Meet the Internet Star Behind BHAM’s FIRST Mexican Mobile Bakery!
Meet Ana Araujo, the YouTube sensation who turned internet stardom into Birmingham’s first Mexican mobile bakery — and is now opening a permanent home at The Pizitz! Image: La MoreliAna Bakery
What began as a mother-daughter baking project in 2000 turned Ana Araujo into an Internet sensation. More than two decades later, millions of followers on Facebook and YouTube tune in for her authentic recipes and heartfelt storytelling. In 2022, her sweet treats made the leap from screen to street with Pasteles La MoreliAna, Birmingham’s first Mexican mobile bakery. We caught up with Ana to hear more about her journey and get the scoop on her brick-and-mortar bakery, coming soon to The Pizitz!
Business and Baking Are in Her Blood
Born and raised in Morelia, Mexico, Ana was the second of seven children, and money was tight. To make ends meet, her hardworking parents baked and sold pan dulce, a traditional Mexican sweet bread. “Baking has always been in my bloodline,” she tells us.
Ana immigrated to the U.S. in pursuit of the American Dream. She worked as a cosmetologist, but once her first daughter was born, her plans changed. “I wanted to stay home and care for her, which is why I started baking and selling from home,” she explains.
Following in her parents’ footsteps, she carved out a niche for herself, offering authentic Mexican baked goods to friends, family, and neighbors — and word began to spread.
Baking Cakes and Building A Brand
As her cakes, sweet breads, and pastries became more popular, Ana’s customers started asking for advice and tips to improve their own baking skills. “I started to upload short ‘day in the life’ videos and recipes on YouTube,” she says. The customers tuned in, and her YouTube channel steadily grew.
Today, she boasts more than one million subscribers. “I think my personality and explanation of my recipes is what stood out to people, causing them to start following me,” she says.
Ana continues to post how-to videos for Mexican sweet treats, including conchas, gelatina espuma, and impossible cake, to name a few. She also offers advice for her fellow Mexican bakery owners and shares her strategies for scaling recipes and processes.
That willingness to be open is what this savvy entrepreneur credits for her internet success. Not only do her subscribers want a peek into her kitchen, but they also want a peek into her life. “I think my videos connect with so many people because I am very relatable. What you see is organic and real,” she says. “I’ve told my life story, which resonates with many other foreigners looking for a better life.”
Ana is also quick to point out that success didn’t happen overnight. “It took many years to be where I am now, and I feel very accomplished,” she shares.
Success is a Sweet Ride
With her internet stardom cemented and her local business thriving, Ana took her show on the road with the launch of Birmingham’s first Mexican mobile bakery, the Pasteles La MoreliAna food truck, in 2022. Here, you can choose from an assortment of Mexican goodies, such as flan, churros, tres leches cake, and Mexican water- or milk-based ice creams.
For those without a sweet tooth, you can occasionally find savory items like Mexican breads and authentic street corn, served with or without crushed Hot Cheetos.
The food truck was actually the brainchild of Ana’s daughters, Joana and Marlen, a fact that surprised her. “At first, neither of them wanted anything to do with baking, so I found it funny when they came up with the idea to open up a business,” she says. “The process has been stressful; working with family is not always easy, but it definitely brings us closer.”
Both of Ana’s daughters are hands-on. They help with kitchen prep to keep things running smoothly, but their primary focus is on the business side of La MoreliAna. This past year, Joana was a recipient of the Les Dames d’Escoffier Birmingham Grant, which empowers women in Birmingham’s food scene.
Securing the grant helped Ana and her daughters realize their dream of bringing a brick-and-mortar location to life. “My daughters are inspiring me right now by loving what I do and wanting to keep this family tradition alive,” Ana says.
Coming Full Circle
Now, four years after the food truck debuted in the Magic City, La MoreliAna Bakery is set to open its first storefront at The Pizitz. Customers can expect to find all their favorite treats, including tres leches, churros, cheesecakes, and custom Mexican cakes for special occasions.
To mark the opening of this permanent location, Ana is introducing a new menu staple: a pan dulce sweet bread just like her parents used to make. It’s a full-circle moment that celebrates the familial roots that have been central to her success on every step of the journey.
Defining Her American Dream
When she’s not baking, Ana enjoys tending to her mini ranch, which consists of horses, cows, chickens, and ducks. “My animals keep me sane and happy,” she says. She also enjoys cooking meals using fresh eggs and produce straight from the farm (like her favorite cream cheese Mexican empanadas), and posting videos of her creations.
Her culinary skills aren’t the only videos Ana shares. She regularly vlogs about ranch life and her travels back home to Morelia, her favorite destination.
On a more serious note, Ana has also shared her skin cancer journey with viewers, documenting the multiple surgeries and procedures required to remove it from her nose. “I’m showing this so people don’t end up like me … for prevention,” she explains in the video. She continues to chronicle her treatment, recovery, and commitment to good health through diet, exercise, and sun safety.
As she shares her life with her subscribers and her baked goods with Birmingham, Ana is paving her own path to the American Dream. For others aspiring to do the same, her advice is simple: “Do whatever you want in this life. Anything you dream of will come true as long as you put your mind to it.”
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Katie Leigh Matthews
A Birmingham native, Katie is a lifelong waterfall chaser and is passionate about the outdoors. She also loves connecting with remarkable women in the Birmingham community and bringing their stories to life. Katie has been writing professionally for over six years; you can find more of her work at Moms.com and Islands.com.