honing my skills and artistry. Promoting royal icing art and helping in building more presence of this medium in the cake and baking industry is one of my main ambitions. On the entrepreneurial side, I have a plan to diversify my products.”
