
“I baked a cake for my coworker. That started my love affair with baking, which is now part of my recovery.”
Baking has helped Naomi Boyd through tough moments in her life. Tune in as she bakes a favorite recipe, Welsh cakes.
Naomi Boyd developed a passion for baking with her family when she was young. However, after experiencing depression, anxiety, and bulimia in her teens, Naomi’s relationship with food changed. She stopped baking altogether.
After Naomi joined Microsoft, she reached out to the Employee Assistance Program to seek help and therapy. Through counseling, treatment, and the support of her friends and family, she’s happy to be baking again and has been on her journey to recovery.
Today, Naomi is working in her dream job as a community manager for Microsoft’s Advertising Business and loves to bake for her colleagues at work.
Welsh cakes
12-24 servings
8 oz all-purpose flour, plus extra to roll
4 oz salted butter
4 oz sugar, plus 2 oz to sprinkle
4 oz currants
1 large egg
2 oz milk
pinch of allspice
1. Use your fingers or pastry cutter to rub the butter into the flour. Next, add the sugar, currants, and allspice to the flour mixture. Then, add the egg and milk, and mix until it all comes together as a smooth dough. If it is very dry, add more milk.
2. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds with a cookie or biscuit cutter.
3. Cook on a dry, smooth griddle, frying pan, or cast-iron pan over low heat for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with the remaining sugar while warm, and serve.