How it all started
I’m Veronica (although you’ll find me as Silfida online), mama to a boy and two cats, and someone who has always had a serious sweet tooth.
I love baking and, just as much, I love indulging in sweet treats. But over the years, I’ve wanted to find a way to enjoy them without always reaching for something made with refined sugar or ingredients I’d rather not have in my everyday diet.
My passion for baking started early. I’m the daughter of a chef, so the kitchen was always an important part of my childhood. Pancake mornings were my favourite. I can still remember sitting on the kitchen counter next to my dad, helping to pour the pancake mixture into the pan.
But my biggest inspiration has always been my maternal grandmother, at whose house I spent much of my childhood.
I was fascinated by the desserts she made and constantly watched her in the kitchen, asking to help. I broke biscuits and soaked them in milk for my favourite of her cakes, stirred sour cherries gently into the dough for her pie pudding, and buttered traditional Bulgarian banitsa.
I won’t lie, though – that wasn’t my favourite part.
What I really loved was licking the spoon, ladle and preparation bowls after the dessert had gone into the oven or fridge!
My childhood was filled with homemade food, delicious desserts and kitchens that smelled of freshly baked goodness. I suppose that’s where my sweet tooth came from.
As a teenager, that curiosity turned into a real interest in baking. I explored the cookbooks we had at home and began experimenting in the kitchen. At the same time, my desire to stay fit and healthy made me question the traditional approach to baking with lots of white sugar.
Could desserts be indulgent and delicious without relying on refined sugar?
There weren’t many options available to me at the time, so I started experimenting and creating my own. I even ended up inspiring my mum to rethink healthy desserts – she once wrote a story about how I was teaching her that healthier treats could still be genuinely delicious.
Years later, my sweet tooth is still very much with me, and so is my passion for creating indulgent, wholesome recipes.
Becoming a mama has only made me more interested in food, baking and finding a balance between enjoying life’s little treats and looking after what we put into our bodies.
That doesn’t mean I never eat a dessert made with refined sugar. I absolutely do. I just don’t choose them as often.
And that’s where Silfida’s Bakery comes in.
I’m here to share the recipes I’ve created along the way – sweet treats made with wholesome ingredients, designed to be delicious enough that you never feel like you’re missing out.
Why lilacs?
The lilac colour theme of Silfida’s Bakery isn’t accidental. I’ve always loved pastel colours, especially lilac, but there’s a much more personal reason for choosing it.
Lilacs are one of the flowers closest to my heart. At the playground near where I grew up, there were lilac bushes. I remember stopping by them not only because they were beautiful, but because I loved their scent.
Even now, if you asked me what my childhood smelled like, my answer would be simple:
Lilacs.
That connection to childhood, home and happy memories is what makes lilac feel like the perfect colour for Silfida’s Bakery.
Why Silfida?
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My approach to baking
I believe that choosing healthier ingredients shouldn’t mean giving up the joy of eating something delicious.
At Silfida’s Bakery, I create sweet treats without refined sugar, using wholesome, natural ingredients wherever possible. My goal isn’t to make desserts that feel like a compromise, but recipes that are genuinely indulgent, satisfying and enjoyable.
I also believe in balance. Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean being perfect, and I don’t believe you should feel guilty for enjoying a treat. It’s about finding a way of eating that works for you – and, for me, that means making room for plenty of delicious sweetness, just with a little more thought about what’s in it.
That’s what you’ll find here:
Wholesome recipes, natural sweetness and plenty of reasons to enjoy dessert.
Ready for something sweet?
Discover wholesome, naturally sweetened treats made to be enjoyed.