The Top 15 Cakes from The Great British Bake Off

It’s hard to believe that “The Great British Bake Off” began airing way back in 2010. Throughout the 15 years of seasons (or series, as the Brits call it), we have seen such incredible cake, biscuit, and pastry designs, that it’s hard to believe that all of the contestants are considered amateur bakers.

Many of the bakers have gone on to publish cookbooks, opened their own bakeries, or caught a bit of the Hollywood bug and become television hosts. Whatever path the bakers have taken post-show, their success started under the pressure of the challenges in “The Great British Bake Off” tents. Week to week, the contestants from all around the United Kingdom have wowed the judges and home viewers with their creative creations or admitted defeat when they’ve experienced a cake calamity. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a more casual watcher, the “Great British Bake Off” has taught its audience lessons in baking as well as taking risks.

Though all of the weeks’ challenges have produced memorable desserts, some of the most show-stopping designs have come during cake week. For a trip down memory lane (or perhaps, a cake walk), here are some of the best cakes we’ve seen throughout the show’s seasons.

In the first episode of the latest series, 15 (which, inexplicably, is labeled as “collection 12” on Netflix), we got to see Sumayah Kazi’s lifelike portrayal of her pet duck, Pato (the Spanish word for duck) for the hyperrealistic illusion cake challenge. Sumayah had four hours to create a cake resembling her beloved pet (who has been known to go missing from time to time) which she hatched from an egg in 2018. Despite the time crunch, she pulled it off just as her duck would, swimmingly.

The cake was an orange sponge with layers of Swiss meringue buttercream with orange zest and balsamic strawberries. The burnt fondant resembled tree bark and served as a perch for the duck. It’s no surprise that the judges called this cake “exceptional.” It’s hard to believe that she wasn’t named star baker for this week, but that honor went to John for his cake that resembled blue jeans.

In the same episode as Sumayah Kazi’s duck illusion cake (series 15, episode 1) we saw not one but two cakes designed to resemble bags. Andy’s overnight bag was a hit with the judges, but it was Hazel’s handbag that was meant to resemble her vast haute couture collection of non-edible bags that really held up to her competitors.

What set this cake, a zesty lemon sponge cake with layers of lemon mascarpone cream was it had a real functioning handle. Though the handle wasn’t edible, the judges applauded as Hazel carried her cake just as she would a handbag over for them to assess. The judges were a bit disappointed by the firmness of the cake and a bit of untidiness in the design. However, they enjoyed the lemon flavor, and the innovation of how Hazel presented the cake, so the few complaints didn’t stop this cake from making this best-of list.

In the first episode of series 8, Yan pulled out a tool not typically seen in cake making: a pasta machine in order to construct the noodles for her ramen-inspired illusion cake. The base of the cake is banana (hence the name) filled with mashed banana and topped with crispy rice, marshmallow fondant shaped into wok choi, carrots, chicken katsu, and soft boiled ramen eggs. Yan said on the show that she was utilizing her background in science to create the salmon roe. She liquified agar in mango juice and, using an eye dropper, formed each tiny “fish egg” into chilled oil, creating what she dubbed “juice balls.”

The judges were wowed by her Japanese-inspired masterpiece, but Paul Hollywood commented that the cake was too dry. The level of technique and detail demonstrated by Yan was so incredible that it didn’t stop her from earning a spot on this list.

Also in episode one of series 8 was a cake fit for a hearty luncher. Steven’s “Baker’s Lunch” illusion cake was a chocolate and hazelnut liquor sponge cake. Topped with peanut butter frosting this cake fools the eye into believing it is really a fluffy loaf of bread, and a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.

Steven also created a fondant egg and sliced tomato top on the cutting board. Paul Hollywood, almost in disbelief said “It’s perfect.” He loved the texture, colors, flavor, and the equally spaced layers. Often, ultra-realistic cakes look incredible, but the taste and texture can typically be lacking. Fortunately, for Steven this wasn’t the case as Paul wasn’t the only judge who loved his creation’s flavor as well as the presentation. Steven’s tasty and impressive lunch, er, cake helped earn him the title of star baker of the week and he would go on to become a finalist for this series.

This third contender from the first episode of series eight, and far fruitier cake, was inspired by a cocktail, a trip abroad, and Flo’s husband’s love of melon. Despite not enjoying melon herself, Flo said the “One in a Melon” cocktail her husband loves brings back happy memories, so she designed the cake to resemble the drink’s central ingredient: watermelon.

