The lady loves to dream up designs and then see them come to life. The tools of her trade are fondant, food coloring, and fine sculpting tools. She is Jane of Auntie Jane Bakery fame.
Now in her Shunyi location for nearly five years, Auntie Jane’s passion for producing pastries and cute character cakes began when she was living in the United States over 20 years ago. She enrolled in baking lessons with a fellow Taiwanese living in California. She enjoyed working with him so much that, when she decided to set up her bakery in Beijing, she knew she wanted him to come on board. And so, despite not having been in touch for nearly 15 years, the two started collaborating again – this time with Jane at the helm.
Prior to having her own shop, Jane honed her skills in making fondant via classes at the Wilton School. She picked up more baking tips and tricks by attending further classes in Chicago and the UK.
Jane is very hands-on in running the bakery, as well as its sister Taiwanese restaurant next door, Yammy. She supervises everything from menu and kitchen to pastry workshops, client relations, handling inspections, and meeting China’s strict quality standards for her new line of packaged food. But her favorite part in all this remains using her own hands to create her signature cakes.
Her most recent cake, a labor of love, was for her daughter’s graduation from Dulwich last week. Just as she did when her son graduated from the same school, Jane surprised her daughter’s classmates with a special cake. Her daughter Jacqueline, the youngest of her children and herself an artist, helped her mom conceptualize the design.
It featured all 92 graduates, topped with a little fondant lollipop head. Each student had a name card and distinguishing features like hair color and eye shape. It was a well-received present from one proud mom to her daughter’s class.
Jane is happy to sit with clients to discuss their ideas for a dream cake. Whether it’s for a birthday party or another event, she will try her best to give you what you want. Past projects have varied from a dragon boat cake for a school principal to character cakes for a little girl’s birthday party and a wedding cake that the scene of the couple’s engagement (complete with a miniature 4×4 vehicle by the edge of a lake). Jane has done nearly every imaginable design and is looking forward to doing more.
Plan to see Jane a month before your event and you can work with her at having your dream cake come to life too.
Auntie Jane’s Bakery 北京安缇婕恩烘焙工坊
Price dependent on design and size, express orders (5 days before event) will be subject to a surcharge. Daily 9am-10pm. 5 Tianzhu Huayuan, Tianyun Plaza, Shunyi District (6458 1368 , 6458 1968 , 1380 136 3500, janehsiao@yahoo.com) 顺义区天竺花园天韵广场5号
Photos courtesy of Dulwich College Beijing
Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.