In the search of my inner peace…… Through Baking

Osho – Baking is a good meditation. Put your love into it, your whole awareness into it. Just don’t do it for the money – do it for love also.

For those who know my passion for baking would tell my favourites are cupcakes. I started baking not too long ago… Actually it’s a funny story. There was this Bakery app on Facebook whereby you set up your own Bakery, bake different sorts of cakes and cupcakes… As you earned more money you can upgrade your bakery accordingly… It was quite a relaxing and fun app. One day a friend of mine asked me “So when are you gonna bake us real cupcakes?” It was probably at that moment it hit me. I had been very fond of baking since a child, as I grew up watching my mum professionally whip the colourful batter for her Marble Cake. Actually at that age, I was more eager to lick up the yummy remains of the batter off the mixing bowl.

Then in Secondary school, I took up Food & Nutrition (or also known as Home Economics) as my 7^th subject. I recognised my flare and love for baking during my F&N lessons. One of my very first baking was an Orange cake for my mum’s birthday. It was during the times when Internet was a revolution and you tube was non-existent. Thus my other source of recipe.com was my periamma (Mum’s elder cousin sister). She provided me with a simple to bake recipe. It was an utter joy baking for the very 1^st time, especially without my mum having to hover around me. The annoying thing happened when my grandmother had to ask me “Lavanya how did the cake turnout?” with my mother right beside me! However….. The cake turned out fine. She said it was very new to her taste buds, especially since she always went for the conventional Chocolate cakes or Fruit cakes.

Then my 2^nd baking attempt was a Lime tart. Ok it was actually quite a disaster! Lol! Technically my methods were correct and the tart turned out as it should have been. It just became too limey. Well what do you expect?!! It was a lime tart!! You could probably eat just one. And that’s it, because the taste lingers on your tongue for a while. My mum improvised by eating it with blueberry jam (to neutralise the limy-ness). It was not too bad.

With the guidance of some you tube videos and allrecipes.com, I went on to my 3^rd baking attempt (my favourite of them all) - Oreo Cheesecake. Boy was I proud of myself! First attempt baking a cheesecake and it was a success!!! Oh just before you start wondering, all these attempts were not consecutive. They were months and years apart.  I baked the Oreo Cheesecake, which I personally think is the easiest to bake/make, a couple of times that year if I recall correctly. I even baked it for my friend’s birthday.

So where did the love for cupcake come from then? Well back to how I began this journal – that FB app. I was baking virtual cupcakes and since it had been ages I had touched the oven, I thought it was high time that I polish my rusty skills.

The following baking delights were made by me over the past few years.

The purpose of this journal is to find some peace though my passion. Over the years, due to bad decision – making and choices, I have lost opportunities, my self-confidence and thus suffering a deep void. I do hope to make things right and follow my heart.

Hahaa! What a good omen! Just as I finished typing this journal, my Principal asked us each to help ourselves to a piece of chocolate cake from the pantry. J “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” I do hope my universe conspires in helping me too..

In the hopes of becoming a passionate baker..