• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

A Heart to Heart… Seriously, I might cry.

August 31, 2009 by Joy the Baker 151 Comments

Picture Old Site Pictures

Can I share something with you?

I’ve been feeling a little lost lately.

I think this whole new blog has left me feeling turned around and upside down.

Let me explain.  I want to take you back to the humble beginnings of Joy the Baker.

See that picture up top?  That’s my first site.  Oooh me Oooh my.  Pretty precious, right?  I set this site up  two years ago so I could start selling wedding cakes and wholesale baked yummies to coffee shops.  I played the wholesale and wedding cake game for a hot minute.  I chugged along on my own for a few months before it became clear that food costs and kitchen expenses made it hard for me to even break even.  That’s when I started working in other bakeries and restaurants.  Phew.  That was relief.

Then a magical thing happened.  It really did feel like magic.  I discovered food blogs.  It’s like fireworks went off in my head… as silly as that sounds.  Stories plus pictures plus recipes… plus you just get to be yourself at every moment!?  Holy heck!  In!  I wanted in!

Old Site Pictures

Old Site Pictures

Here are some of my very first food photos, taken when I was working as the Head Baker at a tiny bakery in Burbank.  These shots?  Taken on my camera phone at 4:30 in the morning.  You think I’m kidding.  I’m totally not kidding.  That’s some good glisten on those cinnamon rolls, right?  Thank you camera phone macro mode!

mis-en-place

Want to see my first post?  Ha!  I know it’s around here somewhere.  Here!

Above is one of the first pictures I took with a fancy camera, a Canon 40D.  I propped an Ikea lamp up in the background… that’s what is creating that yellowish glow.  Not exactly ideal, I now know.

Can  I just say… I was beyond mortified when I discovered that someone had found my blog and left a lovely comment in the days that followed my first post.

Mortified.

The thought of someone finding this space and reading my words absolutely terrified me.

But it didn’t terrify me enough to actually stop posting, and posting, and posting… and posting… and posting some more.

Joy the Baker

So here I am… almost two years later, still working a day job, cooking, blogging, throwing picnics for hundreds of people like you, and introducing a whole new look with loads of new content into my space.

Can I be honest?  That’s what we do here, right?

This whole redesign is a big, scary thing for me.  Many, many months ago I thought I might like to start a separate blog… one about my silly life and all the silly things I do.  I then thought… ‘Hey!  Why not put my food and my life all together into one big ol’ fun site!?’.

Here we are many months later, I’ve hired designers and fired designers.  I’ve begged coders to meet deadlines and battled hosting companies to get where I am today.  It feels like I’ve built a house, then set it on fire… then had it built all over again… but, really… less dramatic than that and without the fire.

I Fried

I’ve gone from taking pictures with my camera phone to running an entire site and keeping up with designers and coders and hosting and CSS and CPM and IE6 compatibility and… DUDE!  This mess is complicated!!!  Bourbon.  Where is the Bourbon?  Also doughnuts.  I need doughnuts!

Am I whining?  I’m totally pouting right now, aren’t I?

It’s just that sometimes things become far more than you expected… even when you’re trying to expect them.

I’m telling you all this… I’m showing you where I’ve come from and showing you how we’re right at the beginning of where we’re going, because I have an unreasonable desire to share with you the overwhelming, scary and totally exciting nature of this endeavour.  Oooh Internet, how you fussy up my emotions sometimes.

So we’re in this together right?  I couldn’t have nearly as much fun with this space if you weren’t here to share it with me.

Thanks for being here for as long as you have… even if it’s only for the past two minutes.  Thanks for adjusting to all this change I’ve thrown at you.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Thanks for being patient as I get my footing here, yell at my hosting company, recharge the batteries on my camera…. and do some freakin’ dishes.

And hey!  Let me know what’s working for you here… and what makes you sorta wanna yell and scream (in a bad way).  You matter.  I’m listening, unless it has anything to do with my use of the ‘…’, then I’m not really listening.   Holla back.

