Diamond Valley baker competing for chance to meet the Cake Boss

A Diamond Valley baker is counting on support to move on in the next round of an international baking competition. 

Contestants in the Greatest Baker contest are competing for $10,000, a feature in Bake from Scratch magazine and a meet-and-greet with the Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro, in the People's Choice Award based on votes from the public.

Diamond Valley resident Cheyanne Caton has made it to the quarterfinals and is hoping to continue on, if she can get enough votes by Jan. 18.  

Caton said she would be thrilled to be crowned “Greatest Baker” and meet Valastro. 

“I’ve been watching him on TV forever,” Caton said. “He's got so much knowledge, and he does some amazing work.” 

Caton started baking with her mom as a youngster, and has baked cakes for her kids since they were born. She got into it more seriously about four years ago and sometimes makes cakes for others, charging only for ingredients, she said.

Organizers say the tournament-style contest is not the average baking competition and that there are no judges to impress; instead bakers need to win the hearts and votes of the public, who can vote each day for free.

“And then if you choose, you could pay some money to get extra votes and that money goes to a child cancer charity,” Caton said. 

With voting in this round ending soon, Caton appreciates every vote she gets. 

“I love to bake, and this would be an amazing experience,” she said. 

Money raised by the contest goes to the Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation that funds research into childhood cancer, and the competition raised over $1.5 million in 2022. 

Votes for Caton can be cast at greatestbaker.com or by following a link at her Facebook page. 

In addition to the People's Choice Award, one baker will win the Critic’s Pick and appear in Bake from Scratch and join food critic Melissa Anaya to visit her favourite bakery. 

The Greatest Baker competition is part of a fundraising campaign organized by Colossal.org.