House Bake-Off gets a European makeover

House Bake-Off returned to King’s Hawford with a European twist this week. This year, the House-Bake off has been incorporated into our celebrations to mark the European Day of Languages. Pupils from Reception to Year Six were invited to bake a batch of individual cakes, cookies or biscuits with a European twist or design.

Over the weekend, our wannabee bakers got to work, crafting a range of delicious treats ready for Monday’s Bake-Off competition. All of the yummy entries were taste-tested by a team made up of Hawford staff and non-baker pupils. Finalists were then selected from each House, with a representative from Prep and Pre-Prep going through to the final taste-off! The individual House winners were awarded certificates and wooden spoons. Congratulations go to our finalists from Pre-Prep, Tanith H, Finley R, Maha, and Samuel P, and our Prep finalists, Thomas C, Eleanor N, Joshy R, and Sophia R.

The winners were asked to reconvene in the Front Office, where our Head Judges, Mr Stigant, Miss Layton and Ms Elliott were waiting. All of the sweet treats were taken into Mr Butt’s office, where our judges spent time sampling each. The first task for our judges was to decide on a Pre-Prep Grand Winner.

The judges were all blown away with Tanith’s Chocolate-and-Guinness-flavoured cupcakes, and were impressed with the detailed decoration of tricolour frosting and chocolate shamrocks! Finley R’s flag biscuits were popular with the judges, who enjoyed the melt-in-the-mouth consistency of the biscuits. Maha’s cupcakes surprised the judges with a hidden jam filling and the judges remarked the Samuel P’s cakes were cooked to perfection!

Next up, the judges made their way on to the Prep entries. Eleanor N and Sophia R both honoured the European theme with some delightful Florentines and some pizza biscuits respectively! A light and fluffy Victoria Sponge made by Joshy R from a gluten-free recipe certainly impressed the judges . Thomas C’s mint-chocolate Eiffel Tower creations proved to have style and substance.

The judges had an incredibly hard decision to make, a decision that was made no easier despite the number of samples they tried! In the end though, the votes were unanimous. Tanith H was crowned Star Baker for Pre-Prep and Thomas C took the honours for Prep.

Mr Stigant was delighted to award Tanith and Thomas with their trophies. After the final, all items were taken to the outdoor classroom, where they were sold at morning break to raise money for our three charities. Well done to all those who took part this year and also to all those who supported our charities by purchasing cakes!