A little self into from Abby herself..
My two sisters make fun of me. My own mother thinks I'm nuts. My husband rolls his eyes. I can't help it but to plan the party and figure out every detail, with relish! I always start with the most important element, the cake, and from there everything always falls right into place.
and what do you do when you are not baking?
When I'm not baking, I'm either cleaning the kitchen to make room for baking, or on my computer trying to discover what I would like to make. Aside from that, I have two crazy kids – my 6 year old daughter and 3 year old son – who love to "help". I also have a graphic design business that takes up a good chunk of time.
When did you first become interested in baking?
My mother made the BEST banana cream pies. The best. She would make them on a regular basis, for no reason other than it was everyone's favorite. My mother would also get together with my two aunts just before Christmas, and make hundreds of dozens of Christmas cookies to give out as gifts. My cousins and I would be locked out of the kitchen, only able to peer through the kitchen glass door, smell the wonderful scent of cookies, and hear, every few minutes, the "cookie ding" letting us all know that yet another batch was ready.
So what do you enjoy most about baking?
I love baking because there is no daily expectation. Baked goods do not need to be on the table every single night at 6pm. Baking is not cooking… I don't cook. I love baking because it is for me, when I want to do it, what I choose to make, and I get to sit back and watch the enjoyment.
Have you ever taken a class?
Yes, just recently, I took a cake decorating basics class with Melody Brandon (of mysweetandsaucy.com) at PREP Kitchen Essentials in Seal Beach. I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks. What is the first thing you ever baked?My mother is sitting here next to me as I answer these questions… I can't remember the first thing specifically, but she tells me my first project was probably cookies, and was probably a "group" project with my two older sisters.
My first "signature" baked good was (and still is) the cream puff. I made it the first time in celebration of my Grandmother's birthday almost 15 years ago. I still make it, and it still has that WOW factor.
What has been your biggest masterpiece?
My biggest (most painful) masterpiece has got to be the teapot cake I did for my daughters 5th birthday party. I found examples of it and tips on making it online on several different websites. The directions called for angel food cake baked in a round Pyrex glass mixing bowl. After the angel food blew up, I switched to regular cake (box of cake mix) and baked cake in the mixing bowl 3 times. What a mess! I just wasn't grasping the idea that the regular cake was to heavy to hold itself up. At about 11 o'clock the night before, I gave up, and told myself I would order a cake the next morning at 10am. At about 7am, I gave myself one last chance to put it together. I slowly assembled the bottom and top halves with a sliver of the third round in between. About a ton of buttercream later, I had done it! I will never do this cake again. Phew!
Do you have any other creative interests/hobbies?
You name it. Design, typography, fine art, photography, coffee, quilting, fund raising, scrapbooking, reading, interior decorating and any craft project of any kind.
Any words of wisdom for anyone wanting to get into baking?
Wisdom… I am a big time amateur, so there really isn't any wisdom to bestow. If you don't love it you won't do it, so why not hit the bakery instead?
When I'm not baking, I'm either cleaning the kitchen to make room for baking, or on my computer trying to discover what I would like to make. Aside from that, I have two crazy kids – my 6 year old daughter and 3 year old son – who love to "help". I also have a graphic design business that takes up a good chunk of time.
When did you first become interested in baking?
My mother made the BEST banana cream pies. The best. She would make them on a regular basis, for no reason other than it was everyone's favorite. My mother would also get together with my two aunts just before Christmas, and make hundreds of dozens of Christmas cookies to give out as gifts. My cousins and I would be locked out of the kitchen, only able to peer through the kitchen glass door, smell the wonderful scent of cookies, and hear, every few minutes, the "cookie ding" letting us all know that yet another batch was ready.
So what do you enjoy most about baking?
I love baking because there is no daily expectation. Baked goods do not need to be on the table every single night at 6pm. Baking is not cooking… I don't cook. I love baking because it is for me, when I want to do it, what I choose to make, and I get to sit back and watch the enjoyment.
Have you ever taken a class?
Yes, just recently, I took a cake decorating basics class with Melody Brandon (of mysweetandsaucy.com) at PREP Kitchen Essentials in Seal Beach. I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks. What is the first thing you ever baked?My mother is sitting here next to me as I answer these questions… I can't remember the first thing specifically, but she tells me my first project was probably cookies, and was probably a "group" project with my two older sisters.
My first "signature" baked good was (and still is) the cream puff. I made it the first time in celebration of my Grandmother's birthday almost 15 years ago. I still make it, and it still has that WOW factor.
What has been your biggest masterpiece?
My biggest (most painful) masterpiece has got to be the teapot cake I did for my daughters 5th birthday party. I found examples of it and tips on making it online on several different websites. The directions called for angel food cake baked in a round Pyrex glass mixing bowl. After the angel food blew up, I switched to regular cake (box of cake mix) and baked cake in the mixing bowl 3 times. What a mess! I just wasn't grasping the idea that the regular cake was to heavy to hold itself up. At about 11 o'clock the night before, I gave up, and told myself I would order a cake the next morning at 10am. At about 7am, I gave myself one last chance to put it together. I slowly assembled the bottom and top halves with a sliver of the third round in between. About a ton of buttercream later, I had done it! I will never do this cake again. Phew!
Do you have any other creative interests/hobbies?
You name it. Design, typography, fine art, photography, coffee, quilting, fund raising, scrapbooking, reading, interior decorating and any craft project of any kind.
Any words of wisdom for anyone wanting to get into baking?
Wisdom… I am a big time amateur, so there really isn't any wisdom to bestow. If you don't love it you won't do it, so why not hit the bakery instead?
Thanks Abby!
Images: Abby Barnes
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