WHS, UC grad gains recognition for her confectionery creations

A Williamsburg woman has taken her love of baking sweet treats to the next level after recently being selected to have a picture of one of her cakes published in a book along with other remarkable creations from all over the country.

Alicia Vanover, a 2017 graduate of Williamsburg High School and a 2021 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, said that she discovered she enjoyed baking at a young age, while helping her grandmother in the kitchen. In 2018, she started selling pastries, cakes and cookies in order to help cover school-related expenses, and since then it has grown into a community-minded operation that she calls Alicia’s Treats.

“I like to use the money to do good in the community,” explained Vanover, who is currently employed as a substitute teacher. “I like to support the local schools, and donate to various fundraisers, like if someone is needing help with medical expenses. Things like that.”

Vanover said that she gets a lot of requests for sugar cookies, but she fills orders for all kinds of different dessert items. The creation that made it into the recently published book, titled Amazing Baking and Cooking, vol. 3 from Silent Spark Press, was a birthday cake inspired by the popular children’s classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“I was told to use anything Willy Wonka-related, and I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted from there,” Vanover explained.

Once Vanover learned about the opportunity to make it into Amazing Baking and Cooking, she submitted a photo of the Wonka cake, along with a brief description of her business. From there, food enthusiasts from all over the country were invited to go online and vote for which creations they thought deserved to be included in the next volume.

In the end, Vanover was thrilled to learn that she was among the lucky bakers who were selected. Although this is her first time being featured in a book, it is not the first time that she has received notoriety for her work outside of the local area. Last year, she was also voted to be included in a food-inspired calendar project. Same as the book, she received votes from all over the U.S. in order to be included in that project.

Vanover said that it takes a lot of trial and error in order to develop the baking skills necessary to create unique dishes like hers, but she is lucky to have two reliable taste testers in her mother and father, with her father preferring any and all dishes of the chocolate variety.

For now, Vanover said that she is content to continue operating Alicia’s Treats out of her own home, using it primarily to do good when and where she can, but she said that she does dream of one day baking on a full-time basis with her own store front.

To learn more about the kinds of desserts that Vanover creates, search for Alicia’s Treats on Facebook. Those interested in learning how to place orders can call (606) 765-8203.