Baking has always been more than just a hobby in my family; it is a tradition that spans generations. My Nana, a gifted baker, was famous for her sumptuous cakes and incredibly moist banana breads. I still have her well-loved Nordicware Bundt pan, a classic piece that was made in Minnesota in the 1940s. My Nana spent her life on the east coast, and it seems poetic that her bundt pan ended up with me back here in Minnesota.

I spent my childhood as an Air Force brat, moving frequently from one base to another. I lived in many states, from CA to MA, and spent 5 years in Turkey. I ended up taking Home Economics three times, which instilled in me a deep appreciation for the flavor and quality of home-baked goods.

When I settled down in Minnesota, and my own children were born, I started baking much more frequently. I found joy in creating home baked treats for my family, and I quickly developed a catalog of favorite recipes. However, my entire approach to baking was unexpectedly turned upside down when my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of six. I threw out all of my baking ingredients, toaster, wooden spoons, and anything else that could have been contaminated with gluten. The diagnosis forced me to re-learn baking from scratch. The first gluten-free cake I baked from scratch was downright terrible. My daughter and I went to the grocery store and bought every single gluten-free cake mix available, determined to find one that tasted good. I baked 6 different cakes in one day, and we had a taste-testing party. Most of them ended up in the garbage.

Eventually, I moved past the mixes and once again tried baking from scratch. I experimented with various gluten-free flours, recipes, and baking techniques. I was finally able to create gluten-free cakes that were soft, moist, and delicious. As I perfected my techniques and started baking and decorating cakes for my own children's birthdays, I realized I didn't want to stop. I cautiously began offering my cakes to acquaintances and friends online. The demand grew organically, driven by word-of-mouth and the quality of my gluten-free creations. Soon, what started as a solution for my daughter’s diet blossomed into a genuine, fulfilling baking business.

-Donna Mehta