Happen Bakers: Nicole Barens

HAPPEN BAKERS IN THE HOUSE!

I'm sorry, that was unnecessary and embarrassing.  It's just that I'm excited for the next young, ambitious and creative baker to join the Happen Bakers club, and this girl is all of that and more.

Meet Nicole Barens: a 16 year-old self-taught baker from Cleveland, Ohio.  Not only does Nicole whip up stunning desserts for fun (as seen on her Instagram page), but this teenager has a 2 year-old thriving business in her town.  A business!  (When I was her age, I sold beanie babies at a gift shop for money.)  Through word-of-mouth and social media, she works on 4-5 orders a month, and that's on top of being a normal 16 year-old... hanging out with friends, working on calligraphy (her favorite hobby) and attending high school (biology being her favorite subject... talk about well-rounded!).  Relatively new to the craft, she started learning through observation and experimentation.  Once it was apparent that her creations were more than just yummy treats (check out that cake below), the logical next step was to sell her cakes.  As much as she loves the artistic side of baking, the business aspect has always fascinated her... and after learning more about her in the interview below, I'm sure you'll agree that a successfully bakery is in her future :)

When did you start baking?

I started baking when I was about 14.  I grew up watching shows like Cake Boss and Cake Wars, and I was always so intrigued.

How did you learn?

I learned mostly from YouTube tutorials and baker's blogs.  It took a lot of practice and trial and error!

What do you love most about it?

I think I love it so much because I'm so creative and I've also always been interested in business...

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

I'd have to say the hardest cake I made was a Cassata cake because it had so many elements and it was one of the first times I had worked with fondant, which was really hard at first, but I've gotten better at it.

What's your dream dessert?

My dream dessert is probably anything with chocolate and peanut butter (that's why I chose to make a Reese's cake for this post, haha).

Name 3 celebrities you'd love to bake with...

If I could bake with 3 famous people they would be Taylor Swift, Emma Chamberlain and Jenna Joseph.

Most epic kitchen fail?

Through my learning process, I've had so many fails, but one of the worst has to be my macaron fail. They did not turn out at ALL, it was so bad.  Now that I've had a lot more experience with baking I think it would come out better.  My family still jokes about it three years later!

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

I love to listen to music!  Some of my favorite artists recently have been Billie Eilish, The 1975 and Halsey.

Favorite food site or YouTube channel?

I've been watching a few of Chelsweet's videos on YouTube recently.  I also get a lot of inspiration from people on Instagram, such as @brittanymaycakes, @whiteflowercakeshoppe, and @treatsbytay.

When you're not baking, you are...

When I'm not baking I'm at school.  Most of my free time is taken up by my business!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

Hopefully I'll have my own bakery because not only do I love baking as a creative outlet, I also like the business aspect of it.

Nicole would rather not reveal her *top secret* recipe (and I don't blame her!), but she did give us a step-by-step tutorial on how she created this fabulous Reese's Chocolate Cake...

To make the Reese's cake, I baked three 6" round layers of chocolate cake.  I then made a peanut butter buttercream and frosted the whole cake.  Before adding the ganache drips, I chilled the cakes in the fridge.  While it was in the fridge, I heated some heavy cream on the stove, turned off the heat, then added some bittersweet chocolate chips.  I then added the ganache drips to the cake and put in back in the fridge to set.  Once the ganache was set, I added the top border with a Wilton 1M tip.  I also added some chopped up Reese's cups around the border, and put some halved Reese's cups in between each swirl.

Thank you Nicole, you're an inspiration to us all!
And let me know when you start shipping across country :)

*All photos shot by Nicole's friend @photogenikate

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

There's something about the countdown to Christmas that makes me want to bake something every single day.  I literally have pounds of butter in my fridge and 12 different kinds of chocolate chips in my pantry to fuel this desire, but life keeps getting in the way which is super annoying.  If I could, I would cancel all plans and permanently affix holiday pajamas to my body and eat butter.  I mean, bake with butter, and then eat what I bake.  Alas, I have to be a mom and a wife and buy presents and work and attend parties and concerts and exercise so I can eat said amounts of copious butter.  

