Joy the Baker

Two Years of Joy the Baker, Pictured.

January 20, 2010

Joy the Baker is two years old.  Two years of cookies.  Two years of cupcakes.  Two years of pancakes.  Two years of me standing on a chair in my dining room trying to get the right shot of a slice of cake before I gobble it up.  Two years of me.  Two years of you.  

Here’s what the last two years have looked like around these parts.  Come along… let’s reminisce. 

Podcasting  

Once upon a time I made a podcast.  It’s totally dorky.  I can’t bear to watch it.  It’s like listening to your own voice on the answering machine.  Too much.  Totally.  Dorky.  

a cookie we can believe in. 

I made these cookies waaaay back in the day when Barack Obama was still battling it out with Hillary Clinton.  My Dad hated it.  He hated it so much he left a nasty comment on my blog.  Yea…. that happened.  Thanks Dad.  Love you.  Always.

 

How to frost a cake- Step four, add caramel 

A looong time ago, we talked about how to decorate a cake!  It was fun.  There was caramel. 

Baker's Day Off at Disneyland 

I’m pretty sure I annoyed everyone in my family by taking pictures of them eating.  Just look at this sister of mine though.  Those eyes! I’ll never get over it.  Daaaang I love that girl. 

Engagement Cake 

Two years ago I made an engagement cake.  Not my own engagement cake.  That wouldn’t have worked.  Yea…. wow. 

Memorial Day Weekend 

I’ve been to San Francisco a lot in the last two years.  There’s water.  There are bridges.  There’s amazing food.  If you’ve never been… well, now you know what you’re missing. 

LA County Fair 

I’ve been in love.  Love is nice.  Love should come with a warning sign. 

Easy Chocolate Pudding 

I’ve been on the other side of love too.  The break-up side.  Yea…. not as awesome as love.  The break-up side of love requires a lot of chocolate pudding .  More than you might think actually.  True. 

I Fried 

Shut up… I made doughnuts.

Daddy-o 

I love my Dad’s hands.  I’ve known them my whole life… it’s kinda weird.  Those are the hands that taught me how to bake.  Thanks Dad!  

fancy food

I went to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.  Fancy it is not.  Snoozetown it is. 

Seattle 

I found a gum wall in Seattle with my name spelled out in green gum.  Turns out this is equal parts awesome and terrifying. 

Joy the Baker in Napa 

I stomped through Napa like I owned the joint.  

Dad's Buttermilk Biscuits 

Buttermilk biscuits make the world right.  I know.  I’ve done the research. 

times onling 

Last year this little blog was named one of the 50 best food blogs in the world.  Aw, shucks.  

Gluten-Free Lemon Almond and Polenta Cake 

I don’t even want to tell you how many cakes I’ve dropped on the floor in two years. Let’s just say it’s between one and twelve… and it’s way more than one. Sometimes bad things happen to good cakes in my kitchen. 

Easter and the Cupcake Bake Off 

I’ve had fun with confetti and friends in the last two years.  

S'mores Brownies 

S’mores Brownies.  Amazeballs. 

One Pot Spring Garden 

My Mom helped my plant a One Pot Garden.  It was lovely… until I killed it.  I don’t want to talk about it. 

Homemade Vanilla Extract 

I made Homemade Vanilla Extract.  You should too. 

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake  

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Avocado Buttercream.  I’m a weirdo. 

Joy the Baker Picnic 

Last summer I threw a rooftop picnic in downtown Los Angeles…

Rooftop Picnic Times 

and people actually came!!  Lots of people.  I love you people. 

Pasta Making 

Homemade and handmade pasta.  A dream come true. 

Foodbuzzed 

Last year I won Foodbuzz’s Best Baking Blog. That made me feel good about myself.  Fun fact. 

Whitney and Wine 

I also drank a lot of wine last year.  That made me feel good about myself too.  Wait…. that’s bad. Nevermind. 

Joy the Baker Vacation 

Vacation.  Real life vacation.  I ended the last two years with a vacation, a bath tub and a lovely view from behind fancy drapes.  It was just about the most amazing thing ever. 

montage 

But really… the most amazing thing is that you decide to come here and be a part of Joy the Baker.  Maybe you’ve been here for two years, two months or two days… however long, thank you.  Really.  This little piece of Internet has become more than I ever could have imagined.  Is that totally dorky to say?  Yea… but it’s true.  I thank you.  

 


239 Comments Add A Comment

  • Congratulations on 2 years!! I watched your podcast and I LOVED it! But I do know how watching and hearing yourself would freak you out ;)

  • Congrats and keep up the good work. I love coming here!

  • YAY! I’m glad you’ve had such wonderful years with your blog! I love your blog so much and look forward to checking it every day!

  • Thanks for two years of awesomeness! You’re blog is truly inspiring on so many levels. Keep it up!

  • Happy birthday! I have vanilla extract aging as we speak — totally inspired by you, of course!

  • Amazeballs?! LOL!

  • i love your writing and your blog. you are one amazing lady!

  • Yours is the first blog I ever started following with obsessive regularity (not in a creepy way, just in a ‘wow! I really like this gal and the food she bakes’ way), and you never fail to make me smile, think or try something new. So, very seriously, thanks for doing what you do, and sharing who you are.

  • Congrats on your 2 years! Hopefully there will be many more to come … with lots of yummy food too. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2010!

  • Aw this is so nice! You inspired me to make my own vanilla extract, by the way; I started it a few weeks ago :)

    I really enjoy your blog.

  • Joy! Oh how I regret that I only started following you the last few months. Time for some catch up! Congrats on two years! And frankly, I love drinking wine and the more I drink the better I love it, so cheers to us!

  • Amazing two years, Joy! Thanks for taking on this ride with beautiful photos and yummy food!

