I made a new friend Esther this year who lives a vegan lifestyle. She is also my teammate for PF debate, and we had a debate social where people brought in treats like chips, salsa, soda, and store-bought cookies. There is another kid on debate who is also vegan. In the past, I only ever made one vegan treat, so I searched the internet for more recipes that were vegan. Veganism is very interesting to me. In years past I loathed vegans, thinking they were hippies who care about animals too much. Getting to know Esther really opened my eyes up to the prospects of being vegan. I also watched the documentaries Food Inc. and Wasted, which exposed the horrors of the food industry, toxic environmental impact, and harm to animals along the way. These experiences and the imminence of climate change pushed me to become vegetarian, stop eating as much dairy, and learn how to shop for sustainable food. I stopped despising vegans and started to be inspired by them. I wanted to use my love of baking to make food that the vegans could eat, so everyone could enjoy them. The pistachio donuts had an orange glaze, and the chocolate cupcakes had a cinnamon aquafaba plant oil buttercream. Even the non-vegans really liked the desserts; someone even hugged me! They were well-received by students and teachers alike.
Mini- and regular cupcakes