DOCE

A Sweet Journey: My Baking Adventure Through the Years

  ~Cake demo at the Utah State Fair 2022 

Baking has always been more than just a hobby for me—it's been a journey of creativity, passion, and connection. 

~Brazilian carrot cake ( my favorite)

My Baking Journey: From Birthday Cakes to Brazilian Treats and Everything in Between

Baking has always been more than just a hobby for me—it’s been a journey of creativity, passion, and connection. Whether I’m baking birthday cakes for my family, sharing baking tips at the Utah State Fair, or perfecting Brazilian treats like brigadeiros, I’ve found the most joy while in the kitchen. Over the years, I’ve discovered that baking isn't just about following recipes—it's about creating lasting memories, experimenting with new flavors, and celebrating life’s sweetest moments.

~ marble cake, butter cookies, brigadeiros, monkey bread, key lime protein bites, coconut flan, Texas sheet cake 

~coming 2025 

As someone with Brazilian roots, I’ve always been drawn to making traditional Brazilian desserts. One of my favorites is brigadeiros—delicious chocolate truffles that are rich, indulgent, and perfect for any occasion. These small, flavorful bites have become a staple in my baking repertoire, and I love sharing them with friends and family. Along with brigadeiros, I also enjoy making flans, cookies, brownies, and other Brazilian-inspired sweets that remind me of my heritage.

~ baklava, cocoa cookies, mint truffles, Christmas cookies, Gingerbread cookies, beijinhos, molasses cookies, chocolate chip cookies, brownies 4 ways, peppermint bark, crinkle cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies

Though my journey is far from perfect, it’s been a fun and rewarding adventure. With each new recipe I try and every mistake I make, I learn something new and grow as a baker. The joy of baking—whether it’s a simple batch of cookies or an elaborate birthday cake—continues to inspire me every day.

~ German chocolate cake, coconut chocolate cake, funfetti, white cake, brigadeiros cake, corn cake, carrot cake 

As I look back at all the desserts I’ve created through the years, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come and how much I’ve yet to explore. I can’t wait to see where my baking journey takes me next!

Deployment Diaries | Part 1

Pre-deployment: We are currently a month away from deployment, and my mind is spinning... 

I keep thinking about this deployment checklist that needs to be completed (mostly by my husband), but somehow it makes me feel like we are going to forget about a very important detail and he is going to be long gone.

How I'm feeling: today I'm feeling knots in my stomach (just like the day Daniel told me about a possible deployment). I'm thinking that the main reason is due to the fact that we found out some pretty amazing news today. But we aren't ready to share it with the world yet.

There is so much to do around the house before he leaves. I have a CVS receipt for a growing list...

I talked to my mama today, and we both laughed and cried thinking about her last deployments with my dad. She reassured me that everything would be alright and that Daniel was doing something amazing for our little family. Just like my dad did...

During my dad's last deployment before he retired, on a late Friday night, my mom frantically called me and told me that I needed to take her to the emergency room because something was wrong (she lived only 40 minutes from me). I remember dropping everything and telling Daniel that I would not be able to go out with him and his friends to celebrate his birthday. I'm sure he was a little sad but completely understood the situation. It turns out my mom had a crazy allergic reaction, and after a few shots and some medication, we were on our way back to her house. I stayed the night and laughed and chatted all night on her bed!

The only difference now is that my parents live four hours away, so I can't just drop everything and run off to their place for dinner or a sleepover during Daniel's deployment, but I'm still going to figure out a way to make my way over to their place as much as possible!

Pre-deployment: We've got this! There are only three more things to complete on our checklist!

Sweet Hazel & Co | SLC Bakery Reviews

Have you tried VEGAN chocolate before? 

Vegan chocolate is any chocolate that is made without ingredients that come from animals.

This girl had never tried vegan desserts before finding Sweet Hazel so I went in not knowing what to expect...

The bakery owner was so friendly and helped me chose. OMG! this will not be my last time at Sweet Hazel. Everything I have tried so far is delicious and if she didn't tell me they were vegan I would not believe her. I can't wait to come back and try the other sweets. The flavors are very robust in every bite. The peanut butter chocolate bar one was 10/10. 

