An exquisite chocolate layer cake with chocolate ganache and dulce de leche from the Wiral-based Abba Cakes recently triumphed as Britain’s Best Cake 2025.
The competition, sponsored by Dawn Foods, Kluman & Balter, Rainbow Dust, Sonneveld Group, and St. Ewe Free Range Eggs, returned to the UK Food & Drink Shows at the NEC Birmingham for its second edition on Monday 7 April.
It saw more than 100 entries compete across seven categories – Brownie & Blondie, Classic Cake, Fruit Cake, Gluten-Free Cake, Mini Cakes, Traybake and Vegan Cake – with winners in each found before an overall champion was crowned. For the first time, gold, silver, and bronze medals were also awarded (see the full list here).
A mouth-watering array of cakes and traybakes in all manner of shapes and styles were dropped off by bakers from across the nation and assembled on tables prior to the start of judging.
Judging
To pick out the best entries from each category line-up, British Baker put together a panel of industry experts including award-winning cake makers, bakery lecturers, cake specialists, and more.
The panel (from left to right) consisted of Melissa Shaw, product development controller at Mademoiselle Desserts; Laura Jones, lecturer in bakery & patisserie technology at the University College Birmingham; Rebecca Tonks, founder and CEO of St. Ewe Free Range Eggs; Michelle Phillips, founder of Mimi’s Bakehouse; Lee Smith, owner of Poppyseed Bakery; Robin Loud, application chef at Dawn Foods; Daryl Stephenson, assessor at Coleg Cambria; Naomi Spaven, lead baker and patisserie chef at Iâl Bakery; Chris Parrington, NPD & technical manager at Kluman & Balter; Amy North, editor at British Baker; Richard Herbert, cake technical manager at Sonneveld; and Jonathan Adams, UK R&D director at Baker & Baker. Two further judges (unpictured) were Elaine Hamey, owner of Elaine’s Creative Cakes, and Johanna Moloney, owner of Caketastic Creations.
Every single entry had its visual appeal, internal structure, and bake quality judged, as well as aroma and the all-important taste.
Winners
Once judges’ deliberations were completed with category winners and overall champion found, it was over to the Farm Shop & Deli Show stage for the announcements and trophy presentations. The category winners were:
- Vegan: Brownie, Rex Bakery
- Mini Cakes: Cherry Desire, Anda’s Kitchen
- Gluten Free: Chocolate Cake with Pistachio & Berries, Sweet! Let’s Eat
- Traybake: Fig, Ginger & Blackberry Traybake, Ginger Bakers
- Blondies & Brownies: Kunafa Pistachio Brownie, Crustiq
- Classic Cake: The Chocolate Cake, Abba Cakes
- Fruit Cake: Westmorland Pepper Cake, Ginger Bakers
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