The Mambali family is known for their Christmas cakes.     image=google


In 1883, a Scottish businessman named Murdoch Brown went to the Royal Biscuit Factory in the southern Indian state of Kerala. He asked the proprietor, Mambali Bapu if he'd make him a Christmas cutlet. 

 

 Scottish merchandisers with a giant cinnamon colony in the Malabar region of the coastal state brought a cutlet from Britain as a sample. He told Bapu how it would be made.

Appu knew how to make bread and biscuits, a skill he learned in a biscuit factory in Burma (present-day Myanmar), but he never made a cake. But they decided to try it according to Brown's instructions and made some changes to the recipe.

But Bapu added locally made cashew and apple liqueur to the cake batter, while Brown suggested adding brandy and bringing in brandy from a nearby French settlement.

And the result of Bapu's recipe was a unique cake made entirely from local ingredients.


When Brown tasted it, he was so pleased to order another dozen.

The Mambali family's Royal Biscuit Factory was visited by Murdoch Brown 140 years ago.


"This is how the first Christmas cake was made in India," says Prakash Mambila, great-grandson of Bapu's nephew.

Although no official documents prove this story, the bakery started by Mambali Bapu is located in present-day Thalassery. It is part of the legends associated with Christmas in India.


Bapu's fourth generation is proud of his legacy.

"Bapu introduced Indians to the British taste," says Rakash Mambali. They also exported cakes and sweets for the soldiers during the First World War.


The Mumbai family later opened several shops under different names, which have become favorite places for cake lovers.

The family's old bakery still exists in Thalassery, run by Prakash Mumbai. His grandfather Gopal Mambali inherited the bakery from his maternal grandmother's family. This was the tradition of inheritance in Kerala at that time. The Mambila family inherited their famous Christmas cake recipe from their great-grandfather.\Gopal Mambali had 11 children, and all grew up and joined the family business.


This small shop, which has been present since its establishment in Thalassery, has shifted to a prominent nearby location.


"But we still use traditional methods to maintain the quality of our cakes," Mambali, now in his sixties, told the BBC.

However, this family has also tried new flavors in their cakes over time.


"Now we make more than two dozen varieties according to the needs of our customers," he says.


His wife, Lizzy Prakash, says that most of his orders come from other Indian cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata.

It is not surprising that Kerala has emerged as a significant hub for Christmas cakes, with the Christian community accounting for 18 percent of the state's 33 million population. The state is full of small bakeries and cafes famous for their sweets.


In January 2020, the state's Bakers Association set the Guinness World Record for the world's longest cake with a 5.3 km (3.2 mi) long cake, beating China's record of 3.2 km.

After two years of muted celebrations due to the Covid pandemic, Christmas preparations are in full swing in the state this time.

In 1883, Mambali Bapu was asked by a Scot to make the first Christmas cake. image=google


At Mumbly Bakery, preparations for making the cake started in November, and the cake ingredients were soaked in wine.


These cakes were made in the third week of December.

"Youngsters generally prefer fresh cream cakes, although they can be kept for a short time, but they are in high demand this season," said Prakash Mambali.


They say cake sales begin the first weekend of Christmas and continue through New Year's.