Brown Sugar Treats

Diarra Wickremasinghe baked for friends and family from a young age and began Brown Sugar Treats in 2016, selling cakes, cookies and brownies. In 2017, she introduced the concept of doughnut bouquets to her business, which has now become one of her specialties. Her menu meanwhile has expanded to include deconstructed tarts, customised cakes, ice cream tacos and more.

“I always believed that food brings us closer together. In 2011 I sold cookies to make enough money to buy my mother a phone for her birthday. So I like to say that was when my business skills came into the light,” Diarra told the Sunday Times Magazine.

“What inspired me was the feeling of satisfaction I got when someone took their first bite of something I made. It warmed my heart to know that I was responsible for their smile or even a small spark of joy.”

Her grandmother was an inspiring cook, she says and though she passed away a year before Diarra was born, she feels she carries on her legacy.

Diarra operates from her home, customers placing their orders through Instagram (brown_ sugar_treats).

“My desserts and doughnuts are made to be as authentic as possible. From the way the doughnuts rise, to their shape and how they are topped and filled, I try not to manipulate them too much. Instead I give my customers a perfectly imperfect delicacy that lets them experience a taste of my home. As a ‘home’ baker, I believe that is what makes my business special,” Diarra says.