When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

But for this former Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) fighter air crew, when life gives you apples, make apple cakes.

Mark Lim is the owner and baker of home-based business Once Upon an Apple Cake.

As its name suggests, he specialises in apple cakes.

Lim used to be from the RSAF for 23 years before retiring to start his own interior design company.

Circuit breaker baker

However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the circuit breaker period, all work and ongoing projects had to come to a halt.

And like most people, he started putting on the oven mitts during the circuit breaker period.

He decided to make apple cakes not only because it is unique, but also because it is part of his family tradition.

The family recipe was passed down to his daughter from his aunt.

His daughter used to bake the cake for him twice a year: Father's Day and his birthday.

Sold over 600 cakes

As she was busy with her studies, he didn't get the usual birthday cake last year.

So he tried to have a go at baking the cake himself and it turned out pretty well.

Once Upon a Cake was set up in June and in two months, they managed to sell almost 300 cakes.

In four months, they managed to sell over 600 cakes.

Apple cakes and apple cheesecakes

In case you're wondering, they only have two kinds of cakes.

The apple cake (S$45) is an eight-inch round cake with generous slices of crunchy apples inside.

The apple cheesecake (S$38) is a seven-inch round Basque burnt-style cheesecake with crunchy apples inside.

The cakes are also available in smaller sizes at four-inch, which can feed between two to three persons.

Here's the full price list for the cakes:

• Apple Cake (8”): S$45
• 1 Mini Apple Cake (4”): S$15
• 2 Mini Apple Cakes (4”): S$28
• 4 Mini Apple Cakes (4”): S$50
• Apple Cheesecake (7”): S$38
• 1 Mini Apple Cheesecake (4”): S$13
• 2 Mini Apple Cheesecakes (4”): S$25
• 4 Mini Apple Cheesecakes (4”): S$45
• 2+2 Mini Combo: S$48

Delivery is free for orders of two or more boxes.

Otherwise, delivery to one location costs an additional S$10.

In the month of October, Once Upon an Apple Cake is also having a promotion of S$80 for one eight-inch apple cake and one seven-inch apple cheesecake with free delivery.

You can purchase the cakes by calling Lim at 94593118 or via their Instagram and Facebook pages.

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Top image from Once Upon a Cake's Facebook page and Mark Lim.