Sara Lowery was just 10 years old when she wandered into a bakery in Benson and stumbled across her life’s passion. “I happened to see someone frosting a cake and was immediately fascinated.” Lowery went back to that same Benson bakery a few years later, this time as an employee, and learned the craft of baking, decorating, and creating delicacies to delight both the eye and taste buds. “I still go back to that same bakery to help out, now and again” Lowery laughs. “Usually during graduation season.”

Lowery is now based in Starbuck, and continues to create cakes, cookies, and specialty orders. “Baking has gotten really interesting in the last decade. With internet access, I’m constantly learning new techniques by watching videos, and I can order ingredients that used to be hard to find. It’s made the possibilities nearly endless for what can come out of my kitchen.”

Many of those possibilities start as an idea—for a birthday party, graduation, or special event. “Kids parties are getting more thematic. This year, I’ve done ‘Some Bunny is Turning 1’ and ‘Our Little Firecracker is 1.’ There’s less interest in licensed characters and more excitement about taking a theme and bringing it to every element of the party.”

Lowery, operating as Homemade on the Hilltop, will have cutout royal icing cookies, cupcakes, traditional cookies, and—her personal favorite—peanut butter cup cupcakes at the Starbuck Vintage and Artisan Market. Stop by and fill up; your taste buds will thank you.