Reckon your focaccia is fabulous? Do your brownies blow the competition out of the water? If so, British Baker wants to hear from you!
We’re kicking off 2026 by launching Britain’s Best Cake and Britain’s Best Loaf for another year. The competitions, which take place at the UK Food & Drink Shows at the NEC Birmingham on 13 and 14 April 2026, will see the nation’s baked goods battle it out to be crowned the best in Britain.
The products will be judged live by a panel of industry experts, in which each cake or loaf will be carefully considered for its appearance, aroma, internal structure, bake quality, and taste to determine the category winners. From there, the winning items in each category will go on to battle it out for the ultimate title of Britain’s Best Loaf or Britain’s Best Cake, respectively.
Due to the sheer number of exemplary entries in recent years, we will also be awarding Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals across the categories to shine a spotlight on the top-notch products available.
“We are so excited to celebrate the wonderful baked goods on offer at bakeries across the nation,” said British Baker editor Amy North. “We’re 13 years into our journey with Britain’s Best Loaf and three years for Britain’s Best Cake and are constantly wowed by the quality and innovation presented to us as part of the competition.
“Last year, we introduced Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals and they went down a treat, so naturally we’re keeping them for the 2026 competitions. This means we can help even more businesses celebrate their amazing products, shout about them to customers, and bask in their achievements.”
Find out more about each competition below:
Britain’s Best Cake 2026
Date: Monday 13 April 2026
Venue: UK Food & Drink Shows, NEC Birmingham
Categories: Blondies & Brownies, Celebration Cake, Classic Cake, Gluten Free Cake, Fruit Cake, Mini Cakes, Modern Cake, Traybake, Vegan Cake
Proudly sponsored by Dawn Foods, Kluman & Balter, Rainbow Dust, Shuffle-Mix, and St. Ewe Free Range Eggs, Britain’s Best Cake 2026 aims to celebrate the sumptuous, sweet treats on offer.
There are nine categories to choose from including the brand-new Celebration Cake category, which shines a spotlight on cakes going above and beyond for special occasions. Also new to the line-up is the Modern Cake category which celebrates cakes that embrace new flavours, such as pistachio and yuzu.
There are opportunities for all types of cakes to triumph, so classics and fan favourites are also welcome from indulgent brownies to crowd-pleasing carrot cakes, fabulous fruit cakes, and magnificent muffins.
Britain’s Best Loaf 2026
Date: Tuesday 14 April 2026
Venue: UK Food & Drink Shows, NEC Birmingham
Categories: Flavoured Sourdough, Gluten Free, Innovation, International, Plain Sourdough, Seeded Sourdough, White, Wholegrain
Proudly sponsored by ADM Milling, L&M Parnaby, Matthews Cotswold Flour, Multivac, and Rademaker, Britain’s Best Loaf 2026 shines a spotlight on the fantastic bread available from the nation’s bakeries. There are eight categories to choose from, presenting a chance for bread of all shapes and sizes to take home a trophy, such as showstopping sourdough, wonderful whites, and international-inspired goodies.
The entry deadline for both 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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