Six years ago senior Kendall Minard’s mom and brother were diagnosed with Celiac disease, an immune disease that causes damage to the small intestine by eating gluten. Minard decided to give her family members the gift of sweets to help through this new chapter. When her mom and brother received the diagnosis, grocery stores did not provide a variety of gluten-free options, so the family took to the kitchen to maintain the illness. Fast forward several years, Minard has opened up shop via Instagram, @prettybaked.gf,  to sell various gluten-free and dairy-free baked goods. 

When baking without gluten, the textures of the baked goods feel denser than items with gluten. If kneaded or mixed too much, the consistency can feel rubbery. Dairy typically provides the creamy flavor and texture, so baking dairy-free makes it difficult to find the perfect dairy replacement. Buckwheat, almond meal flour and coconut flour replace gluten in baking almost perfectly. After years of experimenting, Minard perfected all of her recipes. 

“I chose gluten-free baking, not only because of my mom and brother, but also to give others another choice of eating baked goods. At the beginning it was hard and time consuming to find the best ratio to perfect the texture and taste,” said Minard.

Since her family inspired her small business, they also play the role of taste-testers, critiquing and praising her creations. Whenever Minard tests out new recipes, they step up to provide the truth and help her until the goods taste perfect.

Through her Instagram page customers can message her to place orders of cupcakes, pies, cakes, and more. Minard bakes all of her items from scratch from the time of the order. Finishing a product can take several hours depending on the size and difficulty of the order. Preparing the ingredients and measurements takes the largest chunk of time in the process. 

“The actual baking part takes about 30 minutes to an hour. Most of my recipes are around 15 ingredients because I have to find dairy and gluten replacements,” said Minard.

Baking during the ongoing pandemic gave Minard time to experiment with flavors and ingredients. Despite the tough times, she continues to deliver and bake items with caution to do her part to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

After high school Minard plans to attend Valdosta State University, while continuing to run her baking business. She recognizes that balancing school and baking could become difficult, but this passion of hers will never stop.

“My family, friends, and customers are a huge help with support and love whenever I try something new. Without them, there is no way I would be able to run this small business,” said Minard.