I’m a private person. I really consider what is shared with my friend group, work, YouTube, and this blog. But there is something that I live to share.
Cooking and Baking.
I love getting to make something from scratch, and then share it with others. Sometimes it’s a loaf of homemade bread, or a cake, or soup. With some people, I let them test a recipe I’m working on.
During my seminary days, I had people over all the time. I would host friends, make a meal from whatever was on hand. I would make desserts to bring to church and to friends’ homes.
As with many things, COVID really killed that, and it made it harder to have moved to a a new town, a new job, and to meet new people. Now, 3.5 years after being in the same town, my love of cooking and baking has been coming back. I’ve found myself baking treats for my office, and the church I’ve been attending does a Carry-In (or potluck) each month. That’s the perfect excuse for me to make something different or try a new recipe. Don’t worry – I don’t make anything that isn’t tested first; my church isn’t being used as my test subjects.
And what, exactly, does this have to do with my students?
I baked them a cake.
I’ve cooked for this group of students before, but it’s always been really safe things: soup or chocolate chip cookies. I’ve never made them something I had worked to develop or improve on.
This time I did. I used a recipe from SBLY Home Hacks: Grandma’s Chocolate Cake Is Delectable (which I found on Pintrest), and made some adjustments.
The recipe calls for a box of brownie mix, a box of devil’s food cake mix, 4 eggs, 1 cup of oil, and 1 1/2 cup of water. I adjusted the water to 3/4 cup water and 3/4 cup of brewed coffee. I baked it in two 9 inch cake pans instead of a bundt cake pan like in the recipe. Once cooled, I leveled them off and added a layer of butter cream to hold them together. In between, I added some strawberry preserves as a little treat that was unexpected. I did a crumb coat, and finally that final coat. Just for fun, I also added some chocolate covered strawberries to the top.
I took a real chance on this one because I didn’t test this recipe before presenting it to the students. And it’s necessary to say, even when I baked all the time – I rarely decorate a cake. I took a class (like one lesson) as a teen, and I can do basic decorating (like a botder), but it isn’t what I would call one of my skills. I tried hard on this one, and it still wasn’t the prettiest – but I was and am still so proud that I did something I love for people I care about. And I’m excited to share this part of me with these college students, and invest in them in this small way.
Have fun with the things that you love. Find a way to invest in people with what you love. Share the rings that bring you joy.
Bake your students a cake.
Road Trippin With Rachael 
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