Bakes by Fira, Ten Years Later

For our interview article this time, we sat down with Aishath Firasha (Fira), owner and baker of Bakes by Fira.

Catching up after her first interview with Lonumedhu, we chat all about her decade-long baking journey, her famous kanamadhu cake (and other products), and what it’s like to run a home-based food business.

 

Lonumedhu: It’s been almost ten years since our last interview with you and Bakes by Fira is still going strong. How has the business grown over the years?

Fira: It’s actually been quite surreal to realise that Bakes by Fira has been here for more than ten years!

My kanamadhu (sea almond) cake is actually where everything started. Over these past few years, I’ve explored different ways of using kanamadhu and now offer a lot of new products made with it. I've also grown a lot creatively, particularly with my pointillism buttercream artwork that I do on cakes.

I’ve always wanted the Bakes by Fira business to grow quite organically. I’ve never wanted to rush the process. I like taking my time to experiment, learn, and perfect products before introducing them to customers. For me, growth isn't just about having more products. It's about becoming better at what I do and creating things that feel more and more like me.

 

Lonumedhu: Tell us about the new products you’ve introduced over the past ten years!

Fira: I’ve experimented and really incorporated kanamadhu into a lot of different things over the years. In addition to my kanamadhu cake, I also make kanamadhu brownies, cookies, blondies, toffee, babka, pretzels, tarts and even kashikeyo (screwpine) crepe rolls with kanamadhu filling.

Other than kanamadhu products, I make decorative cakes – Lindt cake, Toblerone cake, buttercream cakes with my pointillism artwork – brownies and éclairs. I’ve recently introduced a kashikeyo éclair, which was very well received by customers! 

I also make custom cakes for customers with dietary requirements on request – like gluten-free or dairy-free versions of my cakes – provided that the order is given ahead. It’s very important to me to always try to keep that option open for customers, because I want everyone to enjoy the food that I make.

 

Lonumedhu: How do you come up with new products? What’s your recipe process like?

Fira: I love experimenting with different things and I get really excited about taking something familiar and finding a new way to present it. And I always try to bring my own touch into everything I do.

Usually, when I try something new, I think about how I can change certain aspects and recreate something new inspired by it. It kind of gets stuck in my head and I experiment with different ingredients to kind of try to recreate something new. And of course, there are plenty of times where it doesn’t work. Sometimes I fail quite badly, haha. But my thing is that I don’t give up. I’ll keep trying until I make something similar to what I had in mind and I get a final product that I’m happy with.

I also draw inspiration from food that I enjoyed during my childhood. For example, the dhiyaa hakuru (coconut honey) filling in my kanamadhu chocolate tarts, that was one of my favourite things to eat growing up. My grandmother would make huni roshi (coconut flatbread) on weekends and I loved to eat it with dhiyaa hakuru (normally it’s eaten with the Maldivian fish paste, rihaakuru). For certain things, it’s really all about trying to recreate that nostalgic feeling again.

 

Lonumedhu: How do you make sure that the taste and quality of your products remain consistent?

Fira: The main thing is the ingredients; I check every ingredient and I don’t ever compromise on the quality. For example, for my kanamadhu products, I check each kanamadhu by hand to make sure that a bad tasting one doesn’t make its way into a batch – if you get even one bad one, then it will completely ruin the taste of the cake.

Also, I still make sure to pay attention to each and every one of my products, even after they become a part of my menu. I spend a lot of time testing and adjusting recipes and choosing the best ingredients, regardless of the easier or the cheaper option. It’s really important to me to make sure that every customer who orders from Bakes by Fira knows that they are going to get the same level of quality and taste every time they come back.

 

Lonumedhu: What’s the most challenging part about running a home-based baking business?

Fira: My home is my workplace, so sometimes the hardest part is to switch off. People see the finished products, but they don’t really see all the work that goes on behind the scenes. That includes the planning, shopping, preparing ingredients, baking, marketing, packaging, cleaning, organising orders – it’s a one-woman show and all done from inside my own home kitchen. And doing it all while raising my family and managing the house itself, it’s really hard sometimes. There are days where I’m mentally and physically exhausted, but I believe that when you genuinely care about what you do, you find a way to keep going. And the feedback I receive from customers and seeing them enjoy something that I’ve made really makes it all worth it. 

Lonumedhu: What has been your proudest moment with Bakes by Fira so far?

Fira: I think the fact that it has made it to ten years is probably what I’m most proud of. It all started with one kanamadhu cake, which I made for my friends and family, and somehow, a decade later, Bakes by Fira is still going strong. Alhamdhulillah. I still have the same customers who have been with me for years, and that means a lot to me.

Very recently, the famous Indian celebrity, Milind Soman, who is a fan of my baking, left a public comment on my Instagram page, which was also a huge thing for me.

I’m also really proud of the opportunities that this platform has given me. I’ve gotten a lot of recognition from people, and I’ve been able to contribute to the community through my work. Something that I’m really proud of is the healthy eating sessions for young people that I did with ARC Maldives in K. Huraa and K. Dhiffushi. Seeing how interested the kids were and their enthusiasm really made it worth it, and I look forward to doing more community outreach like this.

But ultimately, it’s the journey of these ten years that I’m most proud of; starting with one cake and expanding my product line thoughtfully while staying true to my own style and ethics. And seeing Bakes by Fira become something that people associate with my own creations, I think that’s the biggest achievement.

 

Lonumedhu: If you weren't baking, what do you think you'd be doing?

Fira: I was a banker before I was a baker, haha. But I think, if I wasn’t baking, I’d still do something creative. I’ve always enjoyed creating things, so even if it wasn’t baking, I’d probably find another way to create.

Lonumedhu: What's your advice for aspiring home bakers who want to start their own business journey?

Fira: Start with what you genuinely love to do, because when you love what you do, you will look for better ways to do things and improve yourself too. Always remember that you won’t be successful overnight. One of the biggest things that I’ve learnt over the past ten years is that it’s okay to grow slowly, make mistakes and learn from them.

Also, you don’t have to copy anyone else to have a successful business. Don’t be afraid to have your own style. Find something that makes your work your own. It does take time to build trust but once customers start trusting your products, that will become one of the most valuable things you can have in your business.

Lonumedhu: What’s next for Bakes by Fira?

Fira: I want the Bakes by Fira brand to evolve intentionally and meaningfully while keeping my own personal touch to it. And for it to remain authentic to who I am and what I am doing.

I don’t want to rush into becoming something huge and I don’t want to grow for the sake of growth. So, I’m still experimenting, developing new products and exploring new creative ways at my own pace, which is what I want to continue doing.

 

Lonumedhu: Is there anything else that you want to add before we end the interview?

Fira: I think I’d just like to take a moment to appreciate the people who have been a part of this journey with me. My family and friends were the ones who encouraged me to start in the first place, and their support has meant a lot over the years.

And then there are the customers who chose to support Bakes by Fira, especially those who have been with me from the very beginning and continue to come back. A small business really grows through people, and I’m very grateful for that.

Ten years later, I still feel very lucky that something that started so simply has become such a meaningful part of my life. I’m grateful for everyone who has supported the journey and allowed me to keep doing what I love. 

 

Lonumedhu: Thank you so much for your time, Fira. It was lovely to chat with you and we wish you all the best!