A close-up of a sea salt and rosemary focaccia

Source: Getty Images / Liz Whitaker

Do your sweet treats bring joy to everyone who tries them? Do your loaves rise above the rest? If so, British Baker wants to hear from you!

We’re kicking off 2025 by bringing back 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 7 and 8 April 2025, 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, 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.

What’s more, for the first time ever, we’ll be awarding Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals across all the categories ensuring more cakes and loaves receive the recognition they deserve.

“There are so many fantastic baked goods on offer, so we want to make sure they get the attention they are worthy of and provide bakers with a seal of approval to share with their customers,” says British Baker editor Amy North. “As well as a trophy and plenty of kudos, there are so many benefits to be gained from success at the competitions, including press coverage, marketing opportunities, new customers, and team recognition. We can’t wait to tuck in, so get your entries in today!”

Apple & cinnamon muffins on a cooling rack

Source: Getty Images / Olga Mazyarkina

Britain’s Best Cake 2025

Date: Monday 7 April 2025

Venue: UK Food & Drink Shows, NEC Birmingham

Categories: Brownie / Blondie, Classic Cake, Free-From Cake, Fruit Cake, Innovation, Mini Cakes, Occasion Cake, Traybake

Proudly sponsored by Dawn Foods, Kluman & Balter, Rainbow Dust, and Sonneveld Group, Britain’s Best Cake 2025 aims to celebrate the sumptuous, sweet treats on offer. There are eight categories to choose from, including the brand-new Innovation category which celebrates out-of-the-box thinking in the world of cake. There are opportunities for all types of cakes to triumph, so classics and fan favourites are also welcome from crowd-pleasing carrot cakes and luxurious loaf cakes, to mind-blowing brownies and fabulous fruit cakes.

Baguettes in a basket in a bakery

Source: Getty Images / sergeyryzhov

Britain’s Best Loaf 2025

Proudly sponsored by ADM Milling, Brook Food & Bakery Equipment, and Rademaker, Britain’s Best Loaf 2025 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, from showstopping sourdough, wonderful whites, and international-inspired goodies.

Date: Tuesday 8 April 2025

Venue: UK Food & Drink Shows, NEC Birmingham

Categories: Flavoured Sourdough, Gluten Free, Innovation, International, Plain Sourdough, Seeded Sourdough, White, Wholegrain

The entry deadline for both competitions is Monday 10 March 2024. Entries cost £37+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 Rebecca George with any queries via Rebecca.george@wrbm.com or 01293 610422.