Ellen Corliss launched her bakery business, Aunty Ellen’s, in 2003 in Leominster.

She started baking out of her home and has been making wedding cakes since 1987. “When I look back on those days, I’m amazed that I made it happen,” said Corliss. “I’ve come so far since my first wedding cake, which took over five days to complete, from baking, filling it with fresh strawberries, assembling and frosting and decorating it for 500 people.”

Corliss, working alone, opened Aunty Ellen’s in a 450-square-foot building. She began by baking wedding cakes and all-occasion cakes, which over time grew into cookies, brownies and more.

“I was having a tough time with such a small space, working alone and keeping up with all my orders,” said Corliss.

In 2007, she moved into a 950-square-foot building and opened her first retail bakery. She hired two employees and then two more. “We still specialized in wedding cakes and cakes for all occasions, but we also offered cannolis, Bundt cakes, cheesecakes, whoopie pies, tarts, cupcakes and more,” said Corliss. “That worked great for about four years, and I knew we needed to expand sooner rather than later. We had just outgrown this space and were working on top of each other with no storage.”

Corliss made the decision to move in 2012 “for the last time.” She and eight employees now work in a 4,000-square-foot building in an “amazing” location. “I have plenty of room to grow the business if needed,” said Corliss. “When you walk in, the décor makes you feel as though you were in Bermuda. We still offer all the same items, just on a larger scale. We have won more than 30 awards for best bakery and best dessert.

“I now have an amazing staff of 13, and I would not be where I am today without them,” said Corliss. “There is no ‘I’ in team!”

Aunty Ellen’s Creative Confections offers goodies for anyone with sensitivity to gluten as well as vegan options, both with a 48- to 72-hour notice. Gluten-free Fridays take place weekly.

The bakery is located at 16 Central St., Leominster (www.auntyellenscakes.com).

Winter hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday. On wintry days when there is no school in Leominster, Aunty Ellen’s is closed. Telephone: (978) 537-5675. In addition to the many Readers’ Choice and Taste awards, the bakery also has been chosen as Best Place for a Child’s Birthday Party. Check the website for more information about cake decorating classes and other events. Wedding-cake tastings are by appointment only.

Corliss has participated in community fundraisers, sometimes featuring the bakery’s cannolis with more than 12 different flavors.

Aunty Ellen’s Creative Confections is a sweet success story!

1. What’s your favorite cheap eat?

Chicken wings — I’m obsessed with them. If they are on the menu, I have to order them (drives my husband crazy), and if they come in different flavors, chances are I will order two different kinds to see what I like best. The way I look at it is that I can (and do) take them home for the next day. My favorite is Buffalo. I just bought an air fryer, so now I can have “healthy” chicken wings at home, and the air fryer is great for reheating wings.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

My parents! My mom bought me my first Easter bunny cake pan when I was in the fifth grade. It came with one star tip and one round tip, five pastry bags, four food colors and step-by-step instructions. All my neighbors got one that year. I am a self-taught cake decorator with hundreds of books on cakes. I’m not going to lie that occasionally I get ideas and recipes from Pinterest, Google or Food Network shows.

3. What’s your all-time most memorable meal?

The Fourways Inn Restaurant in Bermuda, still my all-time favorite place. I am very grateful, lucky and appreciative that I have the chance to dine there at least three or four times a year. I never know what to order: the veal, the rack of lamb or the chateaubriand. I always start with the escargot and finish with the limoncello souffle. And if you get the chance to go, ask for Alex or Andy, and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to have them both wait on you … marvelous, marvelous, marvelous.

4. What ingredient are you obsessed with?

Bacon: It is everywhere. We even offer a cupcake with bacon, it’s called the “Elvis:” yellow cake, banana filled, topped with peanut butter, bacon and chocolate.

5. What’s your guilty food pleasure?

Where to start? Angel food cake, rare (blood-red) roast beef with Hollandaise sauce, crispy/burnt bacon, Cheez-Its and cheese curls, steamed hot dogs with sauerkraut, popovers slathered in butter, red wine.

6. What’s the kitchen tool you can’t do without?

My KitchenAid mixer and all its attachments. However, I did get a Cutco knife for Christmas, and now I want the whole Cutco set so I can throw all my other knives away.

7. What food has outlived its welcome, and any idea of what’s the next trend in the food world?

This is tough. I think all the fatty, oversized fried portions are on their way out (these are all good in so many wrong ways), but I think healthier foods such as Buffalo cauliflower, cauliflower pizza crust or fried pickles are becoming more popular. I also think tapas items continue to be up and coming, even though they have been around for a while. I think you see more restaurants offering tapas items as appetizers or under small bites to share.

8. What would you being doing if you weren’t a chef?

I would run a doggy/kitty day care/kennel and play with animals all day, every day.

9. What’s your favorite meal to make at home?

I’m the master of “steaks on the grill,” broccoli casserole, twice-baked potatoes and popovers.

10. What’s the strangest thing in your fridge at home?

Bologna or stuffed hot peppers. Nothing too strange; I just purged and threw everything away. My husband and I are trying to eat healthy this year. Key word: trying!