By Amanda Dragon

While lying her couch watching TV, suddenly a smell like no other hits her nose. Blueberry white chocolate cupcakes, the smell fills the air as she stands up walking to her kitchen, she hears the beeping of the oven telling her that her cupcakes are done. She puts on her apron covered in red, white and pink cupcakes. The touch of the soft oven mitts protects her skin as she pulls out her beautiful cupcakes.

Kelsey Shady, 17, loves to make the most delicious sweet treats that no one can resist. The master chef’s love of making cupcakes all started in seventh grade with her best friend at the time, who loved to bake. They loved baking together, making all the sweet treats they could desire.

Shady cooks at her home after school when she does not have sports practice to attend. She said that her favorite thing to do is bake cupcakes. “My favorite flavor to make is either salted caramel or peanut butter chocolate cupcakes.” Shady said that she is different from others who bake cupcakes because she is not afraid to mix things up. “Flavors can’t just be basic, it’s OK to mix flavors.” Shady showed this, when she brought in red velvet cookie dough cupcakes for her volleyball team.

Shady first moved here in her freshman year of high school. She said when she brought cupcakes for her friends, the reaction she received was great. Her friends loved the treats. All of her friends would eat them up. Shady was overwhelmed by all the great comments about her cupcakes. Teachers also enjoyed cupcakes, art instructor Ely Sotillo is one of those very lucky teachers to get to try one of Shady’s cupcakes. “I would definitely pay for them … they were delicious,” he said. When Shady recently brought in red velvet oreo cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for her journalism class the reaction she received was not a surprise. ‘‘Everything Kelsey bakes turns into gold!” said junior Ryan Williams. Bailey Priborsky, one of Kelsey’s good friends, also loved the sweet surprise. “There are no words to describe how they taste!” With his reaction Shady knew she was on to something sweet.

Now, of course, a baker this good, could not go without being known. That’s right, Shady’s friends aren’t the only ones that love the sweet taste of Shady’s cupcakes. This chef bakes cupcakes for friend’s birthdays, holidays, and family. ‘‘I love to bake for my friends. Every time one of my friends has a birthday, I make them cupcakes.” She also bakes for weddings and baby showers. Shady said that she has two weddings that she is baking for this coming fall. One of them is her dad’s cousin’s wedding, and the other one is one of Shady’s mom’s friend’s wedding. Kelsey said that she also bakes for fun, but it usually is for a purpose.

Being an expert baker herself, she knows that baking takes a lot of thought, practice, and concentration. When baking, your head needs to be in the kitchen not somewhere else. When asked what runs through her head when baking, she said “I just hope that the cupcakes rise as they should”. Even the greatest chefs can lose their concentration. Shady said that once she had just put cupcakes in the oven, when she looked to the side to come face to face with the sugar.

Shady plans to continue to bake. She even wants to open a bakery when she is older. Shady expressed interest in opening a bakery in Seattle or along the East Coast. Shady would also like her bakery to be in a town with a college, so that she is able to hire college students. Shady went on to say that she would like to run her own bakery and still be able to bake. Whatever this baker ends up doing, it will be sweet.