The fragrance of sweet vanilla envelops the kitchen as sophomore Michelle Chung pipes buttercream frosting onto a cake in concentric circles. Carefully stacking another layer, she falls into a quiet rhythm. Five hours later, she finally steps back to admire the fruits of her labor — a rainbow cake adorned with birthday decor — feeling a swell of pride and love in her creation.
Fascinated by ASMR baking videos, Chung began making sweets in seventh grade. Although she had little experience in the kitchen, she was captivated by the beauty of transforming ingredients into art and decided to take on a new endeavor: baking a simple vanilla cake.
“I was surprised that my first cake turned out really well,” Chung said. “The whole process went smoothly, though it might’ve been beginner’s luck because my next two cakes were undercooked and disastrous.”
Despite the early mishaps, Chung’s later success encouraged her to persist. By learning recipes through YouTube tutorials and continuously experimenting, Chung quickly mastered various treats, ranging from matcha swiss rolls to peppermint bark cake. “Many elements of baking came to me naturally, like piping cupcakes,” Chung said. “I used to run a slime business where I piped slime to make it look like food and that skill came in handy.”
In eighth grade, Chung launched an informal online business, selling her treats to cover her baking expenses. Entering high school, she decided to only maintain around seven clients, baking cakes for their children’s birthday parties and other special occasions.
“Michelle’s cakes are not only delicious, but are beautifully decorated,” customer Gale Moffet said. “She has a lot of energy and when she wants to pursue something, she puts in all her effort.”
Although exciting, crafting cakes is time-consuming, taking two days of preparation and one day of decorating and freezing. Her most challenging request was a circus-themed cake. Working with the unfamiliar element of fondant, she successfully sculpted a clown, lion and elephant through meticulous trial and error.
“Fondant has to be rolled out very thin and it easily gets cakey and hard,” Chung said. “It took a lot of patience and careful control in order to craft it well. Seeing the child’s smile in awe after I presented it to her made it all worth it.”
Beyond crafting cakes for special occasions, Chung also regularly shares smaller treats with her community. Positive reactions from her customers motivate her to hone her craft.
“Michelle’s treats not only taste amazing, but are also packaged nicely,” sophomore and Chung’s friend Betty Huang said. “I’m so glad she takes time out of her day to make others smile with her baking.”
Chung’s journey with baking helped her develop organizational skills through preparing ingredients, following recipes carefully and adjusting when met with errors. She’s also learned to manage her time better — an ability that transfers to her academic life.
“I’ve learned that accidentally adding too much flour or adding the wrong ingredient doesn’t mess up the whole recipe,” Chung said. “I try to adjust and learn from my mistakes, which translates in my track practice and schoolwork.”
Looking ahead, Chung hopes to continue baking if she has time as a productive way to ease her mind and destress from school. She also plans to possibly expand her clientele and start bake sales in the near future.
“I’d like to create a wider variety of treats, namely croissants and macarons,” Chung said. “Testing out different flavors and fillings seems exciting.”
