Even as a toddler, Taylor Green was using her baking magic to turn hamburgers into cupcakes. 

At four years old, her mom purchased a tiny play kitchen with plastic cooking utensils with the instructions to make a burger. But Green, having always been a baker at heart, wanted to turn the ingredients into cupcakes instead. It wasn’t long before she traded her toys for real ingredients and committed to perfecting her craft by baking for every family member.

“The validation of everyone made me feel really confident in what I was doing and happy to be part of everyone's celebrations,” said the junior business administration major. “I guess that's what helped me pursue this passion of baking.”

Green’s Instagram account, @taylorbaked, currently has over 500 followers. Recently, she participated in Bobby Valastro’s “Greatest Baker” competition, where bakers compete for votes to win a $10,000 prize to start their own business. To gather votes, Green brought baked treats for her classes to enjoy, and before long, she received an email from the assistant for Argyros College of Business and Economics Dean Henrik Cronqvist, asking to set up a meeting.

“We just talked, and he was very personable and really interested in Taylor Baked and was like, ‘I really want to do something to showcase Taylor Baked and to have students try it,’” Green said. “(Taylor Baked) is a luxury bakery, so it is pretty expensive. I don't expect the average student to afford it. So it was cool to be able to bake stuff for everyone and just enjoy it. I decided to make a Swedish princess cake (Prinsesstårta), which is a sponge cake with raspberry jam, a custard and a whipping cream frosting.”

Green’s longtime friend, junior communications studies major Rylee Knapp, attended the Feb. 12 event where Green served some baked treats to Cronqvist and her peers. Knapp told the Panther about her experience watching Green grow through baking over the years.

“She actually inspired me to come to Chapman,” Knapp said. “We've been friends for a while now, and she has always had a passion for baking. It was so fun getting to be there and watch her cut the cake with the dean and have him taste this cake because it's one of his favorite cakes.”

Just this past month, Los Angeles-based fashion influencer Aimee Song i reached out to Green to commission a custom cake. The baker is always being creative with ways she can make her brand stand out.

“I just launched a health-conscious menu that I've been working on for a long time, which has no refined sugar and a dairy-free option. I'm working on a vegan one as well, and everything can be gluten-free,” Green told The Panther. “I model my designs using organic fresh flowers. I try to make my (Instagram) feed look as organic as possible. I use natural lighting (and) fresh flowers, and I don't edit anything because I'm trying to make it look very raw.”

Other than baking an elaborate cake for the dean, Green shared another favorite baking memory that, at the time, felt like the most stressful day of her life. 

Before Thanksgiving, Green had put together a pre-order form, where individuals could purchase and later come pick up freshly baked goodies for the holiday. After an unexpected influx of orders, Green realized she would need to bake 50 cakes in addition to extra treats. 

Although Green is passionate about baking for her community, she sees a different route in mind for the future of Taylor Baked.

“The average bakery will just have a storefront and you can go in and pick up a cake,” Green said. “I want my bakery to be a little bit more exclusive, where I'm helping with promotional brands and working with influencers on their stuff. And (I’m) also just doing wedding cakes (and) birthday cakes but having storefronts where you can get just a mini cake — so something a little bit more fancy.”

Other than always staying passionate, Green offered one piece of advice to aspiring bakers:

“Keep your butter at room temperature.”

Cake orders can be made through @taylorbaked on Instagram. Chapman students will receive 15% off their order.