The red sponge cake was soaked in melon syrup and filled with layers of buttercream. The layers were studded with dark chocolate chips to resemble watermelon seeds and the entire cake was enrobed in green fondant to replicate the melon rind. It was set on a bed of faux grass with fondant ladybugs and snails. Prue Leith was particularly impressed with the realism of the cake, saying that if it were on display at a grocery store, the buyer would think it was really a watermelon. Paul Hollywood simply said, “I love you, Flo.”

In the first episode of series 14, the judges tasked the bakers with making a cake that resembles the animal of their choice. The bakers were allowed to use puffed rice to fill out some of the structure of the animal, but the main body was required to be a sponge cake.

Saku baked two very large orange and poppy seed sponge cakes with orange buttercream filling for her Sri Lankan sea turtle. She explained in the episode that Tikiri means little in Sinhala and is also the middle name of her husband and son.

While the look of the cake lived up to the name of the challenge, a showstopper, the judges felt Saku’s cake was dry and overbaked. Paul Hollywood was not shy in commenting that he thought it was “a classic case of style over substance.” Critique aside, that still doesn’t stop this turtle cake from being one of the most impressively lifelike cakes on the show.

The bakers were asked to make a jelly art design cake in episode 8 of series 11. One element was required to be sponge cake with a jelly (or jello, as it’s more commonly called here in the States) design topper. Despite Hermine not growing up eating jelly cakes (dubbed it an “Anglo Saxon thing”), her floral design was spectacular.

Hermine’s chocolate raspberry sponge cake was spiked with a bit of cherry liqueur, filled with strawberry mousse, and enrobed in a white chocolate ganache. The cake was then topped with a clear dome of jelly enclosing a hand designed large Japanese poppy flower made of jelly.

Without jello molds, in order to make the jelly designs, the bakers had to inject liquid jelly into a previously set jelly. Without a light hand, the jelly can split. Not the case for Hermine. The judges said it looked like it belonged in a Parisian bakery. That excellence earned her the star baker title of the week.

Kimberley Wilson’s illusion spice cake entry in episode 8 of series 4 was a cozy, fairytale-like toadstool house in the woods. To add to the coziness of her creation, she chose warm autumn flavors for the sponge cake.

Cinnamon, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, and ground ginger were all added to the sponge cake which was also flavored with butternut squash puree, raisins, and walnuts. The cake was iced with a maple buttercream, and these are exactly the kinds of fall flavors of the forest vibe she was going for (not quite pumpkin pie spice) and she pulled it off spectacularly.

The toadstool house began with fondant that was studded with cocoa nibs and white sugar paste to make the spots. The mushroom cap was dusted with edible glitter, and she added wafer butterflies and an adorable mini pumpkin patch on the side of the house. Kimberley’s talent went on to earn her the runner-up spot of this season.

Series three, episode one had us all signing “Sing a Song of Sixpence” because Victoria chose to bake twenty blackbirds in a pie for this challenge, just like the classic nursery rhyme describes. The bakers were asked to bake a cake that with a hidden design that was unveiled after cutting.

Since this is the best cake list, however, the pie was not a pie at all and instead was a sponge cake designed to look like a pie. Of course, no blackbirds were harmed as they were constructed from fondant, along with the feathers on top of the “pie crust.”

The stakes have only gotten higher on “The Great British Bake Off” as the show gained popularity, but early season standouts like this prove that it’s always been about home bakers bringing their exceptional skills into the tent. Unfortunately, Victoria did not make it to the final episode, but her creation’s excellence lives on.

What is more British than a cake made to look like a Union Jack? Two cakes modeled after the flag, of course. Two contestants in the first episode of series three chose to honor their country with surprise cakes, that when sliced revealed the Union Flag inside.

While both were worthy contenders, Peter Maloney’s Battenberg cake edged out Stuart Marston-Smith’s similarly patriotic ‘Jubilee Cake.” Battenberg cakes, which call for marzipan to be used, are said to have royal origins, so they are a fitting dessert to pay homage to the United Kingdom’s iconic flag as well as the monarchy. Mary Berry, who left the show after series 7, called Peter’s cake “most impressive” when it was sliced. Aside from the expert precision in getting the flag just right, the judges appreciated the moist texture and sweetness of the cake. Comparing it to Stuart’s creation just shows the level of difficulty involved in the design.

