A while back, I made a Birthday cake for one of my friends. It was a spongey, Grand Marnier infused, zesty masterpiece, complete with chocolate chips and ground almonds. I used a recipe I found online from the HuffPost as a guide, but made changes as I went along to make the recipe my own. (also, I was limited by my lack of bundt pan).
This production is a good example of why I love cooking & baking.
1. It is my way of showing love to people I care about.
2. I may be a second semester senior in college, completely unsure of what I am going to do/where I will be in a couple of months, but cooking & baking are tangible projects I can enjoy in the moment and remember in the future.
3. I might spend a great bunch of my time feeling like an imposter syndrome fatigued, socially awkward, overly anxious mess, but GODDAMN IT I can bake a cake that is spectacular. That me, the perfectionist, can even say that of my own work, without self doubting or diminishing, is a feat in itself. Obviously there is always room for improvement blah blah blah, but I know I did a good job. It is a rare and powerful feeling.
4. RESPECT. Cooking & baking (and deep cleaning a kitchen like a pro) are how I bond with people, and how I gain respect.
Recipe based on: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bundt-recipe_n_1195989
The Artist's Appetite 