“I’ve all the time been a very inventive individual, however not a lot of a cook dinner,” mentioned Lauren Corum, founding father of So Baked customized cookies. “Over the pandemic I began doing the cliché consolation baking factor everybody was doing.
“I began doing it for enjoyable in 2020 throughout the thick of the lockdowns,” continued Corum. “I needed to try to treatment boredom, have one thing to cross out to neighbors and associates, whereas bringing somewhat pleasure.”
The self-taught baker was simply “messing round” with cookie adorning at first. “My sister knew I wanted a push to get on the market, so when her buddy’s 3-year-old wanted a really particular dinosaur cookie, she instructed me I used to be going to do it,” mentioned Corum. “I mentioned sure and didn’t let myself overthink it, like I often do.”
After posting a photograph of the dinosaur cookies on her Instagram account in January 2021, Corum obtained numerous optimistic suggestions. Inside an hour she had one other order.
Corum’s profession path took many twists and turns earlier than arriving at being a customized cookie artist. She earned her media arts diploma in South Carolina, then turned a flight attendant, which introduced her to Knoxville.
“I began working in early childhood at two totally different colleges, then at a Montessori faculty and that has been actually useful with this cookie enterprise,” mentioned Corum. “I’ve made so many connections. They’ve been a few of my finest clients, and kids are my finest critics.”
Phrase of mouth and Instagram have been a giant a part of So Baked by Lauren’s success over the previous yr.
It’s an ongoing science experiment for Corum. “I wish to make them very flavorful and to excellent my dough recipe,” she mentioned. “Whereas I do love the artwork of it, I additionally strive very exhausting to excellent the style.”
Gifted with a gentle hand, Corum makes use of her inventive skills to color and draw on every cookie. “The cookie is the palette, and the icing is the paint,” she mentioned. “It’s sort of Zen for me; there’s a perfectionism in it. It is vitally satisfying to see it work out the way in which I pictured it in my head.”
Corum admits to happening a deep rabbit gap, watching folks frost cookies on-line and discovering numerous intelligent YouTube tutorials.
So Baked has targeted on customized orders to this point. “Individuals message me privately through Instagram or name me,” mentioned Corum. “Some persons are very detailed, right down to the lettering, sprinkles and shade of teal, or others will say they simply need one thing enjoyable with main colours.”
For one order, Corum labored from photographs of a kid’s favourite toy for inspiration. “I attempt to be as artistic and cater to the shopper as a lot as potential,” she mentioned.
“I’ve had requests for gluten free and I’m nonetheless working exhausting on that; I’d like to serve the gluten-free group.”
So Baked’s minimal cookie order is a dozen, and Corum mentioned she has not reached her most capability but. “I’m a one-woman present, however essentially the most is seven dozen to date,” she mentioned. “I’m all the time determining time administration. I would like issues to be contemporary.”
Corum, who stayed busy filling Valentine’s Day orders, hopes long run to launch a web site for ordering and begin providing courses and social gathering choices for youths and adults.
“I gave it a yr, and I’m able to see what 2022 brings for me. I’m lucky to have this, and it makes everyone actually completely satisfied.”
