By Sophie Weinstein ’13, LifeStyle Editor

What could be sweeter than cooking for a cause? Juniors Julia Murphy and Isabelle McAlevey couldn’t think of anything better and so they started Cincinnati Country Day Schools first Baking Club!

Although the idea for the club was born out of their mutual adoration for baking, the club heads are mostly excited about their upcoming philanthropic efforts. When asked about the club Murphy said “I’ve been baking since I was little and thought this would be a great way to make and enjoy food with friends while raising money for charity”. McAlevey is equally zealous to combine two of her favorite things, “I love baking and it’s especially fun to get together with friends and do something you love for a good cause.”

This domestic duo has already planned some fundraising events for the upcoming holiday season. McAlevey said “we plan on sponsoring a holiday cookie exchange and pie contest to raise money for local charities”. With all the delicious baked goods they’re going to cook Murphy plans “to donate them to the Free Store Food Bank or soup kitchen”.
“We wanted to create a club that anyone could be a part of” said Murphy. “We understand not everyone has baked before but they’re still totally welcome to come to a meeting.” In fact, she’s the first to admit even a seasoned cook like herself makes mistakes saying, “my attempt at eggless brownies was a disaster, they turned out hard as rock.”
Even McAlevey who’s deemed herself “the fearless kitchen goddess” had to admit that she too has made a faux pas here and there while baking. Laughing while recounting the memory she said “I once was baking a red velvet cake and absentmindedly put the wrong mixing bowl into the mixer and the red cake batter flew EVERYWHERE! I was still finding and cleaning red velvet batter off of random spots in the kitchen days later”.

McAlevey’s favorite treat to cook are brownies, but she said she’s “excited to try all kinds of new recipes this holiday season”. Murphy and McAlevey urge cooks, both seasoned and novice, to come to a meeting and make some benevolent baked goods! Murphy said “everyone should try baking—it’s a fun way to productively procrastinate by taking a break from schoolwork but you still get to create something…and then eat it!”

Photo courtesy of Google images