They have a variety of chocolate bars to choose from that resemble the non-vegan ones (such as butterfinger, almond joy, snickers and so on). The size is huge for the price per bar and you can tell how good the quality of each ingredient is. Everything is listed so you exactly what to expect.  The list is usually five ingredients or less!

Sweet Hazel also offers vegan cakes, caramel, tarts and other delicious vegan desserts. 

If you are in Murray, UT go check them out! 

SWEET HAZEL & CO: 167 W 4500 S, Murray, UT 84107

Review: 5/5

Xo,

Karina 

Gourmandise Bakery | SLC Restaurant reviews

Avocado toast (gourmandise bakery)

Gourmandise is our go-to restaurant here in SLC for desserts and yummy breakfast! 

Rating: 5/5 

We always have a great experience and I have never had a bad pastry (trust me, we’ve tried lots of them). My avocado toast and chips are always delicious and the tiramisu is to die for. The cannoli, tarts, and coffee drinks are all delicious. Lastly, the Oatmeal is so delicitous and super filling! 

The staff is always so friendly and knowledgeable. The restaurant itself makes you feel like you're out of town.  Its really cute and clean. Next time you’re in SLC stop by and try them out! 

They have two locations! One in downtown SLC 250 S 300 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 and one in Draper 725 E 12300 S, Draper, UT 84020

#slceats

My Postpartum Depression Story | How to feel like yourself again

My Postpartum Depression Story | How to feel like yourself again

It's no secret that postpartum depression plays mind tricks with you and makes you feel like a stranger in your own body. With my third baby I didn't experience PPD until almost a year later. It honestly took me a while to realize that's what was going on. 

What are the most common Postpartum Depression symptoms? According to the Mayo Clinic here they are: 

Mood: anger, anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, or panic attack
Behavioral: crying, irritability, or restlessness
Whole body: fatigue or loss of appetite
Weight: weight gain or weight loss
Cognitive: lack of concentration or unwanted thoughts
Psychological: depression or fear
Also common: insomnia or repeatedly going over thoughts

After scheduling an appointment with my OBGYNs office this mama had so many thoughts: Am I going crazy? Is this really PPD? My baby is almost 13 months? What's going on? My life is amazing and I have the most supportive husband but why do these thoughts keep me up at night?

After waiting for what it seemed to be like the longest week of my life (so dramatic I know) my appointment day was finally here!

Now, I distinctly remember that as soon as my OBGYN walked into my room I started bawling my eyes out like a baby... Right there and then she diagnosed me with postpartum depression and anxiety. All of my symptoms were suddenly making sense to me. 

You see for my two previous pregnancies I was never officially diagnosed because one: the situation I was in was different and honestly thought it was just regular depression because of the events happening in my life/relationship at the time and two: because no one really talked about it back then and there was this stigma surrounding this topic. It really was an embarrassment to me. (Crazy I know)

What my OBGYN told me at that appointment instantly changed the way I felt ( and of course the medicine she prescribed me did too) I figured I would share it with other moms that might be going through this too! 

1. You need to spend time by yourself doing things that you truly enjoy ( go for a walk, learn a new hobby, try a new recipe, read a book, go thrifting, start a journal) really anything to keep your mind busy.

2. Ask for help! This has always been a hard one for me because I would rather do something twice and fail before I ask for help. I promise you that your loved ones want to help you but they just don't it. 

3. THERAPY! I can't express this enough! Go to therapy! It's good to talk to someone that's on the outside. You'll feel so much better. 

4. Aim for atleast 8/9 hours of sleep. You will wake up feeling well rested and ready to take on the day. ( I suggest getting off your phone once you lay in bed and maybe just listen to some calming music) 

5. After you have worked on all of the above you can start to focus on your physical health and nutrition. Try to eat a healthy meal at least once a day and drink plenty of water. You can also start working out from your own home or go to your local gym. 

When I started focusing on those things above (on top of taking my medicine daily) my mood instantly changed! 

You can check out Betterhelp.com and postpartum.net for expert help. 

Xo,

Karina