One of the ten contestants competing at Halloween Baking Championship Season 11 is Nina Marie Charles, a home baker and bakery-owner from Carencro, Louisiana. In the kitchen of this monster-filled mansion, she turns on her spooky style as well as her zest and a mission: She is here to create creepy-crawly sweets (with some nice fake, artificial barf strewn throughout) that are worth $25,000.
For Nina, the competition is also about more than scaring up the works; it’s about showcasing her cake decoration and promoting her home-based company, Nina Creole to a national audience. In 2022, the former fashion design student got some more attention after competing on Netflix’s Is It Cake? She learnt the way of confidence and honed her skills under pressure with that “event”. Off-camera, she owns a food truck business and a home baking business that are renowned for their robust flavors and extravagant décor.
Food Network aired Halloween Baking Championship Season 11 at 9 p.m. ET on September 15, 2025. Stephanie Boswell, Carla Hall, and Zac Young will judge Nina, while John Henson will return as host. With new elements, such as bottom bakers fighting to rescue themselves in every episode, and a haunted mansion setting, the theme promises additional thrills this year.
What makes Nina Marie Charles a standout competitor on Halloween Baking Championship Season 11
Nina Marie Charles is one of the Halloween Baking Championship Season 11 contestants who offers a special fusion of creativity, business acumen, and fortitude. She stands out for her lively sense of style, prior experience on reality TV, and home-based baking business.
In addition to vying for a prize, she is trying to establish her brand, legitimize her style, and demonstrate that cake decorating skills honed in home kitchens can compete in a demanding, themed baking competition.
Building her baking roots & creative style
Running her Carencro-based bakery, Nina Creole, and creating cakes with striking textures, striking color schemes, and occasionally quirky, Halloween-appropriate flair marked the beginning of Nina's adventure. She claims that the time limits, creative deception (making cakes appear like commonplace items), and high stakes she experienced during her previous participation on Is It Cake? influenced the way she handles deadlines and presentations.
She claims that her experience working in a food truck and a home bakery has given her adaptability, ingenuity, and a strong work ethic. She frequently manages the baking, decorating, delivery, and customer service herself; she hopes that this will help her remain composed under pressure on the show. Her fans anticipate her set pieces to be imaginative, well-executed, and bold in terms of theme.
Navigating the competition & her goals on Season 11
Nina knows she will need both technical expertise and strategic decision-making because Halloween Baking Championship Season 11's theme is situated in a spooky mansion, and there are new elimination demands (the bottom three bakers frequently face extra-round "bake for your life" challenges). This year, the judges are looking for creativity, accuracy, and a sense of drama.
In interviews, Nina has expressed her desire for this event to expand her brand outside of her immediate area. She wants to use it to showcase her work across the country, gain knowledge from the demanding cooking setting, and develop her artistic abilities. She views the competition as a chance to improve her look, push herself, and encourage other home bakers, even if she doesn't win.
Watch Halloween Baking Championship on HBO MAX.