Baker Interview: Anavel Soza

Please allow me to introduce to you Anavel Soza, AKA Annie. She is an amazing lady, a hard worker, and a fantastic baker and cake and cookie decorator.

Let’s take a look at her story:

What is your name and the name of your company/brand?

Anavel Soza, but people call me Annie, and I love it. My company name is Sweet Delights by Annie.

Tell us your story:

Well, since I remember, I have always loved to be around everything related to the kitchen. My first cake was a Carrot cake when I was 9 or 10. My mother helped me to do it, it came good in flavor, but it looked like a big giant cupcake. It was good, and everybody ate it. My passion for baking grew every day, and in my mid 20’s, I started selling to family and friends. I am doing my best to make this passion in my full-time job and business.

What are 3 of the top baking tips that you can share with us?

Organization, preparation

Weigh my ingredients

Ingredients are always Room Temperature

Oven thermometer

What is your favorite cookbook, and why?

To be honest, dear Deanna, I don’t have any favorite cookbooks because I have never read one.

What is your favorite season?

Fall and Christmas

What is your favorite thing to bake during your favorite season?

Fall time: I love to bake my Annie’s Flan Recipe and my traditional Tres Leches

Christmas: Christmas Cake ( Queque de Navidad, we call it in Spanish) and Tres leches Cake

Can you share a quick and easy baking recipe with us?

Tres Leches ( Annie’s Traditional recipe)

CAKE:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 whole eggs and 2 yolks

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

MILK MIXTURE: Combine everything using a whisk, or you can use the blender

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

8 ounces half & half cream

1 egg yolk

WHIPPED TOPPING / I HAVE TWO OPTIONS

Whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks.

1-pint heavy whipping cream

2 – 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

SECOND OPTION

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then slowly add the sugar and then the Karo syrup. Beat until sugar is dissolved, and you will have stiff, glossy peaks,

4 egg whites or 120 gr

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo syrup

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour and baking powder, and separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls

Mix the egg whites on high speed for 2-3 minutes, then add the sugar slowly, add egg yolks one by one, do not over mix, add vanilla, alternate milk and flour, You can do this part using the mixer on slow speed, or you can do it manually using a whisk.

You can use a 9 x 13″ pan.

Bake for 25-35 minutes.

Let the cake cool down for 15 minutes. Using a fork or knife, make little holes on the cake and pour the milk mixture and take it to the fridge to set for 20 minutes. After that, you can decorate with the whipped cream of your choice and add a little bit of ground cinnamon and cherries for decoration. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow it to soak up the milk.