19/08/2026
**Why I Started Baking Differently 🧁❤️
With all the recent discussions and changes around food regulations in Maharashtra, India, particularly concerning the use of added colours and preservatives, I have been thinking a lot about **why I started my home bakery in the first place.**
As a scientist and a homebaker, I have always looked at food a little differently.
For me, baking was never just about making something beautiful, sweet and Instagram-worthy. It was about understanding **what goes into the food we eat, why we use certain ingredients, and whether we can make better choices without compromising on taste and enjoyment.**
And I want to be completely transparent about something.
**I do use food colourants.**
I am not going to pretend otherwise or market my cakes as “chemical-free.” In fact, as a researcher, I find that terminology misleading. Everything around us is made of chemicals—including the natural ingredients we eat every day.
What matters to me is **what we are using, why we are using it, and how much we are using.**
I have always been very meticulous about the quantity of added colourants in my cakes. Colour is sometimes part of the experience, especially when making celebration cakes, but **more colour does not mean better cake.** I don't believe in using excessive amounts simply to achieve an intense colour.
And this is exactly the kind of thinking I want to bring to my baking.
**Less is sometimes more. Better choices are possible. And being conscious about ingredients does not mean giving up the pleasure of eating cake.**
I am genuinely impressed by the way people in India are becoming increasingly aware of what goes into their food. And I would love to see my fellow Mauritians become more aware too.
Because **cakes and desserts CAN be made differently.**
And healthier **NEVER means worse!** ❤️
It can mean experimenting with ingredients such as:
🌾 Millet flour
🌾 Oats
🍇 Raisins and other naturally flavourful ingredients
🍫 Better-quality chocolate
🧈 Good-quality butter
🌻 Non-blended oils
…and simply being more thoughtful about the ingredients we choose.
Now, let me clarify something else.
When I say **“healthier,” I am NOT saying that my cakes will make you thinner, leaner or magically healthier!** 😄
A cake is still a cake.
What I mean is that I want to offer **more nutritious options, better-quality ingredients and a more conscious approach to baking.**
And sometimes, that means accepting that the end product may taste or look a little different from what you are accustomed to.
But different does not mean worse.
We often judge healthier or alternative foods by comparing them to what we are already used to.
**Don't.**
Appreciate them for what they are.
A millet-based cake may have a different texture.
A cake with less colour may look less intense.
A dessert made with oats may taste different.
A cake made with better-quality chocolate may have a deeper flavour.
And that is okay.
Because the objective is not to recreate exactly what we are already eating.
**The objective is to give you another choice.**
And if you are wondering whether all this is just a marketing gimmick, here's something very important to me:
**Whatever I buy as an ingredient for YOUR order is essentially the same ingredient I use in MY kitchen.**
The same oil.
The same butter.
The same flour.
The same sugar.
The same chocolate.
Even the same colourants.
Why?
Because I have demanding little customers at home too! 😄
My children are probably my most loyal customers.
The only difference?
**They get their treats for FREE! 😂❤️**
So, this is what **Cupcakes Homemade Treats** is about.
It is a home bakery for people who **care**.
People who care about the quality of what they eat.
People who care about what they give their children.
People who want to understand their food a little better.
And people who believe that making a better choice **doesn't mean sacrificing taste.**
I don't want to tell you that my cakes are “healthy” simply because I added oats or millet.
I want to be honest about what they are.
**They are treats.**
But they can also be made with more thoughtful ingredient choices.
And sometimes, that's a better place to start.
From now on, I will also be sharing a little more about some of the ingredients I use—what they are, what they can offer nutritionally, and how we can make more informed choices when it comes to the food we eat.
I'll try to do this every week… **if time allows!** 😄
So if you care about what goes into your food, if you are curious about healthier alternatives, or if you simply want to discover a different way of enjoying your favourite treats:
Like and follow Cupcakes-Homemade treats.🧁❤️
Let's learn, bake and make better choices together.
Because healthier doesn't mean boring.
Different doesn't mean worse.🥳
And better ingredients can still make an incredibly delicious cake.** ❤️
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