This is why I appreciate SIMPLE recipes!  These Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are very simple, and ridiculously delicious.  That's probably because the recipe comes from my friend and Pastry Chef, Chelsea Kravitz.  It's good to have friends who are Pastry Chefs, by the way.  She works at a local restaurant, Schout Bay, which is a 'must' on its own if you're on Long Island... and if you ever do go, her desserts are a MUST must.  Also, check out her website The Bakery Lady and again, if you're local, she makes the most divine baked goods to order.  That's right, I said 'divine' because I'm proper and what not.  If you're not a Long Islander, just drool along with her Instagram posts.  Aaaaaand, make these amazing cookies!  Recipe below...

The Bakery Lady's Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Printable Recipe

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup molasses

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp salt

Raw sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk together flour and baking soda, set aside.  Mix melted butter, both sugars and molasses.  Add egg and beat 1-2 minutes.  Add spices, salt and fresh ginger.  Fold flour mixture into wet, just to combine.   

Place raw sugar in a shallow bowl.  Scoop tablespoon sized gobs of cookie dough and roll into balls.  If the dough is sticky, throw it in the fridge for a half hour.  Roll the balls in sugar and place on lined baking sheets 2" apart.  

Bake, rotating halfway through, for 7-10 minutes.  They should be puffed and a little cracked on top, slightly set around edges.  With the back of a ladle or spoon, press gently into the top of each baked cookie fresh out of the oven to encourage a chewy center.      

Pattie's Snowballs

Is there anything better than a handwritten recipe, all worn and smudged with buttery fingerprints?  When I posted my late mother-in-law's recipe on Instagram, so many of you wrote that the writing looked identical to one of your own loved ones.  Why is that?!  It seems there was something so universally elegant about the cursive back in the day... it just seemed to dance on the page.  I don't think I could replicate it if I tried!  Also, how do you write a cursive 'Z'?  I have no clue. 

During the holidays, I always look forward to pulling out these passed-down recipes because, after all, traditions are what makes everything so merry!  And I try to cling to the 'merry' as much as possible, because, you know... there's also the S T R E S S.  But for that, there are cookies!  Am I talking in circles?  You know what I'm saying.

These Snowballs were my mother-in-law's favorite.  She would make batch after batch and freeze them - enough to last long after the new year.  Baking these sugary, buttery treats reminds us that she's always with us...  

Speaking of moms, I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Mom Enough podcast recently, so please check it out here!  Marti, her daughter Erin and I chatted about picky eaters, healthy meals, holiday traditions and how all of us moms have to sneak away to eat a dessert from time to time.  It's a really fun show led by some brilliant women who keep it real.  My kind of people :)  

Pattie's Snowballs

Makes 2 dozen

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp (1 stick)

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cream butter until light and fluffy.  Add sugar and blend well.  Add flour, then vanilla and fold in nuts.  (Mixture will be crumbly but will come together with your hands.)  Roll into small balls (about golf-ball sized) and place on greased baking sheet (I simply line mine with parchment paper).  Bake for 20-30 minutes (I do 20).  Roll in powdered sugar while warm, and then once more when they cool off.

Happen Bakers: Sophie Boulos

Alright party people, please get ready to meet the newest member of my Happen Bakers series...

Sophie Boulos is a 16 year-old girl living in Montreal and is an extremely talented baker.  Chiffon cakes, chocolate mousses, Belgian waffles, even homemade pizza...you name it, she's baked it!  Besides being a skilled baker, she's an athlete, an active participant in various community services (such as animal adoption) and a nearly-graduated high schooler busy looking towards the future.    

We all know that teenage life can be stressful - especially the last year of high school - and Sophie turns to baking for comfort.  While she finds the process calming, she also appreciates how gratifying it is to share her creations with friends and family, or even members of her community.  How refreshing to see a young female driven with the desire to give back!  And after one glance at her Instagram, I'd like to move to her community to be on the receiving end of such donations, thanks.

