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Originally published by Ching Yuen. Last updated by Alisa Chau.
Pulling a freshly baked cake or a loaf of bread out of the oven is great and all, but honestly, all the effort you need to put into sourcing ingredients and washing all the equipment afterwards is almost enough to discourage us from the act of baking altogether!
That being said, we’re not quitters, and with our work-smart-not-hard attitude, our laziness has propelled us into searching for the best baking studios in Hong Kong where you can experience all the fun of baking and none of the hassle and clean-up. You’re very welcome!
Not only is Bakebe the most aesthetic studio in town, but it also teaches you to create confections with a unique, user-friendly app, guiding budding bakers through a project from start to finish with detailed instructions, graphics, videos, and a step-by-step guide.
If you haven’t heard, co-baking is the newest frenzy, and it’s honestly such a smart concept. Since you already have an app that leads you through the baking process, different groups of people can show up to the studio at different times and just do their own (baking) thing in their designated space without feeling limited. Of course, there will be specialists on hand if you’re ever struggling but the experience is also much more personal.
Try your hand at creating their signature offering, the Atlantis Gem ($590), a passionfruit cake crowned with a candied mermaid tail on top and lychee cream that mimics ocean waves, and be sure to snap loads of photos of their charming décor before calling it a day!
We all know the term “BYOB” but what about BYO? BYO stands for Bake Your Own, and this cake studio leans on the co-baking concept as well. Book your slot online and choose your baking project of the day, whether its cheesecake or macarons.
When you arrive, you are armed with your own iPad for the day with a step-by-step video tutorial to follow. It’s a great bonding activity for friends and family, but people also rent out the venue for team building events, product launches, bridal showers, and corporate events!
We had a go at the five-inch double-layered cheesecake ($490), a creation so fail-proof that even fools like us could master it. They also launched the pet cake series (starting from $320) at their Megabox and Yuen Long branches, which uses pet-friendly ingredients such as pumpkin, flour, eggs, vegetable oil, potatoes, cream cheese, and dog biscuits for you to share the joy of baking with your furry friends at home.
Home Baking Day is another co-baking concept that migrated from Taiwan, famous for their pineapple puff ($400) made in the shape of the adorable yellow tropical fruit itself. Their recipes are all tried and tested and pretty much fail-proof, guaranteeing you will have something nice to bring home.
You also don’t have to worry about running out of ingredients and going to the supermarket because everything you could possibly need for baking is stocked in the studio. And the best part? You just have to put all your used equipment in a designated area and they will help you do the washing up.
Who knows when the deep, burning desire for baking will consume you? Early mornings? Late afternoon? In the wee hours of the night? You won’t have to worry about limiting your sweet obsession to certain hours of the day at Bake It Easy—it’s open around the clock!
This uncomplicated baking studio boasts a similar concept to other co-baking spaces wherein you are assigned your own tablet with video tutorials and step-by-step guides to your projects. Don’t expect flowery walls and pink tables here; Bake It Easy is decked out in a simple and minimalist design that will make you feel comfortable and at ease regardless of what time of the day you are working on your baking project.
Bake It Easy, Shop 607, New Treasure Centre, 10 Ng Fong Street, San Po Kong | (+852) 6732 5740
Note: Bake It Easy may be temporarily closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Known for their beautiful bespoke buttercream cakes, Lazy Baking Studio offers small-group workshops for those who are interested in learning the art of crafting confections. Instructors carefully guide students on how to bake, layer, and cream a cake. For the finishing touch, participants get to decorate their own creations with edible glitters, gold foils, and sugar gemstones.
Try your hand at the new cake trend sweeping the globe, the Fault Line cake (starting from $1,080), or stick to the classic pastel buttercream cake (starting from $880) for starters. As part of your baking lesson, the teachers will also serve homemade madeleines and tea in class, so you know a good time is guaranteed.
Lazy Baking Studio, 14 Hing Yip Street, Kwun Tong | (+852) 9067 7056
Note: Lazy Baking Studio may be temporarily closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Offering a range of cooking and baking classes for both adults and children, The Mixing Bowl takes you back to basics and equips you with the tools for making baked goods at home anytime you want. Using simple ingredients and processes, kids’ classes also provide a great learning opportunity, giving little ones the chance to divide, weigh, and (when they get to taste the fruits of their labour) conquer.
Intro to breadmaking ($600) is a good class to start with that lets you master kaiser rolls and soda bread. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, you can try the Scandinavian baking class ($600) that will teach you how to make cardamom knots and spicy honey cupcakes. There are also several classes specialising in gluten-free and vegan dishes, as well as other specific dietary needs.
The Mixing Bowl, 23/F, The Pemberton, 22–26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, (+852) 2524 0001
Macarons are quite hard to make on your own but thank goodness Little Miss Macarons is here to help you nail them down. This charming little studio offers macarons gift boxes and macaron towers for retail as well as for events, but they also do bespoke macaron cakes for special occasions—and now you can learn how to in their workshops as well.
Next to all the baking that you will be doing, you can also practice your handwriting and decorating skills on the petite macaron wheels.
Little Miss Macarons Workshop, Unit 819, Block A, Hoi Luen Industrial Centre, 55 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong | (+852) 9087 8812
ABC Cooking Studio might be the most popular cooking studio in Hong Kong—just the sheer number of overseas branches they have will level up their credibility. If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of baking, ABC Cooking Studio offers a number of trial lessons that are perfect for beginners.
For those ready to commit, the cooking courses lead you through the basics and help you on your way to becoming a master baker, the likes of which will rival Paul Hollywood. With a focus on teaching, classes sizes are limited, and each group boasts a student-to-teacher ratio of four to one. You can purchase a bundle of classes and see what different dessert courses they are offering each month.
Extravagant wedding cakes, custom cupcakes, and dessert corners are the highlights of what you can find at Complete Deelite, but this longstanding Hong Kong baking studio also offers a wide range of baking classes and workshops.
Choose from adult courses, kids’ classes, or parent-child workshops for some quality bonding time, or sign up for a PME-certified course to polish your cake-making skills. The options are endless, and Jacinta Yu, the founder of Complete Deelite, takes full advantage of her specialised courses to share her love for teaching.
Complete Deelite, 3/F, On Lan Centre, 11–15 On Lan Street, Central | (+852) 3167 7022
Having lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and London sure is a fun fact whenever people try to guess Ching’s accent. She loves switching between all these language channels and her “mother tongue” is just determined by how many drinks she’s had for the night! She loves movies, travelling, and exploring cities, from hidden alleys to gourmet dining, so feel free to hit her up if you need any suggestions for dinner!
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