A local Lino Lakes baker, Chelle Schmidt, is stirring up attention with her scrumptious skills in the kitchen. Through her Sweet Infusion Bakery, she has risen to the quarterfinals of the national Greatest Baker competition, according to FOX 9. Schmidt, who began her affair with baking at the tender age of 2, hopes to secure a victory and scoop the $10,000 prize, along with a spot in Bake From Scratch magazine.

Schmidt told FOX 9, "There aren't very many competitions around us so this is my way of trying to expand my business and go to the next step." Having trained in French pastries, Schmidt has spent the last four and a half years running her business from her kitchen where her hands craft custom cakes that can take hours of dedicated work to complete.

The local talent is not just fighting for fame but also for growth possibilities that the contest's exposure could bring to her venture. With the potential prize money, Schmidt plans to invest in commercial baking equipment and perhaps secure a commercial kitchen space. Currently in third place, she's rallying the community for support to advance to the semi-finals. Schmidt's entry is a testament to how sweet dreams could turn into a business reality.

According to a Press Pubs interview, Schmidt has not only the prize money at stake but also the chance to attend an exclusive workshop with the celebrated Buddy Valastro, also known as the Cake Boss. Baked up with creativity and passion, her victory would be, as she says, "icing on the cake." But to whisk away to that victory, the Lino Lakes community's online votes are crucial by 7 p.m. on January 18.

For those swayed by Schmidt's culinary talents, votes can be cast once per day on the competition's website. Her journey in the world of competitive baking hinges on her ability to rally support, one click at a time. Through making it through four rounds of voting to land in the quarterfinals, she's hopeful that community support can help her rise to that coveted first place.