Madelyn Reschly-Krasowski ‘20 is nothing short of an artist. Her mediums are not the paintbrush and canvas that one might expect. Nevertheless, she creates masterpieces using a measuring cup, an oven, and a bit of creative vision.

“I started in fifth grade, maybe,” Reschly-Krasowski said. “One of my friends was into baking and so I kind of did it with her a little bit and then I just really liked it even without friends.”

Baking is now a regular part of Madelyn’s life. She tends to make something new about once a week.  The activity holds therapeutic properties for her.

“It’s very relaxing, you just kind of get into the recipe almost. It’s a way to focus.” she said.

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Madelyn Reschly-Krasowski's Peach and Blueberry Upside-Down Cake. Photo from Madelyn Reschly-Krasowski on Instagram.

The young baker cites Instagram as a source of creative inspiration. Madelyn even runs an account of her own where she posts updates on her latest experiments. Reschly-Krasowski has no problem sharing either. In fact, the things that she bakes often end up in the hands of others. Madelyn is gluten-free, but since most baked goods include the ingredient, she is often unable to eat her creations. 

“I have my dad…take it to his work or I give it away,” said Reschly-Krasowski.

Even though she enjoys baking and has considered pursuing a career in the culinary arts, Reschly-Krasowski has many other interests including playing piano and violin, golfing, and debate. She has even considered careers in law and medicine.

“Both of my parents work in medicine and I think it’s really cool,” Reschly-Krasowski said. “For example, I think being a plastic surgeon or forensic-pathologist would be really fun and those are two things that I would be good at. I do debate and so I’ve considered a career in law even though I don’t think I would like it as much. I have a whole bunch of ideas for careers so we’ll see.”

Reschly-Krasowski also enjoys working with her hands and is currently taking a Glass elective at school, where she is working on creating a chessboard.

“I guess I like to build things more than draw or paint.” said Reschly-Krasowski.

Some days, Madelyn can be found sharing her latest food items with friends before school. More recent forays have included Homemade Snickers, a Peach and Blueberry Upside Down Cake (Instructions below), and a Ferrero Rocher cupcake recipe.  She has tried experimenting with other types of food in the past with less than optimal results and says that in the future, she will be sticking to pastry.

“I really like cakes because you can decorate them,” Reschly-Krasowski said. “You get to make something and then make it look good. I’ve been scared away from fish for a while. I’ve had one recipe that just went horribly wrong.”

For now, Madelyn Reschly-Krasowski plans to focus on school and enjoy the little things in life, like frosting cakes in her free time.

Madelyn’s Peach and Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

• Vanilla Cake Batter
• ¼ c. Brown Sugar
• 5 Peaches, sliced
• Handful of Blueberries
• ¼ c. White Sugar
• 1 t. Nutmeg
• 1t. Cinnamon
• 2 cardamon pods, crushed
• Whipped Cream, to serve
• Butter, to grease tin

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
• Grease a 9 inch cake tin and line with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle brown sugar over bottom of pan and arrange fruit in pan, crowding it as much as possible.
• Combine white sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon to make a spice mix.
• Pour half of the batter over the fruit, then sprinkle the spice mix over the batter, then pour the rest of the batter into the tin.
• Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool in the tin 5 minutes before turning out.
• Let cool completely, and serve with whipped cream.