The man. The moment. The milestone.
Virat Kohli celebrated his 35th birthday with a record-equalling 49th ODI century, when playing against South Africa, at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on November 5. The iconic knock deserved nothing less than a cake for the birthday boy from Kookie Jar, the city’s iconic confectionery, which too, has been hitting it out of the park since 1985.
This “chocolate truffle cake made special with lots of crunch” was no ordinary treat. It weighed a whopping 20 pounds and took nearly two days to craft to perfection. And achieving the exact ‘Team India blue’ was no easy feat either, requiring meticulous colour mixing. Beneath that blue marzipan lay layers of the finest chocolate truffle, made crunchy with caramelised almonds. The cherry on the cake? A figurine of the man himself, Virat Kohli, replicating his signature move when he reached his century – removing his helmet, gazing skywards, and acknowledging the cheers.
Kohli when he reached triple figures with a single off Kagiso Rabada in the 49th over Getty Images
“The team was highly charged up to do it! The figurine, wickets, bats, and the intricate details at the base demanded a great deal of effort, but it was a labour of love for our team. While making it, the match had just started, and Kohli’s impressive performance made our efforts all the more worthwhile,” said Puja Kapur, one half of the dynamic sister act behind Kookie Jar.
The inspiration for this masterpiece came from the Cricket Association of Bengal, who provided exact specifications and photographs capturing Kohli’s milestone moments throughout his career – including his hundred against Afghanistan at the Asia Cup in September last year and his celebration after leading India to a thrilling win against Pakistan in Melbourne at the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The Kookie Jar cake was cut by the cricketer after Team India’s win against South Africa.
The cake at the Eden Gardens
On Sunday, by the time South Africa was put in to bat, the cake was safely within the boundaries of Eden Gardens. “The cake was handcrafted in the factory and they had it collected from the Rawdon Street Kookie Jar store,” shared Puja. “It was almost like putting together a piece of art.”
A piece of art that deserves to be appreciated, much like Kohli’s remarkable innings.
