Welcome to our “Get to Know” series! Each Tuesday (for the next year), we’re going to introduce you to a creator in the wellness space that we think you NEED to know. The creators we feature are of various backgrounds. Whether they’re an online content creator, coach, or owner of a product-based brand, they each have their own niche in the wellness world and contribute to the space, as a whole, in an incredibly meaningful way. We’re setting this up Q&A-style so that you can learn more about each creator’s why, the content that they’re most proud of, and exactly how you can be a part of and contribute to their journey. We hope you enjoy our conversations with these wonderful people and brands. We know they’re going to enrich your lives!
This week, we’re interviewing Danie of Hey Danie Bakes! Danie is on a mission to create and share easy recipes and kitchen tips + tricks to make everyone feel like a confident cook! Follow along as we learn more about Danie:
Why did you start your business?
Danie: My blog, Hey Danie Bakes! was ultimately born out of quarantine. Having the opportunity to spend a lot more time at home, I tried to fill any spare moment with time in the kitchen. Cooking and baking has been part of me since I was a little girl. I grew up in the kitchen with my Mom and Grandma, and every significant family event happened around a table full of food with tons of people. I get so much joy from hosting friends and family; cooking family favorite recipes and putting a new spin on things. A lot of my recipes come from cravings my husband has at any given point in time. However, what most people don’t know is that this is the 4th or 5th time I’ve attempted to start a food blog. I would say that every other year for the last ten years, I would work on starting a food blog, but it just never really worked out. This time, with more planning and experience, things are really coming together for me.
What’s your mission/purpose statement?
Danie: The purpose of this blog is to create a community by bringing people together through food. I hear from so many of my friends, “baking seems so difficult” or “I cook to survive, not to make delicious meals”. I hope to change that for my followers, by providing a good mix of easy recipes, and tips & tricks that help them feel more confident in the kitchen.
What 2 (or 3!) pieces of content are you the proudest of?
Danie: This summer I threw a launch party for Hey Danie Bakes! and cooked multiple items for that event that I am extremely proud of. The individual berry spoon cakes were an awesome accomplishment. I took a recipe that I previously shared on the site and manipulated it in a way that allowed me to serve it at this event in a covid-friendly way. The other item I am VERY proud of is the apple pie I made this year. It has been my goal to master the art of a good pie crust, but to make sure all of my creations are beautiful to eat. This pie was both, with intricate pie dough leaves on top of the pie, it is an eye catcher – and was so wonderful to eat. I have also been working diligently on my cupcake decorating this year. I used to be so afraid of piping buttercream, but really it was that I didn’t have the right tools. Every opportunity I had, I used friend’s birthdays to make cupcakes and practice my cupcake decorating.
Where are you going next? What’s your goal for the next year?
Danie: Over the next year, I hope to expand Hey Danie Bakes! into a resource for my followers, where it is the first place they go for a new recipe or a kitchen hack. There is a lot of work for me to do, but I believe in myself, and my passion for cooking & baking good food will get me there. I also hope to start additional segments of the blog that allow my followers to get a glimpse into my world of food, when I travel, and when I go out to eat locally. Obviously, that depends on whether things stay open, but that would be a long term goal.
How can we (and the Fed and Fit community) best support you?
Danie: This has been a great opportunity to be featured on Fed & Fit as a content creator, so Thank You for that! As far as going forward, following me and engaging on my Instagram account, tagging me and sharing if and when you make one of my recipes, and subscribing to my blog (www.heydaniebakes.com), would be great. Every little thing counts, and the best thing about Instagram is that all likes are free.
