Season two of the Peacock show “Baking It” brought on not only a new co-host for Maya Rudolph, but a whole new set of talented and eager contestants looking to win $50,000 by impressing the judging panel of strict grandmothers.
This was the first time Emmy winners Amy Pohler and Maya Rudolph have ever co-hosted a show together.
The premiere episode of the second season was a holiday special that featured a number of celebrities, such as Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell, that got to “cele-bake” for charity.
On the second episode, viewers were introduced to the pairs that would be competing on this season of “Baking it.” Some of the season’s standout moments came from a married couple out of Queens, New York: George and Agnes Molina.
Their love for each other was palpable, and it made for some of the show’s most heartfelt moments. Even Rudolph could feel the emotion and told George, “Don’t you cry on my show!”
The couple made it to the fourth episode before getting voted off by the judges for their take on a Ham and Mozzarella Mofongo. Their journey on the show was impressive, especially considering their non-traditional path they took becoming bakers.
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Agnes “Aggie” Molina began her business dipping chocolate treats like pretzels and cake pops when her first son was born eight years ago.
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She was looking for a way to make extra money for her family and when the pandemic hit, her husband George lost his job as a car salesman, so this additional income became more crucial than ever before.
George suggested that Aggie begin baking and selling cakes.
“I was like no way I don’t know how to make a cake. I don’t even know how to put a cake together,” said Aggie.
Aggie said she began looking online at Youtube videos and when she decided to bake a cake, she found success in her first attempt. It was not long after that she started selling these cakes to the public to support her family.
In the first episode, Amy Poehler even proclaimed to them that “Baking kept your family together.”
The couple was flown to Los Angeles for ten days and sequestered in a hotel with the other contestants.
“We have a group message. It's called prison break because we were stuck in the hotel and couldn't leave… We are definitely in touch with every person on the cast, we became family,” said George
The Molinas have five kids and said being away from them for so long was tough but well worth it.
“They were so excited… I filmed all my kids in the living room when they saw us on TV. They were jumping for joy,” said Aggie.
As her business continues to grow, George says that he is her biggest supporter but also her biggest critique.
“I was honest with her… doing a cake over is not something bakers ever want to hear,” said George.
He says his goal is to help put his wife through culinary school, and the couple said their dream is to open a bakery in the future.
“Having all the kids and everything, I think we have more than enough hands to run a store,” said George.
Aggie says that she would like to open up this bake shop for her kids and pass on the family business to them in future.