It was a Tuesday afternoon, and I was so excited. I had been waiting for this day all week. It was my very first cooking class, and I really wanted to do well. The class was set for 4 p.m., and I made sure to come early.

I stood in the kitchen with the other women. The room smelled sweet, like sugar and flour and something warm. Everyone wore white aprons and had their own cooking stations. Our cooking instructor came in with a big smile on her face.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” she said. “Today, we are going to bake a cake. Each of you will make your own cake,...