Recipes for Success?

The cakes that Rosanna Pansino bakes are no ordinary desserts. They look like brains, unicorns, and chessboards to name a few. It’s all for Nerdy Nummies, her popular YouTube show. In 2011, when Pansino started her channel, she was new to baking. Today, more than 10 million subscribers watch as she measures, mixes, and frosts tasty treats.

How does Pansino turn gooey batter into a delicious dessert? She has to measure precise amounts of ingredients. Together, they create a series of chemical reactions. Those reactions won’t happen unless the recipe is just right. “Every ingredient has a role to play,” says Pansino. 

There is a popular YouTube show. It’s called Nerdy Nummies. On the show, Rosanna Pansino bakes cakes. They are no ordinary desserts. They look like brains, unicorns, and chessboards to name a few.

Pansino started her channel in 2011. She was new to baking then. Today, she measures, mixes, and frosts tasty treats. More than 10 million subscribers watch her.

How does Pansino turn gooey batter into a delicious dessert? She has to measure ingredients. The measurements need to be precise. Mixed together, they create a series of chemical reactions. Those reactions won’t happen unless the recipe is just right. “Every ingredient has a role to play,” says Pansino. 

Pansino’s on-screen treats also have to look good. And that’s not always easy. Pansino loves cake pops—balls of cake frosted with icing and formed into lollipops. But the first ones she made kept sliding down the sticks. Another time, her layer cake completely collapsed. 

Over time, Pansino has learned how to keep cakes from falling over. For example, she knows that her recipes need to include the right amount of flour. This helps the cake hold its shape.

Once a cake is baked, it’s time to decorate it. Pansino creates treats inspired by science, math, and popular culture. 

Pansino’s on-screen treats also have to look good. That’s not always easy. Pansino loves cake pops. These are balls of cake. They are frosted with icing. Then they are formed into lollipops. The first ones didn’t work. The cake kept sliding down the sticks. Another time, her layer cake completely collapsed. 

Over time, Pansino has learned some things. For example, she knows that her recipes need to include the right amount of flour. This helps the cake hold its shape. Then it doesn’t fall over.

Once a cake is baked, it’s time to decorate it. The treats are inspired by many things like science, math, and popular culture. 

Today, her frosted creations look almost like real-life objects. But it took her years to learn her skills. “My first videos weren’t the best examples of professional decorating,” she says. “But the best
way to get better is to keep practicing.”

Pansino tests each recipe many times to find the perfect formula. All that experimenting is hard work. She spends about 70 hours a week testing recipes and preparing to film her show. 

But Pansino says dreaming up new ideas is a lot of fun. And even when her creations don’t come out quite right, they still taste good. “My grandma always used to say, ‘Mistakes are delicious!’” Pansino says.

Today, her frosted creations look almost like real-life objects. But it took her years to learn her skills. “My first videos weren’t the best examples,” she says. “But I kept practicing.”

Pansino tests each recipe many times. That's so she can find the perfect formula. These experiments are hard work. She spends about 70 hours a week working. She tests recipes and prepares to film her show. 

Sometimes, her creations don’t come out quite right. But they still taste good. “My grandma always used to say, ‘Mistakes are delicious!’” Pansino says.