My love for baking began when I was about six years old. Everytime my dad would make pancakes on the weekend, I enjoyed making a well through the dry ingredients and then adding in eggs and sugar, mixing until perfectly combined. When my mom would bake cookies, I would always be the first one of my siblings to offer to help. Not only would I like to turn on the mixer and add in ingredients, but I also loved tasting the dough! 

When I was old enough to use the toaster, my favorite thing to do was to make mini pies. The crust was made out of flour and water and was always only half cooked, with mashed fruit placed on top. I was so proud that I had made something that I thought my whole family liked. I didn’t realize they were only pretending until my little brother tried making his own creations and my family and I pretended to like it to not hurt his feelings. I also loved to build fairy houses in my backyard and collect tiny plants and berries that the fairies could use for their food. Each time I collected everything, I would make tiny plates and tables for a feast of mashed berries and tiny leaves.

This year, for Christmas, one of the main gifts that I received from my family was a set of materials for baking cakes as well as a food-grade torch. Already, I have tested lots of the things I got and am excited to experiment with everything else. The first thing that I made with my kid was a lemon cake with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream, and I used multiple piping tips in order to achieve the finished look. I also made creme brulee for the first time and used a torch to create a sugar topping.  

My grandma that lives in Minnesota is always in the kitchen preparing food and setting out snacks when I visit for the holidays. When I was little, I would love watching her bake fresh cookies and big dishes while watching the food channel. Now that I am older, and so is she, our positions have changed. She is now sitting at the counter doing tasks like rolling dough and instructing me where things are around the kitchen while I am baking and cooking.I love this!  I think that one of my love languages is ‘Acts of Service.’ When I bake and get to give or surprise others with a sweet treat, it makes my day because they are happier.  Baking has consistently been something that I can do to unwind and relax. I enjoy planning out recipes and browsing pinterest for what I should bake next and then having the satisfaction of seeing my vision in the form of whatever I created. And of course eating the sweet treats afterwards! 

Sometimes, when I bake, the amount of sweet treats in my house gets overwhelming. I love to bake for my family but also to share with close friends or people that I know who love baked goods as much as I do. One recipe that I have been making a lot lately is a Blueberry Ricotta and Lemon Breakfast Cake. This recipe is one my grandmother shared with me. Not only is it a perfect cake for a small brunch, but it is great for sharing at any time of day. 

Blueberry Ricotta and Lemon Breakfast Cake:

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature 

1 cup whole milk ricotta 

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 cups fresh blueberries 

Sifted confectioners’ sugar for dusting 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray then coat with a light dusting of flour to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan. 
2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well. (The batter will look curdled.)
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold two thirds of the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining blueberries on the cake, pressing them lightly into the surface. 
4. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
5. Enjoy! 

Some of my tips:

The blueberries in this recipe can be substituted for any other types of berries as long as they are not too ripe to the point where they affect the moisture of the cake. 

By simply leaving out the baking soda from the recipe the cake will be more similar to a dense pound cake. I accidentally did this once and was pleasantly surprised by the result because the fruit stayed on top of the cake, which looked nice.

I feel like at this point in time something that has consistently been unwinding for me to do to relax is baking. I enjoy planning out recipes and browsing pinterest for what I should bake next and then having the satisfaction of seeing my vision in the form of whatever I created. And of course eating it!