From buttery, glazed scones to a display of delicately crispy Croquembouches, the Sweet Sensations Bakery offers all kinds of treats for customers. As a nonprofit, it also treats The Hunger Project, which receives all of the proceeds.
St. Francis High School junior Avani Thakur founded the Sweet Sensations Bakery a year ago, and she runs it by herself.
“Baking was always something pretty close to my family,” Thakur said. “But I think it (my passion) really began during COVID, when we were in the pandemic.”
Thakur began baking by following YouTube tutorials, she said. Eventually, she moved on to online baking classes and shared the results with her neighbors and friends.
“People always told me, ‘You should sell these instead of just giving them to us for free,’” Thakur said. “But it was COVID back then … I didn’t really think much of it.”
However, as Thakur entered high school, she realized she wanted to transform her hobby into something bigger. Since launching Sweet Sensations Bakery as a sophomore, Thakur said she has raised more than $1,000 for The Hunger Project, a global nonprofit that feeds those in need.
“It’s been great seeing that we are able to help millions of people across the world through the money,” Thakur said.
Beyond offering Thakur’s treats, the Sweet Sensations Bakery website has two subsections – The Sweet Chronicles and Sustainably Sweet. The Sweet Chronicles has an array of articles written by Thakur, with topics ranging from recipe tutorials to food reviews. Sustainably Sweet offers links to eco-friendly baking supplies for customers who want to try their own hand at baking.
Thakur has been recognized for her work as a baker and student. She was a finalist for The Greatest Baker Competition and also nominated to be a Carson Scholar, an honor rewarding teens for community service and academic dedication.
“I think that what she’s trying to do is awesome, and how she incorporates her love for baking into this,” Suzanne Errecart, one of Sweet Sensations Bakery’s first customers, said of Thakur. “She’s not only doing what she loves, but also helping the less fortunate, which I truly love and appreciate.”
In the future, Thakur hopes to expand her generosity and raise money for local community organizations and potentially collaborate with other small businesses.
“I’m extremely grateful for all the awards, money and stats, but I think being able to help other people was the goal,” Thakur said. “Through the bakery and through my passion of baking, I’ve been able to accomplish that.”
For more information, visit thesweetsensationbakery.com.
