Over quarantine, like many, at home cooking and baking became a huge part of my life. It not only became a pastime but a way of connecting with my culture since my Ecuadorian mother was my teacher. This hobby of mine has become an active part of my life – from cooking dinner for my family to discovering my “niche” which is making cakes. With my senior project, I wanted to convert baking, which I usually just do for fun, into a learning experience.
This project has three components: the academic, artistic, and cultural components.
Academic: There is a science behind everything that is cooked/baked, and this study is called Food Science. I will be reading, researching, and understanding the science behind what chemical reactions are happening when I bake. Science is the direction I am leaning toward in college, and therefore, learning about food science, which is a combination of chemistry, biochemistry, nutrition, and microbiology, will let me engage in topics I find interesting! I plan to make posters for the chemical reactions I learn about to share my findings with everyone else.
The Artistic Component: To the majority of people, the only requirement for having a good cake is that it looks “pretty”. However, I wanted to delve deeper into the different types of cake art there is, and what occasions they are made for. There are so many types of cake designs, more than I can count, ranging from a simple minimalistic cake to a wedding cake design. At home, I will be attempting to recreate these looks with my own piping bags and spatula and be able to admire the artistry and techniques that come along with each one.
Cultural: Similar to other Latinx Countries, Cooking and Food is an unspoken love language in my family’s culture. Heightened by COVID, my interest in Ecuador’s traditional dishes has led me to connect with family members and other cultures who share the same passion for food. I was hoping that in addition to baking and decorating cakes, I would also explore the different types of pastries within Central and South America, and learns about the cultural significance behind each one.
I am expecting some challenges, whether that be a malfunction with the buttercream frosting, or not understanding a specific scientific term midway through my research, but I want to end these six weeks with the ability to say I have become knowledgeable in each of these components. When it comes to baking, there is a lot of courage, risk-taking, and creativity that need to happen in order to make every pastry and cake your own. In addition, with my research, I will keep my mind constantly thinking critically by having to form meaningful connections across several science topics. It is an LREI education manifested through baking!
In terms of success, I do not think that there is one end goal with this project, but multiple. Because it is art, I do not expect to perfect each and everything I create, but I do hope that there is an improvement as the project progresses, and I take away some baking techniques that bring everything I bake after this project a step better. With my posters, it will be a little more challenging since I haven’t taken a chemistry class since 9th grade, but as long I understand the basis of the chemical processes happening and am able to present my information clear enough that someone with no prior knowledge could understand it, I would deem the scientific component as successful.