In series 13, episode five, the bakers were asked to make a visually appealing mousse cake dessert. The judges also required the cakes to include a surprise inside. While contestant Sandro chose to make our planet Earth, Abdul reached for the starts with his mousse cake dessert.

Adbul’s otherworldly galaxy design has hidden cake pop planets inside the cake topped with a celestial mirror glaze and more planets made from white chocolate on top. The cake was filled with almond crunch, yuzu curd, and blackberry mousse.

The judges were wowed by the mirror glaze, saying it was one of the best they’d seen, and compared it to a pricey piece of marble. However, they remarked that Abdul used too much gelatin in marble glaze and yuzu curd, making them both taste rubbery. Ultimately, Sandro bested Adbul as star baker of the week, but Abdul’s starry design remains memorable amongst fans.

For vegan week in episode seven of series nine, fan favorite Kim-Joy made a stunning fox-themed celebration cake. She told the judges that it was a birthday cake for a friend who likes foxes for being “spiritual animals.”

The two tiered birthday cake (pictured above as a recreation) was topped with buttercream roses and, of course, foxes, as well as toadstools that were made of biscuits (cookies). Kim-Joy designed a giant frosting fox on top of the cake to top it all off. The sponge cake’s flavors were lavender and lemon and topped with aquafaba (chickpea water) royal icing. The flavor inspiration came from Kim-Joy’s travels, where she enjoyed lemon lavender ice cream.

Paul Hollywood called the decorations “exquisite” and both he and Prue remarked that the lavender and lemon flavors were sharp, but delicious. It’s hard to believe that this cake was made using only plant-based ingredients. The flavorful, beautiful birthday cake earned Kim-Joy the star baker honor for this episode.

In the semi-finals of series 10 (episode 9), Alice Fevronia designed a gorgeous cake with an even more important message. The bakers were asked to create a cake in

Alice described the cake as a representation of a coral reef and the glass case represents the fragility of our oceans. The five-layer, mirror-glazed entremets cake had a lemon genoise sponge as a base and layers of lemon and honey custard and raspberry curd.

The coral designs are made from isomalt, a sugar substitute, and the sea stars and shells were constructed from white chocolate. The entire cake as the challenge commanded, was encased in a glass structure, also made with isomalt, that Alice added blue streaks to represent the ocean and biscuits to act as window panes.

The judges loved the flavor and look of this case and appointed Alice as the star baker for the week. This guaranteed her a spot in the final competition. Ultimately, she did not win The Great British Bake Off, but this cake may be the best the show has ever seen.

During “The Great New Year Baking Show” episode, baker Helena returned from series 10 to make a cake to celebrate her 21st birthday. Of course, for this gothic baker, she chose to create a dessert resembling a witch’s altar.

A chocolate cake resembling a black candle with red wax, which Helena said is called a blood candle (shown as a recreation above), and a chocolate crystal ball cake, both topped with peanut butter and dark chocolate buttercream and served with edible tarot cards. The dome of the crystal ball cake was a bit off-kilter, but the show-stopping element of this design was the candle cake. Helena added a very creative element to the cake by inserting a birthday candle all the way into the cake and lighting it, making it look like the cake had a wick of its own.

Helena also asked the judges to write down their intentions for the New Year and set them on fire on the altar, adding to the overall creativity and spectacle of her design.

In episode 10 of series four, Frances created a whimsical wedding cake with a Shakespearean theme for her final bake. Frances’ “Midsummer Night’s Dream” cake was not only inspired by the famous playwright but also by her “love of all things natural,” according to her website.

The cake, like the play for which it’s named, had three acts: a ginger cake base, a lemon cake, and what Frances calls a sunshine cake. Two types of lemony buttercream were used, both French (lemon flavored) as well as Italian buttercream that was made with limoncello liqueur. The cake was heavily decorated with fresh fruit, edible confetti that Frances made herself, marzipan bumble bees flavored with orange blossom essence, and sliced almond “wings,” as well as dried pineapple meant to resemble summer flowers. The cake resembled a beautiful bridal bouquet and was a gorgeous homage to love, summer, and nature, combining all the elements into a grand-tiered delicious treat.