  • Congratulations on 2 years!! i love your recipes,writes, photos! i hope, you get all writes..

  • Many congratulations on making it 2 years! And raise a glass to many more years to come.

  • That was such a joy to read! You truly are amazing. I love that your posts are so positive and leave you with a little smile on your face. You deserve everything you have experienced with this blog and in your life.
    You should have a giveaway where the prize is a meal, or an afternoon of baking with you. I would love to win!

  • congrats!

    i have only had 6 months of joy the baker, but i have honestly enjoyed every minute of it. your baking is obviously superb and delicious and i have made many of your recipes, but i think it is your personality which shines through so much on this blog which makes it the first one I check every morning over breakfast.

    job well done, keep up the good work! my day would be less enjoyable with out your posts

  • I absolutely adore your blog! The style, the food, the pictures, the writing. I can only hope that someday my food blog will be as beautiful and successful as yours. You are an inspiration!

  • I tried making the vanilla extract and I am afraid to use it. I used rum as it was what I had on hand and when I opened the jar it was like Capt. Morgan smacked me in the face. Maybe I should try again, but I did discover vanilla bean paste which I am in love with now.

    You should blog about how to create a successful blog. I have one of my own but no clue how to get it to become more mainstream.

  • I can’t really remember the first time I visited your blog, maybe like 6 months ago, but I do remember it was the first food blog I became addicted to. Keep up the great work!!

  • I’m touched! Thanks for the trip down memory lane. xxoo

  • Congrats to you Joy. I adore your sweet blog. You inspire me with every post!

  • You are why I started blogging… though I am nowhere as good as you, and definitely not as consistent or as funny. Thanks for being an inspiration!

  • congrats:) i will say that your blog is one of my favorite baking blogs, as the recipes all look delicious, but also seem like things i can easily make on my own. i look forward to the next 2 years:)

  • Love the ski lift picture! “Love should come with a warning sign,” – so true.

  • Happy Birthday Joy! Love your blog :)

  • I just was told about your blog recently and I LOVE it!! I can’t wait to make many of the recipes on it from the past two years. Thanks for sharing with the world!!

  • Happy Birthday! The pictures were so much fun! Your blog is amazing. I learn something every time I read or re-read one. Could you point me to the link with the recipe for Caramel Cake with Butterscotch filling and frosting? Thanks

  • Congrats – and THANK YOU…
    Thank you for your lovely photos, funny, self-effacing banter and best of all – the treats!

  • Congrats! Thank you for this lovely blog. You have a great voice. – mary

  • Hi Joy,

    I am a regular reader of your blog. Congratulations on your 2nd anniversary. Your blog has one of the most warm and loving voices. I look forward to reading your blog everyday. You make me happy.

    Kuntala.

  • Congrats Joy! I hope you’re celebrating big time! Your blog is such a treat and an inspiration. I’m not normally a baker– but bake a lot more since discovering your blog.

    Keep up the fabulous work :)

  • Happy Birthday and many happy years of baking, photos and sharing I hope! I’m still totally flattered to have been mentioned and linked in your blog!
    Here’s a candle on behalf of all your readers…close your eyes and make a wish!:)

  • Happy Anniversary, Joy. I love it here.

  • Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

  • You rock. I’ve been here for a few months, and always find myself entertained, amazed, and enlightened. And usually drooling. Thanks for being little piece of my life, and keep up the good work.

    And for all those droppd cakes…just tell yourself they were never meant to be. That’s what I do.

  • Joy- loving your blog every time I read it- looking forward to seeing how the next year transpires.. hopefully you’ll be having a wedding…then kids and husband to make LOADS of your amazing pancakes for!! YES!!
    so FUN! I’m happily married for 7 years this summer, and we just had our 4th baby, YES 4 kids 5 and under… its fun…and I bet you can guess…I make a lot of pancakes around here… and I totally LOVE your pancake recipes!!
    Here’s to two years of amazing food and blogging and to MANY more years of it to come!!
    xx0
    Jess

  • Congrats on the anniversary! Love the blog :)

  • Congratulations on your two years! I haven’t been there the whole time, but I’m looking forward to reading your blog for a lot longer!

    P.S. I might make some of your pancakes tonight!

  • Congratulations, Joy! I’ve been lurking your blog for almost 2 years. I think you had maybe three posts up when I first visited! You’ve inspired many of my own baking endeavors, both awesome and slightly on the fail side, but practice makes perfect, you know? I plan on sticking around for much longer and look forward to reading more and baking more!

  • congrats joy! i love your blog & your writing always brightens my day! i made your oreo cookies recently and loved them and cannot wait to try more recipes :)

  • Adorable posting. Adorable blog. You are just adorable. Thank you! I will find something Joy to make in honor of your Anni! CONGRATS! :)

  • Thank YOU Hoy – for making this world a bit tastier, warmer and friendlier place to live. really. May sound a bit stupid, those word before, but really, when I feel low (and that is quite frequent lately) , I always jump to your site. And it feels better in a second. Or two. Well, in one when I make your chocolate mousse beforehand

  • You are my inspiration. Everyday, I thank the baking gods that they have blessed me with this passion so early on in life, so that now, I have the rest of my life to explore the world of baking. Your writing makes me smile, sometimes even spontaneously laugh, and your pictures always make me hungry. Thanks for being you!

  • Yeah, 2 years! Congratulations and keep’em coming!

  • You rock, Joy.

  • Woo hoo! Also, I’m glad you thought the S’more brownies were important enough to be pictured in your two year post. I think they, are too.

  • has it really only been 2 years? I’m impressed!

    P.S. I just moved to SF!!!!!!

  • Congrats Joy!!! I love your blog and your spirit… you make me smile :)

  • Happy Birthday and many more wonderful blog happenings :)

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