Olde Tyme Pastries is known around town for its delectable treats, but now the longtime Turlock business is hoping to take that notoriety nationwide and is asking for the community’s help — and votes.

The Sweetest Bakery in America Contest is an annual competition hosted by Dawn Foods, which calls upon dessert lovers to cast their votes for the best bakeries in the country. Olde Tyme Pastries is in the running for the third year in a row and is currently in first place for the entire state of California.

“There are a ton of bakeries in California, a lot of which I visit myself, and I think I could name a handful right now that I think are just as good as ours. To beat them would be awesome, but to win the national title would be even more awesome,” Olde Tyme Pastries owner Terri Coonce said.

Olde Tyme Pastries was named the sweetest bakery in California during their first year participating in the competition, Coonce said, but there was no recognition for the feat. There have been a few changes to the contest this year; the bakeries have been split into three categories, including full line bakeries, donut shops and cake/cupcake shops, and there will now be prizes for the shops that win in their respective states.

While Olde Tyme Pastries is in the top spot for full line bakeries in the state, the bakery still hasn’t cracked the top 10 for best shops in the nation. The nationwide winner will receive not only bragging rights, but a huge party at their location in addition to other baking industry perks. If Olde Tyme Pastries can fend off its challengers and remain in the top spot for the state, the bakery will receive access to an exclusive tips and tricks webinar in addition to a personalized plaque and pre-designed social media templates.

The latter is a possibility for the bakery, though its no surprise to Coonce that the community has voted in droves to support Olde Tyme Pastries.

“It’s definitely like a family. We’ve been here for 38 years now and everybody knows everybody. It’s like ‘Cheers,’” Coonce said. “That’s where the votes come from.”

Since opening its doors in 1981, Olde Tyme Pastries has offered a delicious menu of treats that often resonate with the city, such as their popular Kaepernick cookies during the Turlock native’s playoff runs, “deflated” cookies in light of cheating allegations against the New England Patriots and cookies picturing presidential candidates sold around election time.

The store tries to stay up-to-date on current trends, scouring social media for popular treats and even attending out-of-state trade shows to learn new techniques and spark creative ideas. Most recently, the shop offered desserts in honor of Shark Week and specializes in creating custom cakes and treats that cater to their customers’ desires.

While some small bakeries fade into the background as their towns grow, Olde Tyme Pastries has simply adapted to the times and evolved alongside Turlock, Coonce said.

“Turlock is definitely growing in leaps and bounds and it’s nice to be a part of it,” Coonce said. “Trends are so fast and people get bored in a minute. I have to listen and go with the flow, or else we’ll get left behind.”

Fans of Olde Tyme Pastries can vote for the business as America’s sweetest bakery online until Sept. 30 by visiting https://sweetestbakeryinamerica.com/.