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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Work With Me

As Featured In:

I enjoy partnering with the brands I trust. If you’d like to work together to get the word out about your great products, you can contact me at info {at} certifiedpastryaficionado {dot} com

A sample of services that I provide:

  • sponsored posts
  • recipe development
  • food photography
  • partnership packages
  • brand ambassadorships

A full media kit is available upon request.

Below are a few samples of sponsored posts that I’ve completed with some of my favorite brands:

Cajun Chicken Pasta (with Barilla)

Cookie Dough Easter Eggs with M&M’s® (with Mars/Wrigley)

Cookie Dough Easter Eggs with M&M's® - Chewy edible chocolate chip cookie dough truffles with M&M’S® milk chocolate candies, rolled into egg shapes, and dipped into fun colored candy melts to make them look like Easter eggs. The perfect treats to make for Easter! #SweeterEaster

Tiramisu Frozen Coffee (with Dunkin Donuts Coffee)

Tiramisu Frozen Coffee - Make your morning coffee even more exciting with a boost from the flavors of tiramisu. Made with double-strength coffee, milk, creamy marscapone cheese, crushed ladyfingers, chocolate syrup, and crushed ice, this tiramisu frozen coffee will transform your morning routine!

Shrimp & Grit Cake Bites (with Notable Wines)

Shrimp & Grit Cake Bites - Ultra creamy grit patties are fried and served with a buttery sauteed shrimp and crispy bacon to create an appetizer that your guests will go crazy for. Pairs perfectly with the flavors of Chardonnay wine!

Cobb Salad Dip (with Rubbermaid Freshworks)

Cobb Salad Dip - A creamy ranch dip covered in your favorite toppings from a traditional cobb salad. The perfect appetizer for game days, summer parties, and barbecues!

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits (with Conagra Brands)

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits - A super simple treat to make for all your summer parties that is sure to impress! Simply layer Marie Callender’s® Dutch Apple Pie, Reddi-wip®, and salted caramel sauce in individual cups and serve immediately.

Cowboy Queso (with Dr Pepper & Johnsonville Sausage)

Cowboy Queso - A chunky queso dip with chopped green chiles, roasted tomatoes, ground sausage, and sliced smoked cheddar sausage. The best dip to feed a hungry crowd during a tailgate. Perfectly pairs with ice-cold Dr Pepper!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding (with High Road Ice Cream)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding – Cubed chunks of french bread soaked in a pumpkin custard, dusted with cinnamon sugar, and baked. Served with stellar Vanilla Fleur de Sel ice cream from High Road Ice Cream

Pomegranate Rosemary Moscow Mules (with Schweppes Ginger Ale)

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

close up angle of pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes stacked on a white plate

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

overhead shot of partially eaten baked carrot cake oatmeal in casserole dish with serving spoon

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers on a baking sheet with parchment paper, shot from overhead

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers

overhead shot of spiced carrots on a bed of whipped feta dip

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

slices of iced pumpkin scones drizzled with frosting on a wire rack on top of parchment paper, shot from overhead

Iced Pumpkin Scones

plate of bananas foster french toast casserole on a plate with a bottle of syrup and a baking dish with casserole in the background, shot from the front

Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole

close up of a slice of pumpkin crumb cake separated from the rest of the cake but not on a plate yet

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

a plate of pistachio snowballs with one cut in half on top of the plate, shot from the front

Pistachio Snowballs

close up of raspberries & cream profiterole sitting on a white plate

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

 

These Bacon & Gruyere Sliders with Beer Caramelize These Bacon & Gruyere Sliders with Beer Caramelized Onions are about to be your new game day MVP!

Y'all, the flavor combination here is UNREAL. Salty bacon + nutty gruyere cheese + sweet beer caramelized onions = pure perfection. These are the kind of sliders that make people ask for the recipe immediately!

Here's what makes them special:
✨ Beer caramelized onions (game-changer!)
✨ Mini burgers = perfect for tasting everything
✨ Gruyere cheese adds that gourmet touch
✨ Feeds a crowd (makes 12 sliders!)

Pro tip: The caramelized onions take about an hour, but you can make them the day before and just reheat! That way, game day is stress-free and you can actually enjoy the party 

Perfect for:
🏈 Super Bowl parties
🏟️ Tailgating
🍔 BBQs and cookouts
🎊 Any time you're feeding a crowd

The best part? Using those sweet slider buns that are the perfect size and have just a hint of sweetness to balance all those savory flavors. These aren't your average burgers – they're loaded with flavor in every single bite!

Ready to win game day with these sliders?  Comment "SLIDERS" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs! 

#sliders #gamedayfood #burgerrecipes
All the flavor of an old-fashioned doughnut, but i All the flavor of an old-fashioned doughnut, but in cake form!

This Blackberry Doughnut Cake is about to be your new holiday baking obsession. Dense coffee cake with a hint of nutmeg (that's the secret doughnut flavor!), filled with blackberry preserves, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It's EVERYTHING.

