Hi there, sweet friend! I’m Lila Thomp Hartwell, a 42-year-old dessert lover born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. If you’ve ever walked past a kitchen window and caught the scent of cinnamon, caramel, and something gently bubbling over, there’s a good chance I was behind the stove. Or at least someone just like me—someone who believes that desserts are more than just sugar and flour. They’re little stories on a plate. Moments you can taste.
My love affair with baking started young, probably around the age of seven, when I used to sit on the counter watching my grandma Nettie bake her buttermilk pies. She had this quiet magic about her—never rushed, never flustered. Just a wooden spoon, a big mixing bowl, and a lot of love. I remember thinking, “One day, I want to make people feel the way she makes me feel.” Cozy. Special. Home.
Over the years, I took that feeling and ran with it. I never went to culinary school—unless you count the hundreds of late nights watching old cooking shows with a notebook in hand and flour on my cheeks. Most of what I know came from years of trial, error, and joy. My first lemon meringue pie? A soupy mess. My second? Burnt to a crisp. But my third… oh, my third tasted like sunshine and silk. That’s when I knew: mistakes are just layers in the cake.
Today, I live just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, with my husband (my forever taste tester), our three kids, and two mischievous cats who think cooling racks were made just for them. I spend most of my days teaching online classes, sharing recipes that are simple enough for Tuesday nights but lovely enough for Sunday gatherings. If you’ve ever doubted whether you could bake a three-layer cake or whip up your own caramel sauce, I’m here to tell you—you absolutely can.
I’m passionate about helping women like you turn your kitchen into a place of confidence, creativity, and sweet victories. My style is all about honest ingredients, forgiving recipes, and flavors that hug you from the inside out. Whether it’s a strawberry shortcake that tastes like summer, a no-fuss pecan pie for Thanksgiving, or cookies that get more compliments than your favorite outfit—I’ve got you.
There’s something deeply powerful about a woman who knows she can make magic in her own kitchen. And if I can help you feel that, even just a little, then every scorched batch of fudge and sunken soufflé along my journey was worth it.
So grab your whisk and let’s make something sweet together.
With sugar and soul,
Lila 💛