It is season 7 of The Great Canadian Baking Show. I did apply to appear on this season but alas, I think I might have to be like Andrew and apply for a sixth time in order to get on this show. When I applied this time around, it was my fourth time trying. Maybe a fifth time for season 8 will be my lucky numbers to make it this time.

To really help my case, this year, I’ve concentrated on improving my decorating skills and being more creative in my bakes. 

Now we are welcoming a new batch of bakers to the tent and I can’t be more excited. You would think I might be tired of watching baking shows after finishing season 13 of The Great British Baking Show and bingeing season 6,7 and 8 of Junior Bake Off but no, I am ready for more baking excitement.

Signature Bake

A pattern roll cake

The Bake:

A pattern roll cake

The Time: 2 hours

What I would bake:

As part of wanting to be more creative, I made a pattern roll cake this year for Chinese New Year. It was a coffer Swiss roll. I would actually fill it with a dulce de leche buttercream.  The pattern had rabbits and the Chinese character for rabbit. Unfortunately, everything looked backwards on the roll and it was on the smaller size as I needed to use a bigger pan.

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:

I am intrigued by Andrew’s roll cake mostly because of the white wine butter cream. From a design concept, I am all in for Niv’s as my father enjoyed curling and I too like to watch it when it is on TV.

• Andrew: A Taste of the Falls Roll Cake made with vanilla honey sponge, white wine buttercream and peach compote. The pattern is of a waterfall. Bruno said the sponge was gummy. Kyla liked the peach compote.
• Andy: Fallen Greek Column Roll Cake made with vanilla milk cake, maple buttercream and pecan and banana. Bruno said the sponge was light and Kyla liked the warmth of the pecans.
• Camila: Bocadillo Con Queso Roll Cake made with vanilla cake, guava jam, and ricotta. Kyla noted a crust on the cake. Bruno liked the cream within.
• Candice: Spring Roll with coconut sponge, chocolate ganache and cherry jam. Kyla isn’t sold on the flavour combination.
• Heather: Ancient Scroll Roll Cake made with spiced sponge, rhubarb mascarpone, and marzipan dragon.  Bruno called it playful on the inside and outside. 
• Kathy: Swirls and Whirls cake made with vanilla roll cake, strawberry and rhubarb jam, and cinnamon oat crunch. Bruno said the sponge was nice and Kyla loved the flavour combination
• Loïc: Treasure Map Roll Cake made with a genoise sponge, salted caramel, and peach curd. Bruno noted the filling too thin or hot when rolled. Kyla called it a creative marriage of flavours.
• Niv: Rock ‘n’ Roll Cake with vanilla cake with rose petal jam, pistachio whipped cream, and curling rock truffles. Kyla liked the curling motif. Bruno liked the floral flavours.
• Rainier: Evil Eye Roll Cake made with citrus vanilla sponge, maple lime jam, and pistachio cream.  Bruno called is visually striking. Kyla noted the cake was light and that the flavours came together.
• Sydney: Poppy the Bunny Cake made with pistachio poppy cake, candied poppy seeds and lemon ricotta filling. Bruno liked the presentation but the cake was underbaked.

Technical Bake

The Bake: Boston Cream Pie

The Time:  1 hour and 45 minutes

How I would have fared: I’ve only heard of the donut but it doesn’t seem so complicated and taking a look at the recipe online, I think I would do well. 

How the bakers did:

1. 

   Andy
2. Rainier 
3. Andrew
4. Sydney
5. Camilla
6. Niv
7. Kathy
8. Heather
9. Loïc:
10. Candice

Showstopper

The Bake: Top Forward Cake. A cake that stands on its side.

The Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes.

What I would bake: After Googling a photo of what one looks like, I would do a confetti cake that would look like Grogu in his pram. Grogu of course would be on top and made out of fondant. The icing would be a vanilla cream cheese frosting. 

What the contestants baked and judges thoughts:  

Kathy’s cake features all the flavours that I am so onboard with. Candice’s also sounds intriguing.

• Andrew: Andrew’s fish bowl cake made with coconut cake, mango coconut and macadamia crunch. Kyla liked the fishbowl design. Bruno noted the cake was gummy.
• Andy: Unable to bake.
• Camila: World Traveler Cake made with hazelnut and chocolate cake, tempered white chocolate and hazelnut praline. Bruno liked the crunch.
• Candice: Bizz-Buzz Cake made with honey almond cake, fondant bees and cereal milk frosting. Both wanted more bee decorations. Bruno liked the almond flavour but don’t taste much honey.
• Heather: Prairie Skies Cake made with honey and lemon cake, poppyseed jelly and Swiss meringue buttercream. Kyla liked how Heather created Manitoba as a shape. Kyla liked the cake’s richness and the poppyseed balanced it out.
• Kathy: Choose a Hue Cake made with an Irish Cream ganache and mint butter cream, and a chocolate cake. Bruno called the presentation striking. Bruno liked the flavour of the cake and that the mint overshadowed the Irish cream.
• Loïc: A Cake with a View made with lemon sage cake, cherry jam and tempered dark chocolate. Kyla called it stunning and Bruno said the cake was tart in a good way. Both noted the cake lacked a leavening agent.
• Niv: Koala’s Paradise Cake made with chocolate sage cake, raspberry jelly, and yeast extract buttercream. Kyla like the incorporation of the yeast extract. 
• Rainier: Ocean Waves Cake made with kashmiri chai cake, and speculous and halva. Bruno liked the speculous and halva flavour. 
• Sydney: Dream Come True Cake made with a chocolate and rum cake, and passionfruit and coconut cream. Kyla called the cake whimsical. Bruno liked the chocolate cake but the passionfruit could have used more sugar.

Up for Star Baker: Loïc, Heather, Niv and Kathy.

In danger of going home: They talked about Sydney and Candice. With Andy not being able to bake the showstopper, I am thinking that no one is going to be sent home. But this means two people will probably go home next week. However, they said they would judge him on this signature and technical.

Star Baker: Heather

Going Home: Andy. Guess I was wrong about no one going home. I suppose since Andy completed two out of the three challenges that it was enough for the judges to make a decision. Too bad about that. I feel that we were just scratching the surface with Andy. 

Quick Thoughts: Usually, I can tell who would be in the final three after Cake Week but it seems that everyone struggled a bit in all challenges. But if I had to make a guess, I would say the final three are Heather, Kathy and Loïc. My dark horses are Niv and Candice.

Next week is bread week and not cookie week so the show is starting to mix things up after seven seasons.