Eyes on the Pies
by Laura Breen Galante
Life is sweet as pie for Jamila “Mila” Muhammad, and she has the blue ribbon to prove it. Mila recently won big at this year’s American Pie Council (APC) National Pie Championships, held this past spring in Orlando. The APC competition features hundreds of sweet and savory pies in more than 30 flavor categories, with bakers competing in amateur, professional, and commercial entry divisions.
Mila, a pastry chef who lives in Oviedo, entered the contest as a professional baker in the Karo Syrup Rebel Pie division, a category that sought a different, bold recipe. Mila rose to the challenge, creating a sweet and savory Bourbon Pecan Pie with Maldon Smoked Salt, based on her best-selling Bourbon Pecan Pie. The only requirement was that the pie had to include a half-cup of Karo syrup.
“I made this one with brown butter, maple syrup, dark brown sugar, and the crust is a full butter crust,” says Mila. “This pie finishes with Maldon smoked sea salt on top. So the brown butter and the smokiness of the sea salt bring out the sweet, sour, bitter, and umami in the pie. It gives a really different flavor profile to the pie.”
For her decadent dessert, Mila earned first place in her category from the American Pie Council, bragging rights (the recipe is featured on the APC’s website), and a cash prize of $500.
An Entrepreneurial Spirit
Mila has always been a chef at heart but only took the leap into full-time baking in recent years. She grew up baking alongside her grandmother, and as a teenager, Mila baked cakes and pies for friends and family.
“I’ve always been interested in baking,” she says. “We had a friend who had a barber shop, so sometimes I would take slices of cake to sell there when I was younger, as a way to make extra money.”
Mila went to Florida A&M University to study business management, but when her youngest of three daughters was about a year old, she decided to pursue a different path. She went back to school and in 2014 earned an associate of science degree in baking and pastry management from Valencia College. As a classically trained pastry chef, she worked at Walt Disney World in parks event operations, which handled the catering for all of Disney’s theme parks and water parks. She has also worked as a baker for the University of Central Florida’s cafeteria, at a gluten-free bakery in Sanford, and at a healthcare facility as a dining room supervisor.
All the while, Mila was operating her own at-home bakery, selling cakes and pies at farmers markets at Lake Eola and Lake Nona.
“I had so many people calling me for orders that I thought I should do this full-time,” she says.
So, in January of 2020, she did. But then in March of that year, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“It didn’t hurt me, though,” says Mila. “About 70 percent of my sales is artisan-type baking, so Covid actually enhanced my business.”
In addition to traditional desserts, Mila also specializes in keto, gluten-free, sugar-free, allergen-friendly, and vegan baked goods – which can be difficult to find and were a sought-out treat during COVID.
Out on the Porch
From 2021 to 2023, Mila operated a retail bakery in the Oviedo Mall but now works out of a commercial kitchen to fulfill custom dessert orders. The name of her business, Mila’s Front Porch, was inspired by nostalgic memories of relaxing on the porch while eating and chatting.
“Where I grew up, that’s where we entertained, where we sat and talked,” she says.
In addition to making tasty pies, cakes, cookies, and other desserts, Mila wants to spread awareness about allergens and dietary restrictions.
“I’m also hoping to educate people about specialty baking and how I choose and use the best ingredients in my recipes,” she says. “We can still do the traditional desserts the best way and deliciously and safely for you.”
As for winning that coveted blue ribbon from the APC, Mila says, “It is amazing! It’s something that has given me credibility and the confidence to move forward to create this dream of mine.”
To learn more, visit Mila’s Front Porch on Instagram and Facebook.