It is a common occurrence in a person’s life to celebrate certain milestones and to celebrate them with cake. We start our lives off by celebrating with cake at a baby’s baptism.  Additionally, each year of a child’s life is recognized with cake on the day of their birth. Future celebrations or milestones such as communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings and even death are acknowledged with cake. Somebody has to make all those cakes and why can’t that person be me?  My major life’s decision is to become a professional baker.

I have wanted to be a baker for most of my life.  This has been a passion of mine since I was young.  I was inspired by baking when I would go to my grandma’s house.  She and I would make all sorts of crazy cakes and cupcakes. My favorite experience baking with my grandma happened when we decided to make reindeer cupcakes for Christmas one year. My grandma and I mixed up all the ingredients and then poured the batter into big cupcake liners for the body of the reindeer.  Next, we poured batter into smaller cupcake liners for the head of the reindeer. When the cupcakes came out of the oven, we let them cool, then frosted each with light brown frosting, and then dipped them in brown sugar to give the reindeer a furry look. Lastly, we put the finishing touches on the reindeer's face by adding red and black candies for the eyes and nose. My grandma and I added the final touches to each cupcake by melting chocolate and piped out chocolate antlers, which we stuck at the top of each reindeer’s head. I got the idea to make these crazy cakes and cupcakes mostly from watching TLC on TV.

I enjoy watching TLC baking shows like Cake Boss, DC Cupcakes, Cupcake Wars and Next Great Baker. Of these television shows, my all time favorite show is Cake Boss;

however, Cupcake Wars comes in a close second. My favorite episode of Cake Boss was when Buddy Valastro, the show’s head baker and bakery owner, had to make a cake representing Dr. Seuss. Buddy’s cake was incredible!  It was six and a half feet tall, maybe taller. Some parts of the cake even spun in circles, while other parts of the cake hung from tops of other cakes.  To add additional appeal and appearance to the Dr. Seuss’s cake, Buddy also created out of cake, replicas of some of Dr. Seuss’ more favorite  characters.

After watching these kinds of baking TV shows, I gradually fell in love with baking more and more. I knew I wanted to bake cakes, cupcakes, and other sweets.  The best thing about baking is making things from scratch, especially around Christmas time.  During the holiday season, the kitchen is taken over by cookies galore!  My family makes all sorts of cookies.  They range from chocolate covered pretzel cookies, to the simple cut out sugar cookies. Most years I get to bake my favorite cookie: the Brown Eyed Susan.  It is a peanut butter cookie outside with a reese peanut butter cup in the middle. It isn’t the most difficult cookie to bake, but I think it’s the best tasting cookie.  After mixing up the dough instead of putting the dough on a cookie pan, I put it in a small muffin pan.  When the “cookie muffins” come out of the oven, I quickly stuff a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup into the middle of the cookie muffin.  In our family, once we start baking, it takes a while to stop.  Nevertheless, at the end of the day, we have a variety of cookies; ranging from basic christmas cookies to some other spectator looking and tasting Christmas cookies.

After spending a hectic holiday season of baking with my family, I really do try to enjoy some moments in the kitchen when I get to bake alone and I have the kitchen to myself. The kitchen is just so much more calm and less chaotic. When I get the chance to bake by myself, I look up different recipes either online or my family’s recipe box. Once I’ve decided on what I’m going to bake, I make sure the batter or dough is perfect.  I do this by making sure I’ve added all of the ingredients. To me, however, the actual baking time in the over and the mixing of ingredients are the boring parts about baking and being in the kitchen. My favorite part, however,  is after the baking is done; I get to decorate my creation.  Decorating is my favorite thing to do because I love being creative and creativity has always come easy to me.  So, when the cakes and/or cupcakes are cooled and ready, I frost and use additional decorations by adding sprinkles and/or edible decorations.

If it wasn’t so common, to celebrate lifes milestones with cake, I probably wouldn’t have such a passion for baking and decorating cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts.  People will continue to be born, they will celebrate or acknowledge life’s events and tragedies with cake.  Someone will need to be able to make those sweet desserts and I think it should be someone who has a passion for baking and an enjoyment for decorating cakes someone like me.