I'm particularly excited that she decided to bake a Pumpkin Pie for her Happen Bakers post, and not just because it's perfectly appropriate for this time of year (I wrote a lot of words that begin with 'P' in that sentence).  If you've been a loyal follower of this blog, then you know it's the one food I just can't do...but my aversion shouldn't prevent you wonderful readers from acquiring a delicious recipe of the classic dessert!  So, now you have one, and you have Sophie to thank.  Thank you, Sophie!  

Read on for the recipe, and to learn even more about this talented young individual..

Click HERE to get the recipe for Sophie's Not Your Grandma's Pumpkin Pie!  

What she has to say about it:

Everybody knows that grandmothers are some of the best bakers around.  Their simple recipes make you feel warm inside and are very hard to beat.  Now, I am not saying that their recipes get old, but sometimes making a few adjustments can turn a classic into something unique and out of this world.  Being from Canada, I had to use maple syrup, and this addition is but one of the few simple changes I made to the original.  This is the best pumpkin pie around!  

When did you start baking?

I've been in the kitchen ever since I can remember.  There are even photos of me as a baby watching Food Network!  Since my mom is a stay at home mom, I would spend lots of time with her cooking in the kitchen.  I cooked much more when I was younger and started to bake pretty seriously starting at about 10 years old.  What inspired me to start baking were my grandmothers, my mother and the Food Network.  

How did you learn?

I learned on my own by watching TV shows, videos on YouTube and by practicing non-stop.  I also spent much time in the kitchen with my mom as a young child and was always eager to participate in the making of whatever she was preparing.  My grandmother and I would bake mini muffins and other goodies from time to time, so baking definitely makes me feel nostalgic.  

What do you love most about it?

The fact that it helps to relieve my stress when I'm feeling overwhelmed at school and it also allows for me to do something special for the important people in my life.  For example, I bake all the time for people's birthdays at school and for my family and when I see the joy it brings them, that is the best feeling.  I also love to give back to my community through my food and the joy a small gesture brings people never gets old.     

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

Definitely a chocolate soufflé and cherry clafoutis.  

What's your dream dessert?

Either anything with chocolate like a warm chocolate molten cake with vanilla bean ice cream or something lemony and delicious like lemon meringue pie.  

Name 3 celebrities you'd love to bake with...

Definitely Ina Garten as I absolutely adore her and her recipes, Yolanda Gampp and Christina Tosi.  

Most epic kitchen fail?

I was baking some oatmeal raisin cookies and the first batch came out scrumptious.  I forgot to set the timer for the second batch and by the time I remembered that they were in the oven, they had gone black!  

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

I love to listen to soul music and old classics.  Anywhere from "I Feel Good" by James Brown to "Smooth Sailing" by Leon Bridges to "One Love" by Bob Marley.  

Favorite food site or YouTube channel?

Probably Yolanda Gampp's channel, How to Cake It, because everything she makes is ridiculously impressive.  

When you're not baking, you are...

Playing sports (soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton, touch football), hanging out with my friends and my dog, volunteering in my community or painting.  

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

That's a really hard question because I'm graduating high school this year and am not quite sure what I would like to do just yet.  In a perfect world, I would like to have completed my MBA and Juris Doctor as well as have graduated from the Cordon Bleu.  I know that this is not realistic to accomplish in only 10 years, but I see myself attaining these goals eventually.  I see myself remaining involved in my community and having a catering business where I can showcase my desserts and make some money to put towards my further education.    

Thank you Sophie!  I am certain that your future will be sweet :)
(Pun intended).  

