She learned to bake in order to make treats for her daughter who is allergic to wheat, eggs and peanuts.

And she's a self-taught fantasy sculptor who's more used to working in polymer clay than modeling chocolate.

Still, baker Cathy Burnheimer of Buffalo Township and artist Les Polinko of Pittsburgh found themselves in the fall competing in a Food Network show “Winner Cake All” against three other baking teams for a $10,000 grand prize.

Under the eye of Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis, Burnheimer and Polinko battled to create a themed cake that had the looks and taste that could win over a panel of judges while dealing with unfamiliar utensils, time limits and in Burnheimer 's case, third-degree burns.

“I never really worked in edible sculptures until I was thrown in front of the camera,” said Polinko.

Polinko usually uses polymer clay to hand-sculpt gnomes, dragons and other fantasy creatures that she sells at art festivals, Renaissance shows and comics conventions.

“I have degrees in fine arts painting and drawing and an art education from Purdue,” she said, but she taught herself to sculpt.

That's something she has in common with her partner.

Burnheimer said, “I have a degree in communications from Slippery Rock University. I have no background in baking.”

But when her oldest daughter, now 13, was 8 months old, they discovered her food allergies.

She had to teach herself to make treats her daughter could eat. She started making her gluten-, nut- and egg-free cakes for family and friends.

Eventually Burnheimer went into business as Frosted Envy, selling her cakes to the public.

Polinko said, “She was doing her cake business, and a mutual friend introduced us.

“We hit it off great. We are very much alike,” said Polinko.

She began creating keepsake toppers for Burnheimer 's commissioned cakes for wedding receptions and other events.

“We did an upside-down hanging cake for the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh,” Polinko said. Polinko helped design the cake features that mirrored the hotel's decor.

Burnheimer said, “Know what you are good at, do it. What you are not good at, find someone who is good at it.”

The partnership eventually drew the attention of the Food Network, Burnheimer said. She figured network scouts had seen their handiwork on Instagram.

“The Food Network contacted me four or five times, but it was never the right time,” she said.

When the two did decide to take up the network challenge, after passing a long-distance audition, it really wasn't the right time.

Polinko was in the middle of buying a building in Swissvale and converting it into her studio.

Burnheimer was both moving into a new house and trying to get her new popcorn business, Popped Envy, up and running.

Polinko said she had to learn to work in a new medium to create a cake topper out of molded chocolate.

“I had four days to learn to work with modeling chocolate,” she said.

“Modeling chocolate has a completely different consistency. It's rubbery, it has a Play-Doh consistency, which can change with the temperature,” she said.

Still, they flew to Los Angeles the second week of October to tape their segment of “Winner Cake All.”

Each episode features four baking teams competing in two rounds, including a decoration challenge in which each team must create a unique cake topper based on the client's theme.

The panel of judges then decides which team is the first to be eliminated. In the second round, the three remaining teams take part in the cake challenge, where De Laurentiis introduces the client's request for a sculpted cake for their celebration.

The remaining three teams then met their VIP clients, the stars of the “Broadway Princess Party” concert series, Laura Osnes, Susan Egan and Courtney Reed.

These princesses are marking the third year of their live concert series and needed a cake to celebrate with the cast and crew, so the bakers needed to make cakes with glitz and glitter fit for royalty. One team wins $10,000 and the honor of serving their cake at a royal ball.

For Polinko and Burnheimer, the experience was anything but glamorous.

Polinko said, “The first round gives you only 60 minutes to make a topper. It is so stressful.”

Burnheimer said, “You are not in your own kitchen space; you don't know where everything is.”

Polinko said, “We were only allowed to bring along a few of our own tools.”

Making matters worse, Burnheimer said during the production she burned herself badly on 300-degree molten sugar, but decided against taking time out to have it treated.

Burnheimer and Polinko said it was a total team effort.

“I know sculpting. She knows cake. We pick up the slack for each other,” Polinko said.

The competition was so all-consuming the two only had brief impressions of their stay in California or their interaction with De Laurentiis.

“She is perfect. She is the tiniest person,” said Burnheimer. She added De Laurentiis was whisked in and out of the locale, a tent set up in a winery overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and there was little off the camera chit-chat with the host.

“Mostly it was very stressful,” Burnheimer said. “We're not that young and we were under the gun” to produce something spectacular.

Polinko said, “We had to have a total level of trust in one another. When you go on national TV you don't want to look like a fool. I hope we didn't.”

Burnheimer said, “It was a very limited amount of time. You have to be accepting that this is the best we could do in this amount of time.

“Still, you wanted to give them the very best we were able to make,” she said.

The whole trip only took four days from the competition to editing and publicity until they were back on a jet heading east just after midnight that Thursday.

Neither is allowed to reveal the outcome of the contest or even if they made it past the first round.

Those interested are going to have to watch their episode of “Winner Cake All” at 10 p.m. Jan. 21 on the Food Network.

“I'm still dumbfounded we were selected,” said Burnheimer .

WHAT: “Winner Cake All” episode featuring baker Cathy Burnheimer of Buffalo Township and artist Les PolinkoWHEN: 10 p.m. Jan. 21 on the Food Network