Amanda Lee: Her ‘happy’ place is in the kitchen

Written by Liz Skalka
Tuesday, 03 August 2010 09:00

Amanda Lee knows that all it takes to reach her zen is a little flour, sugar and a hot oven.

“There’s something about taking a cake out of an oven that’s my happy place, I guess,” said Ms. Lee, in her rustic kitchen in Redding.

Ms. Lee, a resident here for nearly three years, started a baking business, SweetLee Treats, out of her home that she hopes to grow. Baking on and off for a while, the orders are now starting to come in more frequently for her cookies, cakes and cupcakes, with a couple batches of baked goods moving through her kitchen each week.

Ms. Lee creates everything from simple chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and tiny white flowers made out of gum paste, to an amphibian-themed cake with fondant frogs.

Standing in her kitchen, Ms. Lee is surrounded by fresh chocolate chip cookies, butter cookies, apricot bars, cupcakes and a large cake with striking pink frosting.

“I like to make things that are very handmade looking,” she said. “I don’t like to make things that look like they’re off the assembly line.”

Whether you need a tiered wedding cake or a couple dozen unique cupcakes, Ms. Lee, a self-taught baker, said she is ready and armed with the know-how to create just about anything.

And Ms. Lee wants people to know that you don’t have to travel outside of town to purchase great baked goods.

“You don’t need to drive all the way down to Westport to get cupcakes. You can just call me and come to my house,” she said.

Besides handing out business cards and starting a Facebook page, Ms. Lee said word of mouth has “literally” had people inquiring about her baked goods.

Besides a few extra calories, Ms. Lee’s cupcake will cost customers $24 for a dozen. Cakes start at $35, though prices will vary depending on how elaborate they are. Chocolate chip cookies are $12 for a dozen, with all cookies generally costing between $1 and $2 each.

For more information, visit sweetleetreats.com.

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