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

It's October!  It's time to wear sweaters and drink pumpkin lattes and listen to your children change their minds over their Halloween costumes every 7 minutes!  That last part aside (make up your damn mind!), I really do love this time of year.  It takes me a hot second to fully embrace that appreciation, however.  If you ask me in mid-August if I'm looking forward to fall, I'll cry in your face.  But now that it is upon us, I'm totally in the mood for it.  Football Sundays, pumpkin patches, soup weather and baking up all the traditional autumn goodies.  BRING IT ON, CINNAMON AND NUTMEG AND GINGER.  Sorry for shouting.  

The other day, I watched my "virtual friend" Audra make this live on her Instagram, muted, because I was supposed to be watching my daughter's karate class.  Anyway, even with no sound I knew I had to make it myself.  So I did, and let me tell you... WORTH IT!  It's good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snack, whatever you fancy, and best served in my opinion with ice cream or coffee.  Or both. Go wild!!  And enjoy the season.

Recipe HERE.

The cutest little helper in all of the land...

Happen Bakers: Faith Quintero

Hello!  New Happen Bakers time!

Meet Faith, a 14 year-old girl who reached out to me on Instagram.  After checking out her page - named FaithfullyCreated - I was COMPLETELY blown away by her talents.  A true artist, Faith whips up sweet confections that rival those displayed in the trendiest of bake shops.  Um, hello Kids Baking Championship??  Scoop this girl up at once!  Many of her recipes are her own, and they are all decorated in the most original way.  Catered for friends and family, Faith's attention to detail is beyond anything I've seen from someone so young, and it's evident her skills will take her far.  In a world where kids can be absorbed by tablets and social media, it's so refreshing to see what someone like Faith can accomplish.  

Go check out FaithfullyCreated now, and continue reading below to learn more about this talented baker!  By the way, gotta give the girl a shout out for the name pun... wink wink :)    

Click HERE to get Faith's original recipe for her FaithfullyCreated Chocolate Cake.

When did you start baking?

My grandma inspired me to bake when I was 2 years old. 

How did you learn?

I learned how to bake by watching and helping my grandma bake cookies and brownies.  But now I learn new tips and tricks by watching hours and hours of YouTube.

What do you love most about it?

The thing I love about baking most is the joy on the faces of the people I bake for and the fact that it helps me through tough times and to de-stress.  

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

Macaroons!  

What's your dream dessert?

To eat the world's most expensive ice cream or to make a cake taller than me.  

Name 3 celebrities you'd like to bake with...

Yolanda Gampp, Joshua Jon Russell and Rosanna Pansino.

Most epic kitchen fail?

My most epic kitchen fail were my first four attempts at a vegan cake (IT WAS DISGUSTING).  

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

I love to listen to anything I can dance to while baking (but no cursing or country music).  Mostly Shawn Mendes. 

Favorite food site or YouTube channel? 

My all-time favorite YouTube channels are ManAboutCake and HowToCakeIt...I watch hours of them!

When you're not baking, you are...

...doing homework, sleeping or hanging out with friends. 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

 I hope it doesn't take me 10 years, but I am saving up for a 36-inch KitchenAid oven so that I can take my business to the next level and open a bakery!

Thank you Faith!  Continue to blow the world away!    

Happen Bakers: Judith

Meet Judith, the newest member of the Happen Bakers club!

I'm particularly excited about this one, because unlike Michelle and Lilah, I have never officially met Judith... which means young bakers are now reaching out from across the country to share their talents!  In this case, Judith is a 13 year-old girl living in South Carolina who has been baking for the past five or so years.  What began with simple sugar cookies quickly developed into more challenging desserts, such as scones, tartlets, muffins and impressive cakes.  Now, her friends and family come knocking and requesting her decorated confections for birthdays and celebrations, and Judith is happy to comply.  In her own words, she wants to "use her abilities to serve others" - um, do you think her mom is proud?!  I'm not her mother, but I sure am, and it's precisely young females like Judith that define what a Happen Baker is: a positive individual, creatively paving their way through this world in the most delicious way.   

Learn more about Judith below as she whips up these delicious Lemon Tartlets!  

(My younger self is saying... what is a tartlet??)  

