The Hardest Working Person in Prosser

At 2K Bakery in Prosser, sweet treats and baked goods are served with a side of community.

"I feel like I bring people together," said Sylvia Cortez, 2K's owner and baker. "I love my customers. I will always say that. I love them. They make me part of their families."

And while the customers might leave with arms full of delicious cakes, breads, doughnuts, muffins, and cookies, they come for Cortez.

"Honestly, my favorite thing is to visit Sylvia, along with getting the treats," said one patron, who arrived with her children and was greeted by a hug from Cortez. "It makes everything really special. My kids ask to come here all the time, so it's like a fun stop in our daily life around Prosser. "

Another customer, who said he can't even get out the door before snacking on the freshly baked pastries he bought, remarked that he sees Cortez in the bakery from morning to night.

"She's one of the hardest-working people in Prosser," he said.

But Cortez said despite the long hours and hard work, she loves what she does, and that makes everything worth it.

"I love baking," she said. "It doesn't get boring. What I love is that people bring memories, and then you forget about all the hard work you do. This is my extra credit right here — my bonus."

One customer, who came in for sweet Mexican conchas, said everything that Cortez makes is incredible.

"We come on in, and we just feel like family," she said.

When the Washington Grown team visited the bakery, rows of freshly baked delicacies sat in brightly lit display cases, along with one single blueberry muffin made with fresh Washington berries. Cortez said that morning, there had been 30 muffins in the case.

"We use a lot of blueberries," she said, adding that they always use Washington-grown fruits when they are in season, including apples, grapes, peaches, and strawberries.

"Every time we have a seasonal fruit like cherries, we do something with cherries," she said. "Pears — those are beautiful to add to the crepe cakes."

In the kitchen, she began laying out ingredients for Tres Leches Cake, which is named for the three milks used in the recipe: evaporated, whole or 2%, and sweetened condensed milk.

It's a very moist cake," she said. "So, if you like moist, you're going to love this cake."

After she pulled the flat, round pans from the oven, she piped icing around the spongy cakes, then poured the milk mixture over top, beginning in the center.

She added more icing and a layer of fresh Washington strawberries on top before repeating the process with another layer of cake. When the milk had soaked in, she iced the cake and arranged brightly colored Washington pears, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and peaches on top.

"That's the good thing about living in Washington," she said, cutting a slice and taking a taste of tres leches and fruit. "We get different kinds of fruit, and it's just beautiful."