Here's why this is genius:
✨ Way easier than making real doughnuts (no frying!)
✨ That nutmeg gives it authentic doughnut flavor
✨ Blackberry preserves add a fruity surprise in the center
✨ Cinnamon sugar coating = pure magic

The best part? No stand mixer needed! This batter comes together so simply, and the results are absolutely stunning. It's like having a giant gourmet doughnut you can slice and share.

Pro tips:
🔥 Warm the milk before mixing with butter
🎨 Use a piping bag to layer the preserves (keeps them centered!)
❄️ Cool completely before coating in sugar

Perfect for holiday mornings, weekend brunch, or any time you want to impress with minimal effort. The cinnamon sugar coating is totally reminiscent of those classic doughnuts, but you get to skip all the frying hassle!

Ready to bake something amazing? Comment "DOUGHNUT" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs! 💌
#doughnutcake #coffeecake #holidaybaking
These Sausage, Egg & Cheese Pastry Muffins are abo These Sausage, Egg & Cheese Pastry Muffins are about to become your new breakfast obsession!

During the cold winter months, I crave all the comforting breakfast foods – and these hit EVERY note. Flaky puff pastry cups filled with savory sausage, sharp cheddar, and fluffy eggs, baked to crispy golden perfection. They're basically portable breakfast heaven!

Here's why you need these in your life:
✨ Perfect for holiday mornings (Christmas, Easter, brunch!)
✨ Makes 18 muffins – great for meal prep
✨ Only 45 minutes from start to finish
✨ Everyone loves them (kids took them for lunch!)

The best part? Working with puff pastry is SO much easier than you think. Just keep it cold, and you'll have flaky, buttery results every time. 

Pro tip: Don't overfill with the egg mixture – it puffs up as it bakes!

These are perfect for:
🎄 Christmas morning breakfast
🐰 Easter brunch
🎉 Weekend entertaining
💼 Meal prep for busy mornings
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Feeding a crowd

One reader said she made these for her kids' lunch and they LOVED them. That's the kind of parent win we all need!

Ready to make breakfast magic happen? Comment "BREAKFAST" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs!

#breakfastmuffins #puffpastry #brunchrecipes #holidaybreakfast #mealprep
This Classic Crumb Cake is EXACTLY like the one fr This Classic Crumb Cake is EXACTLY like the one from Starbucks – maybe even better! 

Y'all know I worked at Starbucks in college, and this crumb cake was my absolute OBSESSION. Soft, moist cake (hello, sour cream!) topped with thick cinnamon crumbs that just melt in your mouth. Paired with a coffee frappuccino? Pure heaven.

Here's what makes this recipe amazing:
✨ Ready in under 1 hour (rise and bake!)
✨ Super simple ingredients you probably have at home
✨ That sour cream makes it incredibly moist
✨ Perfect crumb-to-cake ratio

The best part? You probably don't even need to make a grocery run. No supermarket visits in pajamas today! 

This is perfect for lazy weekend mornings, Christmas Day breakfast, or whenever you want something special without the fuss. My husband kept complimenting it with EVERY. SINGLE. BITE. (Not that I'm complaining!)

Pro tip: Refrigerate the crumb mixture while you make the batter – this is KEY to getting those perfect crumbs on top! If you skip this step, they'll melt into the cake and you'll lose that amazing texture.

Want the full recipe with all my tips? Comment "CRUMB" below and I'll send it straight to your DMs!

#crumbcake #coffeecake #breakfastrecipes #starbuckscopycat #brunchideas
This Cacio e Pepe Pasta Risotto changed my pasta g This Cacio e Pepe Pasta Risotto changed my pasta game forever!

After having mind-blowing cacio e pepe at Eataly in Boston, I became obsessed with recreating it at home. But here's the problem: the traditional recipe only makes small portions. So I had a lightbulb moment – what if I cooked it risotto-style to feed a crowd?!

The result? Pure magic. By cooking short pasta (I use ditalini!) slowly in chicken broth, you get an ultra-creamy, luscious texture without any cream. Just simple Italian ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh black pepper, butter, and good olive oil.

Here's what makes this amazing:
✨ Feeds a crowd (perfect for dinner parties!)
✨ Only 7 ingredients, but packed with flavor
✨ Takes 30 minutes but worth every second
✨ Creamy without any cream

The key? Using the BEST ingredients – fresh ground black pepper and quality extra virgin olive oil make all the difference. And cooking that pepper in the oil at the beginning? That's what gives it that signature cacio e pepe punch!

Pro tip: Dice those onions super small so they don't overpower each bite. Trust me on this one

Ready to make restaurant-quality Italian pasta at home? Comment "PASTA" below and I'll send the full recipe to your DMs! 

#cacioepepe #pastarisotto #italianfood #pastarecipes #dinnerparty

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