Recipe for the Lemon Tartlets with Lemon Curd HERE.  

When did you start baking?

I started baking when I was about 8 years old and I was inspired by watching my mom bake.  I also had been getting into baking and cooking shows and, of course, I wanted to try it too!

How did you learn?

The first thing I baked was simple sugar cookies which led me to learn a lot about baking.  I also learned a lot from watching my mom bake and watching videos and tutorials online.

What do you love most about it?

I love baking for many reasons.  One thing I love most about it is it is a way to be creative and express myself.  I think of it as my form of art.  

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

The most challenging thing I've baked was a unicorn cake because the decorations were very difficult.  

What's your dream dessert?

My dream dessert is a lemon cake with blueberry frosting and simple and elegant decorations.

Name 3 celebrities you'd like to bake with...

Duff Goldman, Rosanna Pansino and Linsey Lam who won the Kids Baking Championship season 4.  

Most epic kitchen fail?

My biggest fail in the kitchen was when I was making a cookie cake for a birthday.  I pulled it out of the oven and was trying to slide it onto a plate when it slipped out of my hands and I dropped it in the oven and it made a huge mess.  I had to make another one quickly because the birthday was very soon!

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

I haven't listened to music while baking, but I may give it a try.  Until now I usually hear my little sister and brother whooping and hollering in the background.  

Favorite food site or YouTube channel?

I love the Food Network website and I also enjoy watching Rosanna Pansino's YouTube channel.

When you're not baking, you are...

When I'm not baking I'm running, singing in my choir or playing the piano.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I want to be using my abilities to serve others.  I also want to open a bakery and want to have been on a baking competition TV show.  I want to give to others and provide my services in many ways.

Judith - you are a superstar and your creative, kind spirit shines through your baking!

Until next month, Happen Bakers...

Happen Bakers: Lilah DeBoer

It's time for a new Happen Bakers, and this time I'm featuring my cousin Lilah!

Lilah DeBoer (and some trivia for you: DeBoer is my middle name) is a 12 year-old girl about to enter 7th grade in Olympia, Washington.  Her parents, my cousins Trent and Betsy, are no strangers to cooking and baking.  In fact Lilah's grandmother, my Aunt Pam, has always been a culinary inspiration of mine, and it's evident that Lilah has inherited similar passions from her family.  We live far away, but I've watched her love of baking in particular grow through photos and social media (legit can't remember what life was like before Instagram).  What began as helping her mom pour and stir quickly transformed into Lilah taking over, and just the other day she whipped up some Lemon Rosemary Sandwich Cookies with a mascarpone curd filling like a boss.  A BOSS!  (Do I sound old and nerdy when I say that?  Somewhere my son is rolling his eyes.)

For this Happen Bakers blog, she made a Strawberry Shortcake, and below you can learn a little more about her.  Watching Lilah over the years mature into a young female with strong goals has inspired me.  I hope that she, and all the "Happen Bakers" out there, motivate you as well to continue cultivating your own passions.  Make it happen, ladies!    
     

Recipe for these Triple Strawberry Shortcakes HERE.  

When did you start baking?

I've been helping my mom in the kitchen since I was three but I started to really get involved when I was seven.  At seven I started cooking on my own and I feel like that's when I got inspired from the cooking show MasterChef Junior which I am hoping to audition for.  When I saw kids around my age making advanced dishes I thought, why can't I try that too?

How did you learn?

I learned from helping my mom and dad and observing how they cooked, then caught on and started to do it myself.  

What do you love most about it?

I love baking for many reasons, but what I find most exciting about it is the finished piece.  After all the hard work in the kitchen it's always amazing to see the final thing and especially eat it!  

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

One of the most challenging things I've baked is probably my lemon tart.  To make your lemon curd and have your tart crust be on point sometimes is pretty stressful.  I also find that having several things going at once can get me all tied up. 

What's your dream dessert?

