Boise girl, 12, to bake, compete on new Food Network series

Annika Coffman is a competitive girl.

“I like to always show people what I’m made of,” the 12-year-old Boisean says.

Starting next month, she’ll show the nation what she and her culinary creations are made of.

Annika will compete on Food Network in "Kids Baking Championship," a new four-episode series. Hosted by Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli, it features eight children ages 10 to 13 concocting pastries, desserts and other delectables.

The series debuts at 6 p.m. Feb. 2.

“With baking, I can just let myself free and do anything I want in the kitchen,” Annika explains in her casting video.

Annika, who attends St. Joseph's Catholic School, got her start as a little girl helping her mother, Cynthia, make cookies. Soon she also was baking with her grandma and aunt. The hobby evolved into projects such as making a layered cake or baking “monster” cupcakes for her brother’s birthday party.

Annika likes visually appealing foods, she says, and considers decorating her best skill.

Now it’s time to make it count. The “Baking Championship” prize package is pretty sweet: Not only does it include a $10,000 grand prize, there’s also Food Network bakeware, a profile in Food Network Magazine and an original cake featured at Charm City Cakes in Baltimore.

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This story was originally published January 21, 2015 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Boise girl, 12, to bake, compete on new Food Network series."