Braxton Harst tried baking for the first time two years ago. He stood in the kitchen and grabbed a Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix from the shelf. He followed the steps on the box. The cookies turned out soft and sweet. That first batch gave him a feeling he didn’t expect. Something inside him clicked.
He made the same cookies again the next week. Then again. Each time, he focused more. He wanted them to look better. He wanted them to taste better. The oven became his favorite place. No one told him what to do. Some bakes didn’t rise. Others tasted wrong. But he stayed in the kitchen. He refused to stop.
After a few rounds of cookies, he tried something bold. He baked his first-ever cake. That cake changed things. It wasn’t perfect, but it pulled him in. He wanted more. He wanted bigger.
One afternoon, Braxton set out to make a five-layer rainbow cake. Each layer had a different color. He used bright shade of red, orange yellow, green and blue. The cake stood six inches tall. His mom, Lisa, watched him work. She picked up her phone and recorded the moment he sliced through it.
He looked down, then up. “Oh my gosh!” he said with wide eyes. He couldn’t believe he made something so colorful and clean. His joy felt real. Lisa posted the video online.
The internet reacted fast. The video went viral. Comments poured in. Likes climbed into the thousands. Friends at school saw the clip. Teachers talked about it. Students pointed it out. That one video made him feel seen.
Braxton felt proud. That moment sparked a shift. He wasn’t just a kid who liked sweets. He was a baker. People started paying attention.
A New Skill Took Root
Braxton didn’t stop there. He looked at Pinterest for ideas. He started baking after school. Sometimes he stayed up late to finish.
Now, he makes about five cakes every week. Each one takes two days. He focuses on detail. His favorite so far? A blue ocean cake with an octopus on top. His art teacher ordered it. They designed it together in class.
Not every cake turned out perfect. One cake almost broke him. It was shaped like a heart and inspired by Wicked. It had fancy borders and piping. Braxton practiced for days. He got frustrated. He almost gave up. But he pushed through.
Things Got Messy — Then Big Brands Noticed
Braxton never keeps his kitchen spotless. His focus stays locked on the cake. His workspace tells a story. Butter sticks to wrappers. Measuring cups pile up. Food coloring stains the counter. His white plate catches most of the mess. He places all his dirty tools there. That plate becomes a mountain by the end.
To an outsider, it looks out of control. To Braxton, it feels right. The mess means progress. Each smudge of frosting brings him closer to his vision. The chaos creates art.
Behind all the noise and clutter, something special happens. He finishes each cake with care. The edges look smooth. The colors shine. The designs feel bold and full of life. His creativity shows in every detail.
His mom, Lisa, often laughs at the aftermath. “I come into the kitchen, and it looks like a tornado hit it,” she says. But she also knows what follows. A beautiful cake. A proud smile. A new post ready for TikTok.
Once they shared his bakes online, the response exploded. One cake turned into a series. Each video gained more views than the last. Millions of people tapped, liked, and shared. Comments came in from all over the world. People called him talented, brave, and inspiring.
Then came the brands.
Barbie reached out first. Then Betty Crocker followed. Wicked, the musical, sent a message. These companies saw more than cake. They saw personality. They saw someone who stood out without trying. Braxton didn’t chase attention. His work spoke on its own.
The interest didn’t stop there. People across the country started asking for custom cakes. Some fans didn’t mind the distance. A woman in Kentucky offered to drive across states. A man in Pennsylvania said he’d come just for one slice. These weren’t family friends. These were strangers moved by a boy and his story.
Braxton and Lisa felt surprised but grateful. The support meant more than they expected. But a new problem appeared. They didn’t know how to ship a layered cake across state lines. Frosting melts. Designs shift. Damage comes easy.
Still, they didn’t rush.
Until they solve it, some fans wait. Others take the trip. Each cake now carries weight. It carries meaning, story, and heart. Braxton doesn’t just bake. He connects.
Bullies Knocked Him Down. Baking Lifted Him Up.
School wasn’t easy. Braxton faced bullies. His parents moved him to a private school. Around the same time, kind people started showing up online. They supported him. They cheered him on.He heard about culinary school. The idea excited him.
Now he will join the camp this summer. He feels proud. His community made it happen.
From Student to Teacher — and Now a Dream
A local family reached out one day. They asked Braxton to teach their young daughter how to bake. He said yes without hesitation. They met in the kitchen, side by side. Braxton showed her how to measure, mix, and layer. Step by step they built a cake together.
The cake was for her grandmother birthday. It turned out simple but beautiful. More than the design, the moment meant something. His mom, Lisa, watched quietly from a corner. She felt emotional. She saw her son step into a new role. He wasn’t just creating cakes anymore. He was inspiring someone else.
That small moment showed growth. Braxton had become a guide. He passed on the skill that once gave him confidence. The name is already picked out.
Even when the orders stack up, he stays close to the kitchen. After finishing five or six cakes for others, he starts a new one. This time, it’s just for him. No deadline. No customer. Just joy.
He wipe his hand take a breath and smile.
I just love doing it he says.