My dream dessert is creme brûlée.  I like this dish a lot because it reminds me of family.  I make creme brûlée every time I visit my Grandpa.  We visit mostly during the holidays so I'm always surrounded by my family and friends, making creme brûlée for all.  Another reason why I love it is because of the flavor and the two textures: creamy on the inside and crunchy on the top. 

Name 3 celebrities you'd like to bake with...

1. Christina Tosi because I've seen her on MasterChef Junior and I look up to her as a baker.

2. Gordan Ramsay because I could learn many new skills in the kitchen.

3. Julia Child because she was a trailblazer for women and chefs. 

Most epic kitchen fail?

I made cupcakes from this one recipe and they exploded in the oven and the frosting turned out tasting really bad.  I was so embarrassed to serve them to my parents but now I look back on that day and laugh about it!

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

The entire La La Land soundtrack, I love the movie and the songs and it just makes me feel even more excited to bake.  

Favorite food site or YouTube channel?

Food Network.  I've found so many amazing recipes from there and they've turned out to be great.  I also like the tiny food videos, I find those fun and interesting to watch!

When you're not baking, you are...

When I'm not baking I'm mainly outdoors hiking or backpacking.  I love to ride horses and have been taking lessons.  I also love to go kayaking with my dog Pella swimming along side me, or sometimes just chilling at home on our deck.  

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself finishing up culinary school and ready to open a restaurant of my own.  I also see myself living on my own farm with lots of horses to ride.

Thank you Lilah for inspiring us!  

Stay tuned for a new Happen Bakers next month...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

It's hot.  Everywhere.  The weather map of the United States looks like an Oompa Loompa.  No one wants to spend time in their kitchen baking over a hot oven in this heat.  Not even Oompa Loompas, and they like sweets!  However...

This chocolate pie is so good that it's worth it.

Sorry.  Put on a flowy moo moo, drink a lot of water and quickly bake this giant, warm, gooey cookie pie, best served with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.  It's crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, really easy to make and the perfect treat to serve a bunch of Oompa Loompas.  I can't stop with them... guess I should go watch the movie (surrounded by air conditioning).  

Recipe here.  

Happen Bakers: Michelle Rosen

Today, I'm introducing a new series called Happen Bakers, where I will feature young, female bakers in an attempt to shine a new light on not only the craft, but the people who call it their passion.  

I hope you enjoy it!    

When I was young I loved to bake, but while I did so at home frequently, there wasn't much to inspire me outside of my own kitchen.  Junior competition shows did not exist on television, and there were no YouTube channels full of baking tutorials to follow.  Celebrity chefs weren't what they are today and basically, I didn't have a role model other than my own mother and grandmother.  Thankfully this didn't stop me, and I learned what I could from family, cookbooks and trial and error!    

Nowadays, it's very different for aspiring bakers.  There seems to be inspiration everywhere you look, and not only that, the entire attitude around baking (and cooking) has changed.  For women especially, what perhaps was once viewed as a domestic task is now a creative accomplishment.  I've been particularly interested lately in our youth (for now I am an old person), because with so much negativity in the world I think it's important to focus on the hope of our future.  This quest led me to Michelle Rosen: a 17 year-old girl living in Long Island, New York.  She just finished her junior year of high school, is researching colleges with an interest in communications and media, and in between doing regular teenage things, happens to be a gifted baker!  

She is, in pun speak, a Happen Baker.  BAM.

Michelle came over and made these Apple Cider Cupcakes with a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream, and they were perfection.  Honestly, none remained by the end of the day!  She traveled with her own piping tools and even taught me tips along the way (for example: insert your piping bag into a tall glass which will help you to easily fill it with frosting).  At one point, I felt like I was watching my younger self in the kitchen which made me feel happy and ancient at the same time.      

Check out Michelle's YouTube Channel, where she posts new videos every Tuesday.  Did someone say, S'Mores Dip??  Yep, I'll be making that at some point this summer (or in 5 minutes).  You can also find her on Instagram.  And, I interviewed her below... so read on to learn more about this incredible young woman!  I can only hope my girls grow up to be as focused, bright, creative and kind as Michelle.  She inspires me, and I know she'll do the same for you.            

