From studying and slicing to sniffing and savouring, judges of Britain’s Best Cake and Loaf 2026 will be putting entries well and truly to the test.
And they know their stuff. Among the experts on this year’s panels are an in-store bakery specialist for Tesco, product developers for M&S and Co-op, and heads of innovation at large manufacturers, as well as several esteemed bakery consultants and award-winning bakers.
Entries are currently still open for the two competitions, which will be judged live as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows at the NEC Birmingham on 13 and 14 April 2026.
Now in its third year, Britain’s Best Cake is proudly sponsored by Dawn Foods, Kluman & Balter, Rainbow Dust, Shuffle-Mix, and St. Ewe Free Range Eggs. It comprises nine different categories (listed here on the entry page), with champions from each going through to a final round of judging before an overall 2026 winner is chosen.
The 13th edition of Britain’s Best Loaf, meanwhile, is sponsored by ADM Milling, Fritsch, L&M Parnaby, Matthews Cotswold Flour, and Rademaker. It will be judged across eight categories (see entry page here), winners of which will each be presented with trophies prior to the year’s ultimate champion being revealed.
As with last year, cake and loaves that impressed in their respective classes will also be identified for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
But what criteria are products scored against? Here’s a summary of the primary principles behind judges’ decisions:
External Appearance
“Eye catching is a basic for attracting the judge’s notice,” says consultant Neil Woods, who will extend his panel participation in the Loaf competition this year.
David Wood Baking bakery development technician Will Leet is also judging again in 2026. “When we go into a bakery or a shop, we buy we our eyes and so if you have a good-looking, eye-catching loaf you are already earning bonus points,” he notes.
For cakes, this could be achieved via vivid visuals as seen in the 2025 category winning Kunafa Pistachio Brownie by Crustiq, which contrasted green pistachio against dark chocolate. Alternatively, it could have the “beautiful piping skills” demonstrated in last year’s champion, The Chocolate Cake by Abba Cakes.
Internal structure
After carefully eyeing up each entry, panellists will be eagerly slicing them open to assess the technical skills at work.
They’ll be checking if the dough has been accurately hydrated, well proved, and baked for the right amount of time. Should there be inclusions present, an even spread will be desired.
Examples of judges’ praise for previous category honourees include the “wonderful open crumb” of the Malted Seed Sourdough by Mor bakery. They were also delighted in how the “velvety textures blend in perfect harmony” in the Cherry Desire by Anda’s Kitchen, highlighting how bakers will need to ensure they tick the box for good mouthfeel too.
Aroma
Smell plays a big part in the enjoyment of any food item. This can be subtle in loaves, though, and you’ll often see judges holding freshly cut bread up right to their noses and giving them a hearty squeeze to release their full aroma.
“You should be able to smell the lactic and acetic acid that is coming out of your loaf, sometimes even getting a lovely fruity aroma from the loaf, which is something I do love to get,” says Leet.
Fellow judge Woods warns about producing a bread that offers no distinct smell, or even worse a metallic odour. “If the bread is burnt underneath, you can still be able to smell it within the internal crust,” he adds.
Taste
An understandably important thing to get right in your cake or loaf is the taste. Judges will be paying close attention to the name and description of each entry, and will want to find those flavours landing loud and clear on their palates.
Take last year’s winner of the Fruit cake category, for instance. Judges commented that the Westmorland Pepper Cake by Ginger Bakers had an “evolving flavour” and a “peppery finish”.
In the Flavoured Sourdough category of the 2025 Loaf event, the panel commended the “divine” flavour of the Dark Chocolate Malt and Orange entry from Lovingly Artisan.
Naomi Griffiths, lead baker & patisserie chef at Ial Bakery (and Rising Star Award winner 2024), is reprising her role as a Cake judge this year. Along with unique and bold flavours, she says she will be looking for the ultimate test: “does that first bite leave you wanting more?”
Innovation
In addition to the above criteria for both competitions, loaves entered into the Innovation category will also be marked on originality. This could come from a new flavour combination such as the matcha & white chocolate or Earl Grey & lemon pairings showcased in Kuma-San Bakehouse’s triumphant 2023 and 2025 entries, respectively. Other ways of being innovative include through a new use of ingredients, sustainability improvements, clever baking techniques, or hybrid formats.
The entry deadline for both Cake and Loaf competitions is Monday 16 February 2026. Entries cost £39+VAT.
To enter, or for more information on either competition, please visit their dedicated websites – britainsbestcake.co.uk or britainsbestloaf.co.uk. You can also reach out to Maya Miren with any queries via maya.miren@wrbm.com or 01293 610444.
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