An Update on My Mission
When I set out on this mission to turn every Taylor Swift song into an edible masterpiece, I don’t think I fully realized just how outside the box I’d need to get. It would’ve been easy enough to make a themed sugar cookie for each track or simply pipe the song title in frosting—but I wanted more. I wanted each dessert to feel like a true translation of the song, not just a visual pun.
Part of the fun is challenging myself to try desserts I’ve never made before. But the harder part? Coming up with bakes that are obvious enough for Swifties to guess without being too on-the-nose. That part is proving a little trickier than expected—which, honestly, feels very Taylor-coded. This whole project has turned into less of a guessing game and more of a creative diary where I get to dive deep into baking and give you my full, in-depth Swiftie analysis for each recipe.
So yes, you can still expect more themed desserts, but with a little less pressure to play “Name That Track.” Let’s call it Era 2 of this blog.
The Jumping Off Point for Message In A Bottle
I can’t exactly explain how I landed on Message In A Bottle as the next bake. I had been fixated on picking a love song from the Joe Alwyn era—something about those early, ocean-spanning vibes. That got me thinking about desserts with a UK origin story. Enter: the Chelsea Bun.
At first, it was the swirl that caught my eye. As I imagined the spiral layers of cinnamon, currants, and golden dough, one lyric popped into my head like a lightbulb moment:
The image of being “hypnotized” felt perfect. I imagined a cartoon character with spirals in their eyes—totally smitten, totally overwhelmed. The swirled Chelsea Bun suddenly looked like a metaphor for infatuation.
And then came the real connection: Chelsea Buns originated in London, just like the love interest in Message In A Bottle—a song all about falling for someone across the ocean and sending your feelings out, hoping they reach the right person. It’s sweet, a little chaotic, and full of hope. Kind of like a sticky bun you can’t stop pulling apart.
There’s something about the soft, comforting sweetness of a Chelsea Bun that mirrors the energy of the song—it’s cozy, a little wistful, and filled with fluttery nerves.
Recipe Components:
Where Sweet Meets Swift: A Tasty Take on Taylor-Inspired Treats
This bake wasn’t just about matching aesthetics to lyrics—it was about creating a deeper fusion of flavors, cultures, and feelings that mirror the themes of Message In A Bottle.
Where Cultures Collide: A Gulab Jamun-Twisted Chelsea Bun
When it came time to dream up a new flavor profile for the humble Chelsea Bun, I didn’t have to look far for inspiration. These sweet, spiral buns trace their origins back to 18th-century London—a city that’s not only known for its tea and tradition but also happens to be one of the best places to savor Indian cuisine outside of India itself.
That fusion sparked an idea: why not blend the buttery, cinnamon-laced comfort of a Chelsea Bun with the syrup-soaked magic of Gulab Jamun—a beloved Indian dessert made of fried dough balls drenched in a cardamom- and rose-scented syrup? Rather than brushing the buns with a traditional sticky glaze, I infused them with a Gulab Jamun-inspired syrup, rich with warm spices like cardamom, clove, and rose water. It’s East meets West in the most aromatic, sticky-sweet way.
And while I was shaping the dough—rolling it into that signature spiral log—I couldn’t help but think of Taylor Swift’s Message in a Bottle. The swirl of the bun reminded me of the way you might roll a secret note before tucking it into a glass bottle and setting it adrift. There’s something so romantic and hopeful about that image—and it felt like the perfect visual metaphor for what these buns are: a message of sweetness and creativity, wrapped in layers of dough and soaked in story-rich syrup.
🍥 Final Thoughts (and a Happy Surprise)
I worried that soaking the buns in syrup would ruin the delicate texture of the dough—but to my surprise, it held up beautifully. In fact, the syrup deepened the flavor with each passing day, as it soaked deeper and deeper into the rolls. The tart currants were a welcome contrast to the syrup’s sweetness, helping balance everything out.
Closing Notes & Sweet Goodbyes
Like the song that inspired them, these buns carry a little longing, a little boldness, and a whole lot of sweetness. Message in a Bottle is about taking a risk on love—sending something fragile and heartfelt out into the unknown—and that’s not so different from what this project has become: a mix of creativity, vulnerability, and hope wrapped in butter and sugar.