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Beyond the Kitchen

Previous Post: « No-Bake Orange and Cream Pie
Next Post: My Favorite Red Velvet Cupcakes »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Ellen

    September 10, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    Sometimes I wonder how it’s possible for people who look like they’ve “got it all” to be so down. Then you realize people think the same thing about you. I closed down my pathetic little blog, it was taking up too much time, with hardly any feedback, and the site templates were crappy.
    So I see people like you, people who’ve “go it all!” Silly, nobody really does. It’s nice to see a humble perspective, even the best stars go shooting off sometimes or dim down a little. Just for a while! Nobody’s perfect. And I’m rambling. See? Not perfect. Anyway, I just wanted to say that your real-life, down-to-earth (lots of hyphens going on here!) posts are one of the best cures for my petty teen angst, don’t stop :)

    Reply
  2. anjali

    January 10, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    Joy,
    I stumbled upon this post after searching for “coffee cake” on your site. I just started a food blog and I’ve never worked in a bakery or professional food setting, but boy, am I learning…and it’s all driven by my sweet tooth. But the point of this is that, it’s nice to see how you started and how humble you are. I absolutely LOVE your blog, it’s my go-to and I recommend it to all. Thank you for being all that you are :)

    Reply
  3. Lynn

    October 8, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    I enjoyed looking at your site. I like to bake more than cook. My husband does most of the cooking, but I’m getting inspired to cook more after looking at foodie blogs. I like that you can see the process and it makes for a good read too. I’m currently battling colon cancer and find that baking can be great therapy for me. I’ll put your site in my favorites and look forward to visiting it again and trying some of your recipes. Thanks Joy the Baker.

    Reply
  4. Michele

    September 17, 2009 at 5:39 am

    Joy…I don’t blog. I don’t have a blog and I never read blogs…except yours!!! It started out with “happening upon” your Crannberry Banana Bread – I found the recipe and that was that! Months later, I was wanting to bake something new and yummy, and I decided to get on the internet to look around. As I was searching endless recipe sites, unsure if I could trust the ratings (yes, I’ve made the recipes with the 5 stars from 10,000 people, and some have been awful!!), and I thought about that simple bread recipe! The recipe that I loved, and so did everyone else. The recipe that one woman shared, and I felt I could trust her opinion and taste. Luckily, I kept the recipe on my “Favorites” list, and it led me to your blog once again. Only this time, I stayed on…I explored! I read, and kept looking around, and loved what I saw! I don’t like the computer much…but almost daily, I am drawn to your site! I can’t wait to try soooo many recipes, and I love reading your whimsical tales of how you found the recipe, or invented the recipe, or whatever! So, with all that said, do what you will, keep up the amazing recipes, share with us as you will…but I know you have tons of us who will stick with you, whatever you choose to do!

    Reply
  5. annette

    September 12, 2009 at 11:27 am

    Joy, you are a breath of fresh air! Love your new design, so bright and happy (we need alot of this don’t we?). I’m getting use to it but love it more now that you have the latest back on top again.
    I follow you as often as I can and only wish I were a fly on the wall in your kitchen while you create all the goodies you share with us. Missed being able to come to your picnic but loved the coverage you gave it.

    Keep up the great work and know it is not in vain!!!!!
    xox

    Reply
  6. Naturi Beauty

    September 9, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    Thank you so much Joy for this post! That is exactly where I am right now. We ARE right at the beginning of where we are going! I love your posts, your recipes and your divine inspiration! I wish I was in LA to gobble up your goodies, alas I have to recreate them in Atlanta. I’m glad you continue each morning with such love,passion and dedication. I look forward to your future and AFFIRM your success!

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Beyond the Kitchen

An Update from Joy

Hi friends! Thanks for letting me pop into your Saturday. What are you up to this weekend? If I were to guess the goodness of your life, I’d say you’re putting an elf on a shelf, drying oranges slices into ornaments, and going for an epic no-budget Trader Joe’s run. Since I have a habit…

Read More

My 12 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

We want to make sure your holiday cookie tin is the best because you are the best. This is not a competition, but obviously, if we were to momentarily think of this as a competition –  you have to win. We’re giving you only the best 12 holiday cookie recipes ensuring instant victory at any…

Read More

Holiday Gift Guide 2022 from Team Joy the Baker

It’s that time of year, when the world falls in love! Every song you hear, seems to say, “Get me gift cards.”  But, while we may be last minute wrapper paper purchasers, we are not gift card givers.  At least… not yet.  We still have a few weeks to be our most thoughtful selves and…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

Baked pull apart garlic bread baked in a loaf pan.

