ROANOKE, Va. – One Roanoke baker's skills are so good that they've landed her a spot on a nationally televised baking championship.
Taylor Pusha said she's been baking her entire life. The baking whiz is only 12 years old.
"Baking is really fun, and eating the dessert after is basically the best part," Taylor said. "That's a good bonus about baking."
Taylor will be a contestant on the upcoming season of Food Network's "Kids Baking Championship." Taylor said she has always been a fan of the show.
"I have watched every single episode, every single season a bajillion times because it was just so cool seeing Valerie (Bertinelli) and Duff (Goldman) and seeing all of the other kid bakers," Taylor said.
She said watching the show inspired her to apply to be a part of it.
"I felt like I could definitely be good enough to be on the show if I keep working, if I keep trying hard," Taylor said.
Taylor will now be one of nine kid bakers on the show's seventh season trying to bake their way to a $25,000 prize.
"When I got the word that I was picked for the show, I was so happy," Taylor said. "I just wanted to jump out of my seat! I did."
Taylor's parents said they are beaming with pride at their daughter's accomplishments.
"She's always said she wants to bake and be on TV, and thus at age 12, she's done or doing both things," said the Rev. Lee Pusha, Taylor's father.
Taylor said her favorite things to bake are pound cakes, which she gets lots of requests for. She said she started baking at age 4 or 5 and started to get serious about it a few years later.
"I was around 8 years old when I really started to take things seriously and pursue my dream and make more elaborate desserts and more elaborate cakes," Taylor said.
The rising seventh grader at Northside Middle School also enjoys playing softball and the clarinet and hopes to share her love and gift of baking with as many people as possible.
"I definitely want to share all of my baking with the entire world," Taylor said.
Season 7 of "Kids Baking Championship" premieres at 9pm August 5 on Food Network.