The nation’s favourite baking competition returned to our screens this week, with Nigella Lawson stepping into the tent alongside Paul Hollywood for the very first time, while Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond kept the chaos going as ever. The contestants opened with Nigella’s Guinness cake as their signature, then faced her three tiered coffee and walnut cake for the technical, armed with nothing but a sketch and not a single measurement or instruction. Then came a self-portrait showstopper, which was exactly as tricky as it sounds. We also learned Nigella has a soft spot for lemon and swears by a pinch of salt in her cake mixtures. Nobody went home this week, though biscuit week next week is bound to sort the crumbs from the crumble.
Here’s what’s on our cake table:
🍋 Jackie’s Lemon Drizzle: Zingy, moist and clearly on Nigella’s wavelength this week.
🥕 Nicki’s Carrot Cake: Steady, dependable and the sort of bake that sails through any technical, sketch or no sketch.
🍐 Bee’s Pear Cake: Soft, fruity and just the right pinch of something special.
☕ Nicki’s Coffee and Walnut Loaf: Rich, nutty and proof you do not need three tiers to be a triumph.
🍓 Jackie’s Victoria Sponge with Strawberries: Jam, cream with showstopper energy in every slice.
🍫 Diane’s Chocolate Cake: Deep, indulgent and confident enough to walk straight up for a Hollywood handshake.
🍪 Sarah’s Almond Cookies: Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and getting in some early practice for biscuit week.
No marquee, no judges’ panel, and no squinting at the screen wishing you could reach in and grab a slice. Here you get the full sight, smell and taste, no remote control required.
🕥 Saturday 26th September, 10:30am to 1:30pm
📍 St John’s Church, Roundy Lane, Adlington, Cheshire SK10 4JZ
📸 @saintjohnscoffee
