FLINT, Michigan -- If someone can imagine it, Sherri Miller can bake it. 

“I've been baking all my life,” said Miller, a  mother of two who works for the State of Michigan by day and is a baker by night. “I started baking with my paternal aunt when I was maybe five years old. I was baking cakes and making pies from family recipes.”

Watching her grandmother, affectionately known as “Good Mommy,” bake her signature "Sock It to Me" cake, cobblers, and pound cakes was always the highlight of Miller’s day. The apple did not fall too far from the tree. Her mother taught her a lot as well, from making German Chocolate cakes from scratch to cheesecakes and even enhancing box cakes.

After years of watching the show Cupcakes Wars, Miller decided that business ownership was her destiny. She always dreamed of being a participant on the show but never found the perfect moment to make it happen. Instead, she uses YouTube videos, Facebook groups, paid tutorials, and the tastebuds of family and friends to hone her craft and launched her home baking business called SMH Treats.

“I pursued the baking business because of my desire to be my own boss, wanting to satisfy appetites with my homemade treats and to utilize the gifts God gave me,” she said. “I want to walk in my purpose and go to the grave knowing that I used everything that HE has blessed me with.”

Her loyal base is full of repeat customers who seek her out for all  types of occasions. Tanisha Wilson, a longtime friend and classmate, is a big fan of Miller's strawberry cupcakes (with lemon frosting) and homemade caramel apples. 

“Her masterpieces are creative, moist, and reasonably priced,”  Wilson said. “You can't go to your local grocery store for these kinds of desserts. They are definitely made with love.”

When asked what motivates her to keep going, Miller refers to a page from Teleshia Berry's best-selling anthology, What is a Courageous Woman?. The passage reads,

“A courageous woman is a woman who is fearfully and wonderfully made. She admits her fears and leans on other courageous women for strength, solidarity, and sisterhood. Her righteousness is a genuine reflection of the higher power, and her life is a testimony of what can be achieved.”

Miller is also motivated to create something lasting for her family, using the extra income generated from her company to continue to build her business and create a legacy.With the courage to try new flavors and with the support and referrals of family and friends, she is confident that she will someday have a business in downtown Flint serving the community with her decadent desserts.

“I'm not where I want to be, but I am blessed to know how far I've come,” Miller said.

For more information, visit the SMH Treats Facebook or Instagram pages or email [email protected]. Miller will also serve as a vendor for Music in the Park sponsored by The MAC Food Group (Every Friday Night in August) and Sarvis Park Neighborhood Association’s 2nd Annual Community Day Friday, September 3, at Sarvis Park (4000 Wisner in Flint) from 4-7 p m.