In the tiny community of Moss Hill, Texas, Taylor Collins has been stirring up sweet success with her home baking business, The Honey Stop. Now, this gifted baker is hoping to set the baking world alight as she has secured a spot as a semi-finalist in the renowned The Next Great Baker TV Show hosted on the TLC network.
Presented by none other than the celebrated master of cakes, Buddy Valastro, finalists vie for a $10,000 grand prize and receive notoriety for the baking achievements. More importantly, they get to meet Valastro, learn from and work with other bakers, and be featured in the Bake From Scratch magazine.
“I never thought I would be picked in the top five of the finals. I am hoping to be picked because there is so much to learn from Buddy, not just about baking, but about how he is in business and how he became such a great leader. I am also hoping Buddy can show me the right way to make cannolis. Mine never turn out right,” she said with a laugh.
With a more serious tone, she added, “I want to be able to carry the lessons I learn from him to my little daughters and be a great business leader in their eyes, too.”
Nurtured in her love for baking by her great-grandmother Beth Scroggins, Collins aims to inspire aspiring home bakers around the world with her journey, and place her little town of Moss Hill firmly on the culinary map. Standing alongside her great-grandmother, Collins said she learned the basics of baking through the making of cookies, pies, breads and candies for the holidays.
“We made them as gifts for people in our community,” Collins said.
Her love of baking was continued when she worked for April Spurlock at Sweets Cakes and Catering in Hardin. Three years ago, after the business closed, Collins began baking birthday and celebration cakes, cupcakes and cookies from her own kitchen “about a half-mile from the four-way stop in Moss Hill.” Working with a Texas Cottage Food Production license, she creates roughly 150 cakes per year, ranging in price from $50 to $550. While one of the most requested bakes are her brown butter chocolate cookies, Collins finds inspiration for her decorated cakes from her customers, ranging from the minimalist ‘naked’ style to lavishly adorned creations.
She says The Honey Stop name for her business comes from a combination of a landmark in one of her favorite movies, Fried Green Tomatoes, and her oldest daughter’s nickname.
“In the movie, there is a little café called The Whistle Stop. Our daughter Bryclynn’s nickname is Honey Bee, so I combined both and came up with The Honey Stop,” Collins said.
She and her husband, Dusten, are parents to two daughters. Bryclynn is 6 and Tilly is 1. Tilly is named for a great-grandmother, Matilda, and Tilly is also the name of one of the central characters in Fried Green Tomatoes, so it was a win-win for Collins.
If she is honored to be a finalist on the show, Collins said she will be elated. The prize money she hopes to use to buy a bright pink KitchenAid mixer for her baking business and to take her family on a trip to Disneyworld in Orlando, Fla.
More importantly is the overall experience of the show and setting an example for her two daughters. She also hopes to inspire other young women to strive for their dreams.
“I want to see my little, small-town Texas town of Moss Hill highlighted. I also want to show that no matter where you come from, as long as you put your heart into what you are doing, you can anywhere in the world,” she said.
If you want to further Collins’ chances of being picked, go online to https://greatestbaker.com/2023/taylor-collins. She is currently first in her group of semi-finalists. Voting ends at 7 p.m. PST, Thursday, Jan. 4.
To see some of Collins cakes and other baked goods, go to her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheHoneyStop17/photos
Here are a few of the items she has posted on her Facebook page:
Congratulations and good luck 🍰🧁🥮
Good luck. I hope you win $$$