When the world slowed down in 2020, many people searched for ways to fill endless hours at home. For Bellevue teen Maya Shukla, that extra time sparked something much bigger than a new hobby—it launched a years-long baking journey that continues to inspire creativity, learning, and community service. Now 17 years old and a student at Lakeside High School, Maya is the creator of The Bored Baker, a baking blog that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since grown into an educational initiative helping children learn STEM skills through baking.

"I've always been interested in baking," Maya said. "But in 2020 during the pandemic, I had a lot of free time on my hands, so I started to get into baking more." What started as a simple way to organize recipes quickly became something far more ambitious. Maya initially planned to bake occasionally, but after discovering how much she enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen, she challenged herself to bake every single day for an entire year. "I thought I'd only bake maybe every week," she said. "But that year, I vowed to bake every day for 365 days."

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, Maya found herself constantly improving. The challenge wasn't simply about making desserts—it became an opportunity to master techniques, explore new recipes, and develop confidence as a baker. Daily practice gave Maya the confidence to tackle increasingly difficult recipes. Early on, she found delicate desserts such as French pastries and meringues especially challenging, but repeating techniques helped her develop a stronger understanding of baking fundamentals. "The good thing about baking every day was I started to understand the foundations of baking, and I built my skill set," she said. "It was all worth it."

Rather than becoming discouraged by mistakes, Maya learned to see them as part of the process. "I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning of my baking journey," she said. "But I just kept trying, kept experimenting." Among the hundreds of recipes she completed during her year-long challenge, cakes quickly became her favorite. One standout was, Kek Lapis Sarawak, a dessert inspired by The Great British Bake Off, a show that fueled her interest in baking as a child. "I liked a lot of the cakes I made," Maya said. "One of my favorites was a dessert that was a challenge on The Great British Bake Off. That was really cool to make."

When the pandemic ended and life became busier, Maya replaced her daily baking schedule with weekly themed challenges, including baking desserts representing all 50 states before launching her current Cakes Around the World series. "I didn't want to just end it," she said. "It was such a big part of my life during the pandemic, and I really enjoyed baking."

Her passion eventually grew beyond creating recipes. Remembering how baking helped her understand fractions, measurements, and food science as a child, Maya designed educational baking kits that combine hands-on cooking with STEM lessons for elementary school students. "When I was younger, baking was kind of my vessel for learning math and science," Maya said. "I wanted to give other kids the same opportunity." Each kit includes recipe cards alongside math activities and science concepts connected directly to the recipe. Maya also provides disposable cake pans and ingredients so children can participate regardless of what baking supplies they have at home. "What makes my kits really special is that they integrate math and science," she said. "There are math problems based on the exact recipe they're making, and science based on the recipe they're making."

Maya donated her first 25 baking kits through Jubilee REACH and is now working toward her goal of donating 250 kits through fundraising on her blog. "I just want to keep continuing throughout the next year or so," she said. "More kids can have the opportunity to learn STEM through baking." She also hopes to expand the baking kits into birthday party packages and explore the business side of the project, though she says baking will remain part of her life no matter what career path she chooses. "I definitely want to pursue it in some capacity," she said. "Even if I don't pursue it professionally, I'd like to keep it in my life as a hobby and continue my blog."

Looking back, Maya never imagined that a simple pandemic pastime would grow into a project that combines creativity, education, and community service. "I started this as a blog, and I didn't know where everything would end up," she said. "I didn't think I'd actually stick with it for so long. It's been really exciting to continue blogging, expand into business, and give back to my community. That's been really rewarding over the past few years."

From baking every day during the pandemic to creating STEM-focused baking kits for local children, Maya Shukla has transformed a moment of boredom into a lasting passion—one that continues to inspire young bakers and learners, one recipe at a time.

To learn more visit her website: theboredbaker.com