Chef Mynhardt Joubert is giving his celebrated annual festive fruit cakes a bold new expression, transforming each cake into a complete gifting experience in which the wrapping is an act of generosity in itself.
The new collection presents Mynhardt’s luxury festive cakes in an exuberant visual world best described as ‘Boere-Baroque’ with an Afri-French flourish. Layered botanicals, decorative florals, birds, ribbons and theatrical details draw on his love of travel, European patisserie and beautiful objects while remaining firmly rooted in a distinctly South African sense of abundance.
“The way a gift is presented tells someone that a lot of love and care have gone into choosing it,” says Mynhardt. “I wanted the wrapping to carry the same generosity as the cake inside. It should create a moment before the ribbon is untied or the first slice is served. Presentation is so important.”
Over the years, the cakes have become known for their lavish use of luxury green figs, whole glacé cherries, and blanched nuts – and of course, generously drenched in the Cape’s finest brandy. The result is a fruitcake conceived as a luxury festive gift. deserving of the same sense of occasion usually reserved for beautifully boxed panettone, panforte and artisanal stollen.
Created in collaboration with a group of respected creatives, the collection turns the familiar festive fruit cake into something collectable, decorative and designed to take pride of place beneath the tree or at the centre of a celebration.
A new tiered offering will allow customers to scale their gifting according to the desired level of indulgence. Every cake will retain the luxurious character for which Mynhardt’s festive releases are known, with options ranging from beautifully presented seasonal gestures to elaborate statement gifts for family, hosts, clients and collectors:
- Miss Classic is the enduring favourite: traditional at heart, generously made and wrapped with an old-fashioned sense of occasion. She believes raisins deserve respect, brandy is a love language and nobody should skimp on proper butter.
- Miss Lux is the collection’s most extravagant expression. Rich, glamorous and unapologetically extra, she is filled with decadent green figs and designed to make a suitably luxurious statement.
- Miss Cracker is the smaller, playful member of the collection. Sweet, cheeky and impossible not to love, she is made for festive tables, thoughtful gestures and occasions that call for a little something special.
One of South Africa’s best-loved chefs, Mynhardt is known for his generous approach to cooking and his imaginative interpretations of old favourites. His festive cakes have developed a loyal following over the years, with previous limited batches selling out within weeks.
This new chapter preserves the pleasure and nostalgia of the annual cake tradition while presenting it through a more design-led, theatrical and distinctly Mynhardt lens.
The limited collection opens for pre-orders today through: cake@mynhardt.co.za with prices ranging from R500 to R850.
Visit www.mynhardt.co.za