My Story

It all began in third grade when I started reading a series called the Cupcake Diaries. I was totally in love with the books and, naturally, tried out the vanilla cupcake recipe in the back of the book. Whew, they sure did not turn out well. My parents were very supportive in my endeavor and we went to the store to buy some ingredients, I remember my dad asking me, "Do you need any powdered sugar for the frosting?" And me, wanting to be independent (I was 8) not taking his suggestion, said, "No, I don't think so, I'll just use normal sugar..." (You can probably see the beginning of the problem with my baking style)

So we got home, I made some very over beaten, chewy, dense cupcakes. Topped off with a grainy, brightly dyed frosting, and .... gave them to our new neighbors. 😂

Now, my parents let me experiment in the kitchen for about 2 years, I would almost always make some sort of baked good. I started to read cookbooks and listen to other people and, eventually, began to understand the purpose and science behind rising agents, gluten development, substitutes and techniques like the creaming method.

From there, I kinda ditched cupcakes for a while and started to explore other realms of baking, sometimes I would even dip my toes into the domain of cooking SAVORY dishes (this made my Mom really happy). Then, right as I was getting the hang of making ice creams with lots of egg yolks and puff pastry full of layers of butter, 8th grade came along and I began to learn about veganism.

The more and more I read and saw videos on the brutality and needless suffering of sentient beings, a process that was also so harmful to the environment, the more I questioned my own choices. I talked to my friends about it and the typical response I would get is, "You know, I wish I could do it but I just love bacon too much." or, "Sure, it sounds good, but what if, you go to a friend's house and they are eating animal products?"

Somehow, these remarks made me even more determined to do my part in defunding the industry, so I told my family (who were very supportive, but my Mom thought is was funny because all my life I had been the one shouting, "More Steaks!" or "More Chicken!", sediments that had been encouraged by my BBQ loving Uncle and English Grandparents, when she was trying to keep our animal product intake to the minimum). I was quite extreme at first and eating these really healthy, not very tasty or pretty, vegan recipes that I found on the web and I wasn't that happy, because, I had basically stopped baking. Time past and I found more balance.

I would make muffins, and get really frustrated at how different the texture was without egg, so I did some experimenting and made my own muffin recipe. Then I would watch the Great British Baking Show, see these gorgeous layered cakes and then, with some testing, make them vegan (and sometimes healthier too). At some point my Mom suggested I try to make a blog, to share my recipes on, and here we are.

You may be wondering what the story is behind the name, "Raised Baking", well my family had a vote between various names people had came up with and this one won.

When I hear it, I think of how to get a good cupcake, or cookie, or bread, you want it aerated. To rise when baked, and that is why it's called "Raised Baking", because most of the recipes you find here; rise when baked.

However, I have heard some other interpretations of the name too. Like; I was raised, baking and thats why it's called "Raised Baking", or these recipes have risen to the top and are at a whole different level, etc.

Anyways, no matter how you think of it, I hope this blog can inspire you to create, stay conscious of your actions and the things they effect, and to keep on trying, even if the first couple bakes come out flat.

xoxo,

Sophie