Welcome to Clare's Cakery. 

    "I want to be a baker when I grow up"

    , I told my dad when I was young, because "I like the smell of bread in bakeries"! With no oven at home, I grew up envying other girls who brought cookies and brownies to school for special events or those who could bake for the people they loved.

    This childhood dream got buried in layers of expectations (both mine and others) - doing well in education, practical concerns about finding a 'stable' job, and saving money. The resistance to change at home prevented me from even thinking about buying an oven to bake on my own.

    My first few baking encounters were at friends' homes from 2009 - 2013, with brownie and cake premixes. I loved how easy it was, and I was downright excited from beginning till end - measuring the flour and eggs and watching the baking rise with fascination in the ovens (still do!). 

    By God's grace I was given an oven in 2014 by my cell-group. Even then, I didn't bake regularly due to the lack of knowledge on how to bake on my own, and the perceived hassle of getting necessities like cake pans, flour, and baking butter at home. 

    It was only in 2015 that I decided to intentionally set aside time in my schedule for baking regularly - after being inspired by the motivational quotes I subscribe to on Instagram. I started baking about once every week or two weeks. I've since experimented with cake varieties (my favourite pastry) such as chiffons, pound, cheese, tiered with buttercream, and other pastries such as scones, cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. I'm also keen to learn to bake meats and vegetables.

    Now, I believe in baking from scratch because it's more authentic than premixes. I use natural ingredients as much as possible and I avoid flavourings or essences because they make the taste more artificial.

    I also write about my still-ongoing exploration of cafes in Singapore (under the Dine button). Food aside, I research and write about positive psychology and motivation (under the Read button).

    My name is Clare and I appreciate you for dropping by - I hope my writing will add value to you in some way! :)

Drop me a message for collaborations or features.