KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — It’s 11am and already there’s a queue of ladies waiting patiently for their cakes at The Hyacinth Cafe. The spanking new cafe at the Saville at Melawati apartments is opened by Haqyani Othman or Kak Yani as she is more fondly known.
But to the 113,000 people who follow her on Instagram, Yani is quite simply the Kitchen Guardian. A lawyer by training (and once profession), she took up baking after she saw cupcakes on her friend’s Facebook page.
Since then, the self-taught baker has not only made a name for herself with her delicious cake offerings but she is also a much sought-after teacher.
In 2013, she opened her cake studio in a house at Taman Melawati where she taught classes to aspiring bakers. She also holds classes in Jakarta and Singapore.
Recognising a need for a more professional space with more students coming for classes from abroad, she decided to shift to a commercial area. As her cakes were only available by order, she also wanted to have a take-away area for slices of cakes. She had envisioned just a small space with say two to three tables.
But right from the get-go (when they opened their doors last year), the response has been nothing short of overwhelming. The small space is constantly filled with customers enjoying her baked goods. These have included faithful followers from her Instagram account, fellow bakers or just plain fans of her cakes.
Some even travel from as far as Nilai, Seremban and Puchong for their cake fix. Even though Yani is slightly swamped (sometimes they are sold out by 1pm!), she’s happy as her objective to sell slices of her cakes has been met.
She adds, “I couldn’t be happier with it.” Meanwhile, keeping up with the demand remains a daily challenge! For those who don’t want to be disappointed, it is best to check Hyacinth Cafe’s Instagram account before heading out to the place.
Her baking studio has also kicked off classes; she conducts them from Mondays to Wednesdays. Currently her schedule is booked up to the end of February with private classes.
But why hyacinth for the name of the cafe? The story behind it is a lovely one and goes back to when Yani was studying for her law degree in England. One Easter break, she was invited to her friend Toby’s home in Gloucestershire.
That visit opened up new experiences for her... like baking her first fruit crumble. There were also long walks on the fringe of Highgrove House, the private residence of Prince Charles, where they caught trout for their dinner. Hyacinths were also in bloom then and that memory inspired her to name her cafe after those delicate flowers.
The selection of baked goods available at the cafe is a reflection of her own tastes. “I bake what I like or what my husband likes.” Favourites include her Salted Caramel Ganache Chocolate Cake, Pandan Gula Melaka Cake and Devil’s Food Cake.
The classic Victoria Sandwich uses a silky Swiss-style buttercream and berry compote to complement the cake. If you love the taste of Horlicks, you won’t be able to stop eating the Vanilla Malt Cake.
For savoury items, there is a selection of quiches and chicken pot pies to choose from. You can also have Nutella Tart or the superb Yuzu Lemon Cream Tart.
Be assured that all of their cakes are incredibly fresh as Yani does not serve any leftover cake (not that there are any!). Most of the cakes are of the softer, fluffier chiffon kind so their sliced cakes are served flat on a plate.
Occasionally, she will introduce new items like croissants, cinnamon rolls, Earl Grey Lavender Cake, Butterscotch Pecan Cake... and the list goes on. Later she hopes to make the croissants a permanent item once she hires a pastry chef.
And as you dig into Yani’s Rose Pistachio Cake with its billowy soft texture and the subtle flavours of rose, you understand why so many people make their way here... every mouthful makes you happy!
The Hyacinth Cafe
G-3A, Saville at Melawati
2, Jalan Kolam Air, KL
Open: 11am to 4pm (Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday)
Closed on Thursday and Sunday
For updates, follow them on https://www.instagram.com/thehyacinthcafe/
