If I Knew You Were Comin’…

Cakes are the centerpieces of every great party. They are eaten at birthdays, weddings, arrivals, and departures. Cakes serve as vessels for artistic expression and to announce proclamations to the world. They are awaited with colossal expectations and greeted with impatient lust, often celebrated just as equally as the people or event they are made for.

Cake is the silver lining of any workplace, familial or social gathering we don’t really want to go to, but still go to anyways, right?

When I was very young, I took a special interest in baking. Any time a friend or family member had a party, I was thrilled to be the Bringer of the Cake. This eventually led to developing my own small bakery, and in those years I was working hard to get my name out, I felt honoured to have garnered so much support from friends, family, a few rock stars, and new clients I met through word of mouth.

Later I was hired as the assistant cake designer at a local company that was voted #1 several years in a row. Our bakery won countless awards, including the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library event and the city’s annual Great Cake Bake contest. We designed cakes and pastries for a few celebrities here and there, and hundreds of weddings. After leaving, I accepted a position as cake decorator and baker in a chain bakery for a while, where my interest in baking suffered indefinitely.

Fast forward a few years, and I have relearned to enjoy baking for fun. Most of my cooking posts focus on global cuisine, but this one is dedicated to a few favourite cakes and baked goods that have come out of my oven.