This Ocean County woman wants to be Cake Boss' 'Greatest Baker,' and she needs your help

Jennifer Ennas-Ludewig of Barnegat is hoping to become the next "Greatest Baker."

Ennas-Ludewig, a home-based bakery owner who got her start making allergy-friendly cupcakes, cookies and cakes for her young daughters, is in the running for "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro's "The Greatest Baker" competition.

The winner of the contest, which began in November and runs through February, will receive $10,000, a meet-and-greet with Valastro, and a feature in Bake From Scratch magazine.

Friends and family encouraged her to enter the contest, and if she wins, "the money (will) help grow my business and take it to the next level," she said.

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Ennas-Ludewig has made it through several rounds of online public voting and is currently a quarter-finalist; voting for this round is open through 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. The semifinal round runs from Jan. 19 to 25, then the final round is from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1. The winner will be announced on or before Feb. 9, according to the competition's rules.

There is no charge to vote, and voters can do so once per day at greatestbaker.com.

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Ennas-Ludewig, 45, is a self-taught baker who started her business, Eat My Cupcake, in 2011. She is one of more than 1,000 home-based bakers in New Jersey with a cottage food operator permit, which allows for the sale of homemade cookies, cakes, pies and more.

Eat My Cupcake offers cupcakes, boozy cupcakes, custom cakes, chocolate chip cookies, and vegan and gluten-free sweets. She also creates dessert tables for events.

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Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com, follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Cake Boss: Ocean County baker needs help to become Greatest Baker