Ashley Holt - Baking Outside the Lines

In this episode, Maria sits down with Ashley Holt — baker, artist, Bake Squad star, and founder of Sugar Monster Sweets — for a candid and inspiring conversation about creativity, reinvention, and chasing joy. Ashley shares how she went from modeling in New York City to building a cake empire (and winning Next Great Baker along the way), what it’s really like behind the scenes of a Netflix baking show, and how motherhood reshaped her approach to success.

They talk about her wild ride through TV production, the emotional weight of edible art, her dream to sculpt a butter cow (yes, seriously), and what it looks like to say no, slow down, and pivot toward something more meaningful. Ashley is warm, hilarious, and incredibly wise — this one is for anyone who’s ever dreamed big, burnt out, and dreamed again.

https://www.sugarmonstersweets.com/