Every swirl in these Chelsea buns holds a story. Every drop of syrup is a tiny love letter—spiced, sticky, and sent with care. Whether you’re a Swiftie, a baker, or just someone who loves a good cultural mash-up, I hope this bake made you feel something.
Until the next track (and the next treat), thanks for coming along for the ride. Keep your hearts open and your ovens warm!
Check out the Featured Recipes!
Traditional-style Chelsea Buns
Prep Time: 40 minutes (plus rising) I Cook Time: 25-30 minutes I Total Time: 65-70 minutes I Yield: 12 buns
INGREDIENTS:
I. For the dough:
50g of butter
200ml of milk
500g of bread flour
7g of yeast
50g of granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg, beaten
II. For the filling:
50g of butter, softened
100g of brown sugar
2 tsp of cinnamon
150g of currants*
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Melt the butter for the dough in a saucepan, remove from heat and add milk.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and lemon zest.
- Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and the butter-milk mixture. Mix together until you have a soft dough, then knead for 10 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes on low speed in a stand mixer). When the dough is stretchy and springy, return it to the bowl, cover and leave to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to approximately 34cm x 48cm. Spread generously with the soft butter, leaving a border along one long edge.
- Mix the sugar, cinnamon and currants together and scatter evenly over the dough and press in gently.
- Roll up the dough like a Swiss roll towards the long edge with the border, pinching the seam closed. Trim off the ends and cut the roll into 12 slices**.
- Grease a 20cm x 30cm baking tin and add the buns, about 1 cm apart. Cover and leave to prove for 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the Chelsea buns for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Pour over Indian-spiced syrup (see recipe) or traditional glaze as soon as they come out of the oven, and let them cool for at least a half hour before serving.
*TIPS/NOTES:
- If you don’t want an abundance of currants, I recommend 50-100g of currants.
- I find using a clean piece of dental floss is the easiest way to cut your Chelsea bun slices.
Indian-spiced Syrup
Prep Time: 2 minutes I Cook Time: 10 minutes I Total Time: 12 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 tsp of cardamom
1/4 tsp of clove
1/2 tsp of rose water syrup (or 1 tsp of rose water)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Mix together water, sugar and spices in a pot.
- Boil the syrup until it turns slightly sticky.
- Remove from heat and add rose water syrup.
- Pour over Chelsea buns immediately after removing from the oven.
- Wait at least a half hour before serving.
Coconut "Clotted Cream"
Prep Time: 2 minutes I Total Time: 2 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
6 Tbsp of coconut cream
3 Tbsp of butter
3 Tbsp of icing sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Simply whisk together all the ingredients until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust by adding more icing sugar, if desired.
- Refrigerate to help thicken (for approximately 30 minutes). May store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Still hungry? Here’s more
Donut you see? I’m a mirrorball
In this heartfelt blog post, the author shares the story behind her mirrorball-inspired donuts, a shimmering tribute to Taylor Swift’s song “mirrorball.” What began as a simple donut request from her boyfriend evolved into a deeply personal bake that mirrored the song’s themes of vulnerability, performance, and imperfection. Drawing parallels between the circular shape of donuts and mirrorballs, she crafted a visually reflective treat that echoed Swift’s message about staying visible and resilient despite inner chaos. The baking process itself—sticky dough, distorted shapes, and blurred icing—mirrored the idea that imperfections can be beautiful and meaningful. Practical tips on working with yeasted dough and frying donuts are woven throughout, making the post both inspiring and instructive. Ultimately, the author encourages readers to embrace the messy parts of life and creativity, just as Taylor does in her music.
Salted Butter and Honey Glaze…I never needed anything more
This blog post is a celebration of august, the beloved Track 7 from Taylor Swift’s folklore, and the unofficial Swiftie holiday that arrives with the start of the month. Inspired by the song’s iconic opening lyric—“salt air and the rust on your door”—this Salty Honey Cake is a sweet-and-salty tribute to fleeting summer, unspoken feelings, and quiet emotional depth. With minimal ingredients, a soft, classic flavor profile, and decoration that mirrors the folklore aesthetic (including a royal icing silhouette of Taylor and edible wildflowers), the cake embodies the essence of the song. It’s simple, wistful, and just a little magical — much like august itself.
