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Sweet treats are for sharing

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS — Lauren Rudkin poses for a picture with a cake sthe made for a friend’s wedding.

Lauren Rudkin loves to bake because it brings joy to her family and friends and is a stress reliever for her.

She attributes her love for cooking to her grandmothers.

“I watched my grandmothers from a very young age cook and bake all my life and I just kind of took after them,” she said.

Rudkin enjoys caring for people by giving them great meals and desserts.

“I love cooking for large crowds on holidays or for any get together, even though my husband would tell you the kitchen gets tense,” she said “I enjoy seeing people happy and when I see people around the table enjoying good food, desserts and having good conversation it makes me happy.”

The last seven years of Rudkin’s life have seen many changes, and baking has helped her stay calm through them. She went from being a stay at home mom to her two children to completing her nursing degree. Last year Rudkin was a full time student.

“Baking was something that was a huge stress reliever, something I did as an outlet to take my mind and pressure off of schooling and put some energy towards something else,” she said.

Rudkin called cooking and baking “therapeutic” and said she loves to put her own spin on family recipes.

She got her start baking cakes from a birthday disaster.

“I started doing cakes after a failed cake order I placed for my son’s first birthday,” Rudkin said. “I looked at the cake I ordered, and was like, ‘Why didn’t I just attempt this cake on my own?'”

Friends and family order holiday cookies from Rudkin.

Since then she has made all the birthday cakes for her children, along with cakes for friends and family.

“My favorite things to make are children’s cakes, frosted sugar cookies and cinnamon rolls, however I make cookies, breads and pies of all sorts,” Rudkin said.

Her sugar cookies come from her aunt’s recipe, which she has made changes to. Rudkin said they are the favorite among friends and family along with her cakes. People often request them for holidays and birthdays.

Rudkin said mistakes bound to happen while baking, and they often lead to great results.

“If you bake and have not have not had flying beaters from your kitchen aid mixer, are you really a cook?” she said. “I have had my fair share of disasters from a beater mishap to having to redo fondant on 3 dozen cupcakes 2 hours prior to my friends baby shower. Some of my best work is done under pressure.”

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Contact Anna Shearer at 641-753-6611 or ashearer@timesrepublican.com

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