By Olivia Kennah, SweetwaterNOW
GREEN RIVER, Wyo. — Green River baker Dustee Collar is competing for title of The Greatest Baker, and has submitted her creations in a contest featuring pastry chef and TV personality Buddy Valastro, the “Cake Boss”.
According to the website, The Greatest Baker, presented by Valastro, is a competition where bakers are judged on their portfolio of baked goods in the hopes of taking home the title, $10,000, and a chance to share their work in Bake from Scratch Magazine.
Collar started baking about seven years ago when she got tired of the cost of purchasing custom cakes. She specializes in custom cakes, tackling any design her customers want.
“The main reason I started making cakes specifically was because I hated the cost of custom cakes and wanted to do it myself at a lower cost,” she told SweetwaterNOW.
While Collar grew up in Green River and Rock Springs, she moved to Bozeman, Montana in 2016 where she started her first home bakery. As a stay at home mom, Collar likes that baking allows her to be at home with her kids while also making a living off of something she loves to do.
“By 2018 I was doing cakes full time. I like being able to be home with my kids but making a income too,” she said.
Collar has never entered a baking competition before but is excited for this opportunity. “My aunt actually was on my case to enter,” she said. “It’s based on everything I’ve baked. Most recently I did a wedding in Montana.”
Her family recently moved back to Green River, and she is preparing to open up her home bakery called Sugar High Sweets and Treats.
“I’m planning on taking orders starting the beginning of January,” she said. “I specialize in custom cakes but I can mix up anything to give you your sugar high.”
To vote for Collar in The Greatest Baker competition, visit her profile on The Greatest Baker’s website. The deadline for the first round of voting is Dec. 7, but if she gets into the top 20 the voting will continue until February.
This story originally appeared on SweetwaterNOW. It is reprinted here with permission.