When did you start baking?

I started baking when I was three years old.  My mom and I would bake our Christmas Cookie Cutter Cookie every year.  This recipe really started my love for baking.  My mom really inspired me and she encouraged me to take an advanced baking class on the weekends when I was 12.   

How did you learn?

I learned so much from my advanced baking class.  I learned so many different cake decorating techniques and learned how to make many difficult recipes such as breads and pies from scratch.  I've also learned so much from watching bakers on YouTube such as Rosanna Pansino.  

What do you love most about it?

First of all, I love anything sugary!  I love getting to eat everything I bake.  But I also love the creativity involved, especially when it comes to cake decorating.  

What's the most challenging thing you've attempted?

French Macarons.

What's your dream dessert?

The type of cake I get every year for my birthday...it's a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and a vanilla custard filling with pretty fondant designs on top. 

Name 3 celebrities you'd like to bake with...

I would love to bake with Rosanna Pansino, Ethan and Grayson Dolan (aka The Dolan Twins) and Shane Dawson.   

Most epic kitchen fail?

Once when I was making French Macarons, I wrote down the wrong measurements for the sugar and the cookies kept coming out flat.  They looked like wafers!  I also forgot to beat the meringue until it reached stiff peaks.  My merengue was at soft peaks which also ruined the cookies.  I tried this recipe about three times and kept trying to film it for my YouTube channel, but it took me all that time to realize I was putting in the wrong amount of sugar.  

Any favorite songs you listen to in the kitchen?

Any Kid Cudi song, Billie Eilish, Logic... it all depends on my mood.  

Favorite food site or YouTube channel?

Rosanna Pansino!

When you're not baking, you are...

Playing Fortnite with my best friend, spending time with my family, playing tennis, drawing, painting and reading.  

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would hope to have a successful YouTube channel with millions of subscribers where I can inspire and teach my craft to the world and be a positive role model for young kids who watch me.  I hope that my YouTube videos can bring happiness to people's lives.  I hope to have a beautiful house with a white kitchen, a pool, and a tennis court!  I would love to travel to as many places as possible - I would really love to go to Australia!  And maybe even go on a world tour to meet subscribers of my YouTube channel!

*I'm excited to introduce more young bakers to you as I continue this series!  If you would like to submit yourself or anyone you might know, please email me: siri@siriouslydelicious.com

M&M Piñata Cake

Hey party people!  My son turned NINE last week.  NINE.  NINE TIMES.  (Bueller, anyone?)  That's so old.  As Carson pointed out, he's halfway to 18, at which point he'll leave us forever (orrrr, maybe he'll go to a local college and live in our basement until his 40's...I'm okay with that, I think).  We celebrated on Thursday, his actual birthday, with an Italian dinner out and then cake at home.  Since he's getting older and a Yo Gabba Gabba cake will no longer suffice, I had to get creative.  I've been curious about these "piñata" style cakes for awhile now - the ones that are sliced open to reveal an inside full of candy - but I wanted him to think it was just a regular old cake...

...bwa ha ha.  Bwahahahahaha.  That's my evil, sneaky laugh.

So I baked it while he was at school, following this tutorial, and it was pleasantly easy to pull off!  I followed a recipe from MY BOOK for my favorite yellow cake (you TOO can have this recipe when the book comes out on April 17th!!!), and sliced each layer in half, resulting in four layers.  I cored out two layers using a large, circular cookie cutter, and then placed them all on top of each other with the cored layers in the middle, icing in between each.  One of the layers broke apart, but I was able to use frosting to glue it back together.  Problem solved!  We filled the center with mini m&m's - but you could use sprinkles or bite-sized candy bars... anything your heart desires!  

Explosion!!!

It's like a barfing candy cake, or something that sounds more appetizing.  

Two thumbs up!!