If you’ve ever woken up on a lazy weekend, googled ‘Simple cake recipe’ and proceeded to fill your house with the cinnamon swirled aroma of banana bread, chances are, you’ve snapped a picture, captioned it “#SundaySpentWell” (Or something along those lines), posted it on your Instagram story, and awaited the sea of compliments flooding your messages. Well, that’s practically me on a daily basis (Except, unfortunately, not every day is a lazy weekend). It’s no secret that I document my desserts on my Instagram page as a way to channel my creativity and passion for pastry, just like several other bakers out there. I made my account and learnt how to write engaging captions and take pictures that sometimes look better than the dessert itself, making my page stand out from the others. You might be wondering, ‘how did you just learn to step it up?’ Well, the answer is, more than just practicing techniques and recipes, which was worthwhile to some extent, over the past few years, I’ve been heavily inspired by the baking community on instagram itself. From the at-home-bakers showing off their warm and cosy treats, to the elaborate professionals marketing the most breathtaking cakes, ingenuity and artistry is everywhere you look (or scroll).
In this community, it doesn’t matter whether you have 20 followers or 20,000. What matters is that you’re just as passionate about this art form as the other millions of dream-chasing bakers on the platform. I’ve always wondered how complete strangers are so supportive of me, when everyone has the goal of trying to grow their own page. I wake up every morning, and more often than not, there’s a comment from an unfamiliar page saying ‘Wow! I love this cake, it’s so creative!’ I mean, shouldn’t they be picking up the smallest of flaws and criticising me instead, to make them sound ‘better’ than me? The answer to that is, in this community, the word ‘selfish’ doesn’t exist.It’s only about trying to pick others up, and spreading the joys of baking. What I love best about being a part of this boundless network is that I can transport myself to far off places and experience things that otherwise, I would never have been exposed to. With just a glance at my screen, I’m immediately taken to Florida, whose Key Lime Pie with hints of citrus that dance on my tongue, or even Istanbul, where the shocking pink Turkish Delight seems to just melt in my mouth. Even though I’m probably 50,000 miles away, gaping at these confections from my phone screen, I feel as if my skill entwines harmoniously with this circle, giving me a surreal sense of belonging. However, it is easy to be overwhelmed with the myriad of cake pictures that look too beautiful to eat, or the complex french pastries with countless elements to each. A lot of the time, I wonder where I stand in the group . On the flipside though, this helps me to stay on my toes and always do my best, putting out content that makes me truly happy while doing what I love the most. This doesn’t require being glued to the phone all day, neither does it require posting 15 pictures a week. All you need is a sprinkle of enthusiasm and a drizzle of kindness, and what you’ll be rewarded with is a kitchen-full of fulfilment and ecstasy.