"Memories for the rest of my life" — Brooklyn baker Adela Mou shares her The Great American Baking Show experience

The Brooklyn-based baker, Adela Mou, competed on season 8 of The Great American Baking Show. Adela managed to reach the finale and competed against the likes of Daniel Freiburger and Kim Goldfeder Clarke. Although she wasn't able to win the competition, she successfully completed challenges like cookie, cake, and pastry weeks.

Adela made it to the finale after receiving praise from judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. The Great American Baking Show contestant sat down with Brooklyn Paper for an interview on May 1 and opened up about her experience on the show. According to Adela, being on the show was both demanding and rewarding.

She valued the friendships and camaraderie she developed with fellow bakers more than being part of the competition itself. Adela felt she was able to create meaningful memories and friendships with other contestants of The Great American Baking Show.

“The best part of the experience happened when we were in the tent in July — being there, meeting the other bakers, and making friends. I feel like I’ll have those memories for the rest of my life. The show is just the cherry on top,” claimed Adela Mou.

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The Great American Baking Show contestant Adela reveals her journey from being an immigrant to appearing on the show

Further in the interview, Adela Mou attributed her achievement to her hard work and the support of her community. She revealed that her friends and family were proud of her reaching the final of The Great American Baking Show. Adela's loved ones were surprised by her baking skills on the show, as she tends to make something simple back at home.

“They think it’s really cool to see someone they know on TV, especially since I don’t typically make elaborate desserts like pie towers or bread sculptures at home," said Adela.

After the filming of the season ended, Adela returned home and revealed that she planned to share her baking skills locally. She even hosted a tasting event at her Manhattan office, where her coworkers showed their support. They understood that her experience on the show was unique. Mou's colleagues had been supportive of her participation in the show.

The Great American Baking Show contestant Adela Mou grew up in a Chinese immigrant household. In the interview, she mentioned that in Chinese homes, baking wasn't a regular activity. She learned to bake at her early job at Cold Stone Creamery. Adela revealed that she started baking and creating various cakes from box mixes.

"In China, baking at home isn’t as common as it is here. I would make the cakes from box mixes and decorate them — not exactly traditional baking,” said Adela.

Furthermore, Adela recalled her time in college during the interview, when she used to make birthday cakes for her friends. She drew inspiration from international flavors like China and other Asian countries.

She even credited watching the original The Great British Baking Show as one of her influences. Through the influence of the show, she started experimenting and combined Asian ingredients with American desserts.

According to Adela, she started incorporating flavors like Kalamansi and fish sauce into her baking, which people are not really used to. During her run on The Great American Baking Show, she infused pastry creme with pandan, which is an herb used in Southeast Asian cuisine. She also did a filling inspired by Japanese cherry blossoms with hojicha green tea.

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The Great American Baking Show season 8 premiered all its episodes on April 11, 2025.