Momentum continues to build for Michael Huehn, owner of The Travelling Bakery, as he advances deeper into the Greatest Baker Challenge where public voting determines who moves on.
As of the morning of Jan. 2, Huehn said he was holding first place, though his position continued to fluctuate as votes were cast.
The current round began Dec. 31 and runs for one week, with final results set to be determined on Jan. 7. Placement in this round carries added significance, as first place advances while a second-place finish sends a competitor into a short wildcard round — offering one more chance to stay in the competition.
“This round is really important,” he said. “The person who winds up in first place in this round goes to the quarterfinals.”
Following the next update on Jan. 7, a wildcard round will run from Jan. 8 to 11, with votes resetting, second-place finishers from Group Finals competing, and one competitor per group advancing. Those contestants who made it directly to quarterfinals will compete from Jan. 12 to 21 before semifinals from Jan. 22 to 28. Finals will take place from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, with the grand prize winner announced around Feb. 20.
Unlike traditional competitions, the Greatest Baker Challenge is conducted entirely online and is decided by public voting rather than a panel of judges — a format Huehn said has encouraged some experimentation.
“The choice (on what to make and how many images to post online) is entirely ours,” he said. “I actually do like this format because it … makes me go outside of the box. … This has pushed me to look at different types of baking, so it’s not just the same stuff that people have seen from Mike over the past four or five years. … It expands my repertoire and it’s a lot of fun.”
For the upcoming round, Huehn plans to submit several new baked items, including a multi-layer “spill cake,” French pastries, and other confections designed to showcase versatility. He is also revisiting techniques he hasn’t used in years, including French pastries such as vol-au-vents, as well as caramel-filled tarts and squares.
Huehn said the open format has allowed him to demonstrate his range of talents by including savoury baking alongside traditional desserts.
“I don’t think that all baking has to be sweet,” he said. “It can also be savoury.”
Regardless of the outcome, several items developed during the competition will carry over into The Travelling Bakery’s regular menu offerings.
“I made pavlovas, which I’ve never done before for this … it’s like a tiny meringue cookie,” Huehn said. “That is something that we’re going to do with The Travelling Bakery.”
Under the contest’s official rules, vote totals are not disclosed to competitors, with advancement determined solely by relative ranking within each round. While he cannot see who voted or even how many votes he has received, Huehn said local support has been encouraging.
“There have been a couple of people who sent me a message saying, ‘Hey Mike, I’m voting every day for you,’ which is great,” he said. “It’s very, very much appreciated.”
The Greatest Baker Challenge is associated with Bake from Scratch and is operated as a fundraiser, with optional donation-based votes supporting the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation and its work assisting families of children facing cancer. To learn more, visit GreatestBaker.org.
Updates and voting information are available through Huehn’s Facebook page, “Travelling Bakery.”

Aaron Walker
Reporter
Moose Jaw Express