They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and this rings especially true for Taylor Durand. As a professional baker, Taylor surprisingly denies having a sweet tooth herself, but since she could operate an oven, she’s fallen in love with baking and has sought to “spread some love with sugar” by making treats for friends, teachers, and anyone craving a bit of sweetness.
For Taylor, baking is a family affair that started in the kitchen with her grandmother during childhood summer visits. While Taylor’s own children say she lives in the kitchen, she’s found a harmonious balance in her baking and family life—not only by including her children in the kitchen, but also by limiting baking to some weekends, subbing as a teacher at their school during the week, and dedicating summers entirely to being with her family.
Before Taylor’s family grew, a coworker’s request for a custom cake sparked the idea for a little “side-bakery.” Flash forward four years to 2018: Taylor followed in her grandmother’s footsteps, bringing her own family into the kitchen after she quit her full-time job and dove into baking following the birth of her now seven-year-old son, Oliver. That’s when Treats by Tay was born.
While Oliver’s helpful hands assist on occasion, her husband samples new flavors, and they both love to promote their mother’s talent, Cameryn, Taylor’s five-year-old daughter, has been her mother’s main apprentice in the kitchen since she was in a baby sling. In fact, Taylor credits Cameryn for the boom in her social media presence. A sweet moment of smiles between baby and mother during one of her early baking videos went viral. Since then, Taylor—through her social handle @treatsbytay—has reached nearly 200k followers. That single, heartfelt clip opened the door for Taylor to touch thousands more hearts through her treats.
Today, Taylor still welcomes others into her Meridian-based home kitchen with regular how-to videos and family-friendly posts. She also enjoys teaching baking classes for adults and older children. In addition to baking for loved ones and fulfilling custom orders, she loves donating cakes to local veteran organizations—especially meaningful since her husband, Drew Durand, is a retired Army veteran.
One of Taylor’s most memorable baking experiences came when she was invited by the Today Show to represent Idaho in the 2022 Great American Holiday Cookie Swap. Both excited and terrified, she tuned in from her kitchen to share her recipe for Idaho Potato Chip Cookies. “It was a blast and such an incredible experience.” Another full-circle moment came when her biggest inspiration—her grandmother—called to ask her for baking advice. “It’s pretty special when my grandmother calls me to run a recipe by me or will ask for advice when trying something new. It makes my heart so happy that she reaches out to me when it has always been the other way around.”
Taylor’s favorite part of the baking process is when it’s time to decorate. Working with icing is therapeutic for her. “I could smooth icing on a cake for hours and not get bored.” She loves the endless creative possibilities and feels most fulfilled when trying new flavors or designs, especially knowing her creations might brighten someone’s day.
Taylor also admits to a bit of a baking-tool obsession. A quick glance at her two overflowing utensil holders—brimming with colorful spatulas—is proof. Her favorite tool? The offset spatula. “You can decorate a whole cake with just this one tool. It’s the first tool I give out in my cake classes. You can use it for so much, including multiple cake designs.” She also swears by cake combs for adding texture or smoothing the finish, depending on the desired look.
Beyond her grandmother’s teachings, Taylor draws inspiration from other bakers and occasionally from ideas that pop into her mind, prompting her to race for a pen and paper. When asked for advice, she reminds fellow bakers to slow down and enjoy the process. “Take your time. Don’t rush through recipes or designs. And most importantly, just have fun—especially when it comes to decorating.”
She also reminds aspiring bakers not to be discouraged. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thrown out burnt cookies, messed up a recipe, or couldn’t figure something out. I’ve been baking for over 15 years, and just last week I forgot a main ingredient in a cake. Baking is a messy sport; you just have to smile and add more sprinkles!”
Follow Taylor and her creations on Instagram at @treatsbytay.
Baking is a messy sport; you just have to smile and add more sprinkles!
I could smooth icing on a cake for hours and not get bored.