How I Fell in Love with Cupcakes

If you asked me years ago how cupcakes would become such an important part of my life, I probably would be very confused. Baking was never my plan. It was a journey - slow, unforeseen, emotional, and very personal.

Seven basic flavors of my cupcakes: vanilla, lemon, chocolate, red velvet, oreo, blueberry and raspberry

Chapter One. Cheesecakes

It all started when I was still a student. One ordinary day, walking through my local supermarket, I noticed a New York cheesecake. Until then, I only knew classic soviet cakes (yes, I was born and raised in Russia) - simple, familiar, sometimes overly sweet. But this one felt different. I bought it, tasted it, and instantly fell in love. More than that I needed to know how it was made.

I still do ocasionally bake cheesecakes by the way.

I tried recipe after recipe until I finally found the one. It wasn’t even a classic cheesecake. It contained a secret ingredient that technically didn’t belong there. And yet, it was so good that I kept baking it again and again. It reached a point where guests at my birthday parties wouldn’t even say hello first — they would ask:

“Is there cheesecake today?”

Chapter two. Cakes.

Life then took me to Austria. New country, new everything. For a while, baking almost disappeared from my life - I didn’t even have an oven. When I finally moved into a bigger apartment, everything shifted again. I bought baking tools, filled my kitchen with ingredients, and returned to experiments. This time I concentrated on cakes: banana, vanilla, blueberry.

I did not find any pics of OG blueberry cakes, so here is a current slightly "enhanced" version

I didn't pay much attention to appearance though. I had no idea how to cut perfect layers or cover a cake smoothly with cream - I was focused on one thing only: making it taste amazing.I do still remember bringing one of my cakes to a close friend’s birthday. It was so good that I personally ate three slices myself. That was probably a sign.

Chapter three. Cupcakes

Around the same time, the series 2 Broke Girls came out. It was the story of two waitresses, Max and Caroline, trying to start a cupcake business. I immediately recognized myself in Max: long dark hair, a difficult childhood, a sarcastic sense of humor, and a tough shell hiding a soft heart. Somehow, she felt familiar. like a glimpse of the person I was slowly becoming

In the show, Max baked cupcakes. I, on the other hand, barely knew what cupcakes really were. Until I tried them in a small bakery in Vienna. One bite was enough. Soft sponge, smooth cream, perfect balance. And that was it. Something clicked inside me.

Red Velvet and another unknown cupcake I tried in a small bakery in Vienna

I started experimenting. My first attempts were far from perfect: uneven tops, not enough frosting, frosting was either too stiff or too runny. But they were exciting. I tested countless recipes, frostings, piping tips, flavor combinations, and techniques. I adjusted, improved, failed, and tried again. Every mistake taught me something new, and every success pushed me further.

My very first attempts to bake cupcakes

Slowly, I found what I truly like. My own base cupcake recipe. My preferred cream. Flavors that feel balanced, not too sweet, honest, and comforting. Cupcakes that don’t try too hard, but simply feel good. Baking stopped being about following rules and became about being my true self.

Chapter four. More than cupcakes

Along the way, I took classes, learned new techniques, explored different desserts. And I’m still learning. Right now, for example, I’m diving into everything cakes: sponges, fillings, creams, decoration. Or slowly mastering an art of entremets: silky mousses, crisp layers, and the quiet patience they require. Each new technique feels like opening another door, reminding me how much there still is to explore.. Because baking, for me, is not about perfection or trends. It’s about curiosity, growth, and allowing myself to evolve.

Cupcakes were never “just cupcakes”.They became a way for me to tell my story — one bake at a time.

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