By Leigh O’Connor.
Step into a world where buttercream meets imagination in Mali Bakes, a captivating baking book by Melbourne pastry artist Patti Chimkire. Known for her playful, retro-inspired creations at her beloved cake studio, Patti brings her signature style to print, offering readers not just recipes, but an invitation to create edible art that bursts with both nostalgia and contemporary flair.
From the very first page, Mali Bakes feels like an open door to a cheerful, sugar-dusted wonderland. The book’s tone is as warm and welcoming as Patti’s cakes themselves. It begins with accessible recipes - gentle introductions to the craft that help new bakers find their footing.
Classics like the apple and yuzu upside-down cake and Thai tea chiffon cake bring a refreshing twist to familiar forms, reflecting Patti’s Thai heritage and her eye for flavour balance. These early recipes invite readers to enjoy the simple joy of mixing, baking and tasting - an ideal starting point for those who are new to baking or returning to it with renewed enthusiasm.
As the book progresses, so too does the complexity. Patti encourages her readers to level up with elegant layer cakes that showcase her inventive flavour pairings - buttermilk vanilla cake with brown butter custard, pistachio cake with cardamom-roasted rhubarb and more.
Each combination feels thoughtfully composed, weaving together traditional techniques and imaginative updates. What stands out throughout is Patti’s emphasis on texture and colour - her cakes are as much about visual storytelling as they are about taste.
Mali Bakes is far more than a collection of recipes. It’s a hands-on masterclass in decorating, guiding readers through the techniques that define Patti’s distinctive style. Her explanations of buttercream piping, layering and finishing touches are clear and encouraging, never intimidating.
Even the most elaborate designs feel achievable under her patient instruction. The book’s 15 step-by-step decorating projects range from charmingly simple to delightfully elaborate, giving home bakers the confidence to transform a humble cake into a true centrepiece -perfect for birthdays, weddings, or any day that calls for celebration.
What makes Mali Bakes truly special is its heart. Patti’s story - beginning as a lockdown side project and blossoming into one of Melbourne’s most adored bake studios - imbues every page with authenticity. Her passion for colour, joy and creativity is infectious. Inspired by vintage 1970s cake books, she reinvents retro aesthetics with a modern palette - pastel swirls, bold piping and whimsical textures - all while maintaining a strong grounding in flavour and technique. Her cakes are, quite literally, art you can eat.
Visually, the book is stunning. Each photograph feels like a celebration of life’s sweet moments - sun-kissed, vibrant and lovingly styled. The layout mirrors Patti’s design philosophy: joyful yet elegant, detailed but never cluttered.
In the end, Mali Bakes isn’t just a baking guide - it’s an expression of happiness through sugar and colour. Patti Chimkire proves that cakes don’t need to be serious to be spectacular. With every swirl of buttercream and every sprinkle of joy, this book reminds us that baking is, above all, an act of play, creativity and love.
Here are three recipes to recreate at home:
There’s something deeply comforting about Thaiu tea – its bold aroma, gentle warmth and the way its spiced notes linger long after the last sip. Brewed from black tea leaves infused with cardamom, tamarind and star anise, then swirled with sweetened condensed milk, it captures the essence of bustling Bangkok.
Light, yet luscious, and sandwiched with salted coconut-infused cream and sun-kissed mango, this cloud-like pandan chiffon cake is made for long, lazy afternoons where laughter drifts through the air and plates are left empty in no time.
What better way to end a dinner party than with a dessert that whispers of coffee and caramel? Inspired by the classic Filipino leche flan, this cake is a tribute to Patti’s partner Luke and his love for Vietnamese coffee. It has a silky coffee-kissed flan and a layer of fluffy vanilla sponge that soaks up the flan’s excess caramel.
