Baking is one of sophomore Sarah Buohl’s passions. In recent years, Buohl has devoted her free time to baking goods from baby shower cakes to various cupcakes, eventually establishing a business-like situation.

“I began baking about three years ago and it started mainly as a hobby and it became more of a business…” added Buohl, regarding the beginning of her baking vocation. Throughout her childhood, Buohl spent copious amounts of time with her grandmother in the kitchen, who was an avid cook. Buohl said her grandmother was able to teach her “some of her secret tricks” during their time together. When Buohl’s grandmother passed away, Buohl decided it was time to “pick up her legacy and keep baking”, which “turned out to be really fun”.

Once Buohl became proficient in baking, friends and family began submitting requests for items, both challenging and uncomplicated. “It’s mainly a full-blown business,” said Buohl, regarding what this once-hobby has evolved to. Buohl said she tries to add her own “flare” to her creation while following the instructions of a client in order to make it her own.

Now devoted to baking, Buohl’s hobby has become a job as well as a lifestyle.

Through all of her newly popular requests, Buohl still tries to stick to her roots and create what she enjoys. Cupcakes are Buohl’s favorite treat to bake because they are “cute” and she can “really elaborate” on them and make them her own.  Buohl has even set up her own social media accounts dedicated to her creations, @wonderlandsweets_bysarah.

In terms of recipes, Buohl tends to turn to family concoctions. Buohl said, “I use a lot of family recipes when we have them.”

Although baking is Buohl’s favored hobby, it comes with its own set of challenges.

“My biggest challenge has been people requesting with such short deadlines,” said Buohl. With only a week to complete something “elaborate”, Buohl often finds herself in a time crunch, although she somehow always makes it work. “…all of my friends support me in it. I just have to find time when I can,” added Buohl.

Although Buohl could receive help from others with her baking business, she chooses to both bake and decorate on her own because she feels needs to “do everything from scratch”. Buohl admittedly elicits help from her electric mixer, one of her limited tools. “…it just whips through stuff a lot faster than I can do with my hand, so that’s my main thing,” added Buohl.

Along with time constraints, Buohl has faced challenges with the difficulty level of her craft. The toughest project Buohl has completed was a cake for a family friend’s baby shower. “She wanted this super elaborate sort of wedding looking cake and it was a lot,” added Buohl.

Someone who keeps Buohl on task and supports her is her mother. Buohl said, “My biggest supporter is my mom… she just keeps me going through the busy schedule.” Aside from her mother, Buohl is also able to find comfort in her own home kitchen opposed to another’s space or even a more professional setting. “…I’ve found that I’m more comfortable at my house because I know where everything is,” added Buohl.

Although Buohl is unsure of what she would like to pursue after high school, she still has plenty of time to decide. “I’ve been thinking about it… I’m not quite sure what I want to do as a career yet,” added Buohl.