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The Sweet Occasion

About

Maria Pagiotas piping pate a choux on a baking sheet in a kitchen.

Welcome to The Sweet Occasion! I’m Maria and I believe there’s a unique connection that comes from sharing food with the people you love. Baking, specifically, lends itself to creating memorable moments in the kitchen and around the dining table.

Whether it’s mixing a batch of chocolate chip cookies with your kids, celebrating a birthday with a luscious layer cake you poured your love into, or enjoying a batch of rich homemade brownies with your family at the end of the day, these simple acts of baking have a way of strengthening connections and creating memorable, joyful moments.

Close up of Maria Pagiotas piping pate a choux on a baking sheet.

While it’s true that baking may seem intimidating and time-consuming, the reality is that it doesn’t have to be. You can create beautiful, delicious desserts with quality ingredients in a reasonable amount of time. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and you will love the results!

The best baked goods inspire creativity, bring loved ones together, and create memories.

As our lives evolve, I understand how precious time is. As a mom of three children and with a passion for baking, I’ve set out to make The Sweet Occasion a place to inspire bakers like yourself to successfully create recipes from scratch that fit a busy schedule.

I launched The Sweet Occasion in 2018 as a passion project combining my love for the art of baking and the knowledge from my baking and pastry degree.

Maria Pagiotas topping pate a choux with a chocolate crust on a baking sheet in a kitchen.

In this blog, you’ll find easy recipes for everyday baking that have at least one of the following:

  • Come together quickly
  • Use staple baking ingredients
  • Have an option for easily prepping ahead
  • Made in 1-bowl

My Baking Story

Maria Pagiotas photographing a pink cake.

I’m a Midwestern gal at heart, born and raised in Michigan. I grew up in a home where family dinners were a daily ritual, summers were spent in the great outdoors, and family vacations entailed exciting driving trips around the United States and Canada.

As a kid, I became obsessed with studying and testing baking recipes. In 4th grade, I demonstrated to my class how to make an apple pie from scratch with a step-by-step process for my book report presentation!

During the Holidays, my mom would drive me around town to deliver baskets of homemade baked goods to family and friends.

My obsession led to obtaining a Baking and Pastry degree from Johnson & Wales University. Today, you’ll find me in our kitchen with a cup of hot coffee while developing, testing, and photographing the recipes before sunrise! 

Thank you for being here! Let’s get into the kitchen and start baking.

Xo,
Maria

Let's Stay Connected!

I would love to keep in touch! You can join me on Pinterest or Instagram.

Interested In Working Together?

If you are interested in working together, please contact me at: [email protected]

Hello! I'm Maria, a professionally trained pastry chef, blogger, and photographer. Here at The Sweet Occasion, you'll find easy and impressive baking recipes for everyday occasions that save you time. My goal is to inspire home bakers to bake from scratch.

More about me →

Strawberry Favorites

  • Pan of baked fresh strawberry cinnamon rolls topped with whipped cream cheese frosting.
    Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
  • Square slices of strawberry cake sheet cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting and a with two forks and a bowl of strawberries.
    Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
  • Two bowls of roasted strawberry ice cream.
    Roasted Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Three strawberry crunch cupcakes with cream cheese frosting lined up on a white wood board with flowers in the background.
    Fresh Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes

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