Baking is my Nature

Belle Townsend looks like your average teenage girl, but if you’ve had the pleasure of meeting her or eating one of her famous cupcakes, you’d know that she’s anything but average.  Belle has built up an impressive list of clients that enjoy her baked goods.  She has baked for many organizations throughout Henderson and even catered a wedding.

The love she has for making yummy, delicious baked goods began even earlier in her life. Belle reflects back to Grandparent’s Day in the third grade, “Someone brought banana bread, and I ate like five pieces and wanted to make it myself.  So, I asked the kid to get the recipe from his mom.  After a few days and him not bringing it in, I wrote in his planner to her, and the next day he brings in the recipe.”  Belle says she began making that banana bread “all the time.”  Belle became enamored with baking. Like all would-be greats, she immersed herself in the industry, reading entire cookbooks and watching cooking shows faithfully.  Belle fulfilled her first wedding order as a middle schooler. That’s right, she handled the business of desserts, which is one of the main attractions at a wedding!

Belle’s love for banana bread and passion for baking morphed into a stream of income.  Baking allows Belle to generate money doing what she loves, and yet provide her the time freedom to devote toward her studies.  Belle is an honor student at Henderson County High School, currently a senior, and has successfully completed enough Advanced Placement courses to yield her enough college credits to begin college as a Junior at 18.

Besides being an expert baker and all-around honor student, Belle travels to Louisville and competes in slam poetry events.  “Slam poetry is basically a written poem that emphasizes rhythm schemes versus rhyming and is spoken out loud.”  Belle looks like your typical teen, but is anything but typical; she’s extraordinary.

Belle is poised to take on her biggest order yet, over 450 cupcakes.  What started as a love became a passion that grew into a business.  However, Belle’s gift of baking is more than monetary; it is a means of giving back to those around her, and that is why baking is her nature.