By Layan Dahhan
Medill Reports

Chicago local Dalia Qubbaj has loved being in the kitchen for as long as she can remember. Recreating meals from restaurants and making up new recipes are some of her favorite hobbies. One year ago, she decided to turn her hobby into a business. A self-taught baker, Qubbaj creates elaborate professional cakes from the comfort of her own kitchen.

The first professional cake she made was for her son Omar, who was diagnosed with nonverbal autism when he was 18 months old. One of the latest cakes was in honor of her mother, who passed away a few months ago. Deeply inspired by her two kids and mother, Qubbaj experiments with different color schemes and designs to make sure that every one of her cakes tells a story.