I think the issue here is that you might be conflating two separate things. At the end of each playlist activity you will earn a certain amount of Essence of Dawning, which is used as a component for baking Dawning Recipes. This will accrue into your inventory. What you need for the quest, however, is called Dawning Spirit which is earned by delivering cookies to their intended recipients and by completing Dawning specific Triumphs. Dawning Spirit is not a spendable resource, per se, and as such does not go into your inventory. Rather the earning of this substance merely advances your personal quest to upgrade the Dawning Ship, as well as the community wide Quest to generate Dawning Spirit. Fully upgrading your Dawning Ship, by completing said quest, will unlock an upgrade that gives you a chance to earn free Dawning Spirit whenever you obtain ingredients used for baking Dawning Recipes (so long as you have the ship equipped), thus allowing you to earn progress toward the community Quest even if you aren’t currently delivering gifts. (΄◉◞౪◟◉｀)