After 25 years as a hair stylist, Jemalla was ready for a change. She always had a love of creating, and baking in particular was her favorite way to express this. She began baking for friends and family, and soon they were asking for birthday cakes, wedding cakes, key lime pies (that request tends to come from her youngest daughter) and all manner of baked delights.
In the course of improving her craft, there was the occasional kitchen disaster. She once made the perfect cake for a friend's special occasion, only to have it slide off the counter and splatter against the wall hours before the event. Although the day was saved with some fast paced baking, that one was a close call.
Recommended Videos
She kept at her craft long enough that she's begun to consider opening a shop. It doesn't exist yet, but she thinks that she could open a little storefront and bake her treats for the whole community. That's when she saw a promotion for D'licious Desserts on Local 4.
She told her daughter that she thought she'd do pretty well if she entered, but that she also thought that there was never enough time for those things.
Jemalla laughed as she recalled that her daughter, Janelle, told her not to be lazy.
So, she entered the Pina Colada Poundcake as a recipe to contend with others in metro Detroit. The dessert was quickly voted up in the polls, and when the voting was over it was one of the desserts that we made to be tested here at the station. Sure enough; Jemalla's prediction came true. It did do pretty well. In fact, the employees of WDIV Local 4 Detroit selected it as their favorite dessert this year!
Jemalla chatted with Jason Carr and Tati Amare, demonstrated her recipe to metro Detroit, and even plugged her future asperations: a business called "Sweet Treats Cakes and Pastries." These are people she sees on Live in The D every day, but thanks to her passion for baking and a bit of affectionate prodding from her daughter, she got to be on the other end of the camera.
Not only does Jake D write articles for ClickOnDetroit, he's baked this very cake! Check out the recipe below.