Cheesecake Republic Hereby Declares War On The Cupcake!

Aishwarya Jalan, Cheesecake Republic

One late evening as I sat at Leaping Windows Cafe sipping a much needed cup of coffee, I had a burning desire to indulge in a sugary confection. Since I have already tried all the cupcakes, I chose a curious looking Oreo De Menthe (Mint & Oreo Cheesecake). Surprised by the flavor combination I had to dig further and some nosy questions led me to Cheesecake Republic.

Cheesecake Republic is run by Goregaon based sisters, Aishwarya and Shruti Jalan. Delhi based older sister Vedija Aggarwal is Vice President, Sales with Devashree Foods, a family owned company producing dairy and bakery products. So it goes without saying that the family has an abundant supply of fresh produce and good quality raw materials.

The Squad

Shruti Jalan, Cheesecake Republic

With a little push from her big sister, Aishwarya began baking. She got formal training and charted out a plan, to introduce Cupcake Crazy Mumbai to Cheesecake. Aishwarya explains, “Mumbaikars are more familiar with Cupcakes, Cookies and Macaroons, but are a little less accustomed to Cheesecake. We know it might take time, but we want to introduce Mumbai to all things cheesecakey.”

Younger sister Shruti quit her job as an art director and graphic designer to work full time with Aishwarya. She handles the advertising and marketing for Cheesecake Republic. However, her skills as designer have found a new outlet; she is responsible for all the beautiful art work associated with the brand, such as the logo and the menu card.

The Armory
Cheesecake Republic offers a small selection of meticulously created recipes. The emphasis is on quality and it took several months of experimentation to arrive at the selection on the menu. You can choose from about twenty different flavors of baked and cold cheesecakes.

Mango Medley (Mango bits cold cheesecake)

The current hot favourite, is the Mango Medley. Loaded with luscious bits of Alphonso mango and a fresh tangy after taste, this cheesecake really is like summer on a plate. I highly recommend it! The Hazelnut Dream (chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake) is delicate and mild. It is perhaps the lightest chocolate cheesecake cake I’ve ever eaten. The filling is surprisingly smooth and is perfectly complemented by the topping of toasted nuts. The simple Baked Lemon Cheesecake is delicious, and can be had with several different toppings, Rasberry & Blueberry among others.

What really struck me is how light all their cheesecakes are, even the baked ones. Most locally available cheesecakes, drawing inspiration from the Philadelphian counterpart, are rich and heavy. What Cheesecake Republic manages to do, is adapt this dessert to suit local conditions, not just by adding local seasonal fruit but also by altering the consistency to better suit our climate. They leave you feeling full, yet not painfully stuffed.

The Zone
Currently the Jalan household kitchen doubles up as the Cheesecake Republic’s Bakery. They take home orders and deliver within the Western Suburbs and plan to expand deliveries to South Bombay soon. The only space they retail out of is the Leaping Windows Cafe at Yari Road (Andheri West).

Hazelnut Dream (Chocolate Hazelnut Cold Cheesecake)

Cheesecake Republic was just born this April so the journey has just begun. Aishwarya and Shruti are keen on growth, but are very cautious about taking their next steps; making sure they churn out memorable & well-crafted cakes, perfecting recipes & creating new ones. In their words they swear to “faithfully execute the duties of creating the most mouthwatering and irresistible cheesecakes” while slowly building a Republic of loyal Cheesecake loving citizens.

Price Range : 1 kg of any of their flavors is around Rs. 1000.

Blogger: Salonee Gadgil

Writer who takes pictures or photographer who writes, depending on the mood. Staunch hedonist with a firm belief that the world would be a better place if everyone made time for a siesta and wore flip-flops. Passionately preoccupied with food. Capoeirista. Lover of cats. Neat freak.

• 
• 
• 

more on MumbaiMag...