Erin’s Roasted Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

Raspberry linzer cookie recipe stacked on baking sheet.

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies layered on a cooling rack.

Eggnog Iced Oatmeal Cookies

My 12 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can 🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can languish on the counter long enough to be baked. ⁣
⁣
These Almond Flour Banana Bread cookies are stacked with walnuts and chocolate and one of the best way I know how to celebrate a speckled banana. Find the recipe linked in the profile! xo #bananabread #glutenfreerecipes #joythebaker #cookies #bakingrecipes
Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple s Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple small-batch bagel recipe. Get in on this with me: ⁣
⁣
2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated gouda or gruyere⁣
Everything bagel seasoning⁣
3 tablespoons baking soda with 2 cups of boiling water. ⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray. ⁣
⁣
In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
⁣
Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch rope. Bring the ends around and pinch into a circle. ⁣
⁣
Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared pan with grated cheese in two spots.  Pour boiling water over the baking soda and float each bagel in the water for 20 or so seconds.  Use a slotted spot or spatula to transfer the bagels on top of the cheese.  Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with more cheese and everything bagel seasoning. ⁣
⁣
Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
Here to remind you that you can mix a few ingredie Here to remind you that you can mix a few ingredients together tonight and have a hot little loaf of bread in the morning. ⁣
⁣
This easy, nearly no-knead Rye Bread is essentially a magic trick. I’ll leave the recipe linked and big love to my friends @lecreuset for the most elite bread pot!
Cinnamon Rolls but make ‘em Mardi Gras. 💜💛 Cinnamon Rolls but make ‘em Mardi Gras. 💜💛💚⁣⁣
⁣⁣
For the rolls: ⁣⁣
• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk⁣⁣⁣
• 1 large egg⁣⁣⁣
• 1 large egg yolk⁣⁣⁣
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened⁣⁣⁣
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting⁣⁣⁣
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast⁣⁣⁣
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar⁣⁣⁣
• ¾ teaspoon salt⁣⁣⁣
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
For the filling:⁣⁣
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened⁣⁣⁣
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed⁣⁣⁣
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
For the icing:⁣⁣
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese⁣⁣⁣
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar or glazing sugar⁣⁣⁣
• 1 tablespoon milk⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
1. To make the dough, place all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until the dough begins to come together. You may want to speed up the process by first mixing all of the ingredients together by hand with a spatula before putting the bowl on the stand mixer. This will help the dough hook work. The dough will come together into a soft, though not too sticky dough ball after several minutes of hand mixing and stand mixer mixing.⁣⁣⁣
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Let rise for 60 minutes while you prepare the filling and icing.⁣⁣⁣
3. To make the filling: Combine the butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon into a paste. Set aside.⁣⁣⁣
4. To make icing, whisk together cream cheese and sugar. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.  Place in a small bowl and refrigerate. ⁣⁣⁣
5. Roll the dough into a 18 x 12 inch rectangle.⁣⁣⁣
6. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.⁣⁣⁣
7. Beginning with one long edge, roll the dough into a log. Cut the log into 8 or 10 equal slices. Place the slices in a greased 9×13-inch baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes. ⁣⁣⁣
8. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.  Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, until they’re golden brown and bubbling. Remove the rolls from the oven.⁣⁣⁣
9.  Drizzle icing over the warm buns and enjoy! ⁣
I’ve taken these Little Banana Pancakes on as a I’ve taken these Little Banana Pancakes on as a personality trait. ⁣
⁣
Full recipe linked in the bio or just take the concept and a box of pancake mix and I’ll see you at the kitchen table. Xo
This recipe is an essential life skill. Not an und This recipe is an essential life skill. Not an understatement. Two Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe linked in the bio, babes. Xo 🍪
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up