By Christi Mays
In four ultimate baking battles each week leading up to the Cru football championship game, alumni rolled up their sleeves and whipped up their most creative culinary confections, vying for a chance to be named 鈥淧layoff-Bake Off Champion.鈥�
While the Cru was gearing up for its first-round championship win against Trinity University Nov. 20, guest judges were lining up to tackle some of the best cookies in Central Texas, with the winning wafer going to Brenda Hoe颅lscher 鈥�96. The 鈥淐ookie Champion鈥� recipe she used was one her children had won with at the Bell County Youth Fair, and it paid off with the win!
On the second match-up, as the Cru took on Birmingham-Southern College on Nov. 27, bakers battled for the title of 鈥淏reakfast Champion,鈥� with the win颅ning whisk going to Rose Morales 鈥�00 with her secret banana bread recipe.
鈥淚 have made many banana breads to raise money for going on mission trips or for doing a toy drive,鈥� she said as the reason for not sharing the prize-win颅ning recipe. 鈥淓veryone loves my banana bread and greatly supports the cause. It brings me great joy to be able to bake for others and hear that it is one of the best they have eaten!鈥�
In round three on Dec. 4, as Crusaders were creaming Linfield University on the field, 2020 graduate Charlotte Miller鈥檚 homemade banana pudding pie was racking up the most points for the W and title of 鈥淧ie Champion.鈥�
Dec. 11 was a bye week for the Playoff-Bake Off (since 麻豆视频直播 was playing Wisconsin-Whitewater in Wisconsin). With that easy win for the Crusaders, the fourth and final Playoff-Bake Off round was set for the championship game Dec. 17 during the watch party. While 麻豆视频直播 fans gathered to watch the Cru take the cake on the field, Maegan Loya 鈥�15 was scoring points with the judges to be named 鈥淐ake Champion鈥� for her 鈥淐ake for the Cru.鈥�
鈥淲e could not be prouder of our alumni for showing up for our Play颅off-Bake Off each week,鈥� said Jeff Sutton, director of alumni engagement. 鈥淎ll of the participation from our alums just made winning the national champion颅ship game that much sweeter!鈥�
