Meet the Amateur Bakers - Joyce (aka BCAllegra)

How long have you been baking?
Since 5th grade

What is your favorite thing to bake?
It changes from month to month - I'm currently into scones! For April, I'll obviously be trying some new cupcake recipes and I'm thinking about desserts for Easter, perhaps even a coconut cream pie?

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
I've been on a mission to conquer cheesecake in the past couple of years - an ancient oven in the past resulted in scorched exteriors and undercooked centers. Recent attempts have resulted in more of a mousse-y texture - I vow to make the firm, silken cheesecake of my dreams this year!

What is your favorite ingredient?
I love almond flavoring as a special ingredient for cookies and glazes

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Google! It helps me discover other baking blogs . Obviously, Smitten Kitchen and The Pioneer Woman are also favorites, and locally, Beantown Baker!

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Boston Chomper

How long have you been blogging?
2.5 years



What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
As boring as it sounds, I think I'm really known for my cookies. I like to say I have the repertoire of a really good bake sale mom - my most requested cookies are oatmeal cranberry cookies; cranberry, pistachio and white chocolate chip cookies; ginger hermits; and chocolate chip blondies.

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Chocolate Black Bottom Cupcakes (old favorite)
Brown Sugar Praline Cupcakes (new recipe)

Feel free to include any additional information about yourself, your baking, your favorite baking story, etc
I've been called the half-Asian Martha Stewart by friends and family.

Actually, it's because of my Korean mother that I was inspired to bake -Simply because she is incredibly bad at it! I say this with love and without blame, realizing that she didn't grow up with American sweets.

I started baking in the fifth grade for class projects. Imagine cupcakes with pyramids on top (in actuality, red hots forming a triangle) to accompany a report on Egypt. Pitiful, I know. Despite this unauspicious start, I did progress to making Swedish nut wafer cookies (from the Fannie Farmer cookbook) for a report on - you guessed it - Sweden!

Fast forward to the present. Baking is such a big part of my life that my then-boyfriend, now-husband proposed with a cake, decorated to match my blog and with the words "Will You Marry Me?" across the top.

So that's me in a nutshell - half-Korean, avid baker, newlywed and blogger!