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Spring Baking Championship - General Discussion

Aethera

By Aethera
in Spring Baking Championship

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MyMaui
MyMaui

This was the final straw.  Sprinkles, It had to be her stupid sprinkles. I'm glad he stood up and said enough of this crap.  And the nerve for her to say the stress of the competition.  No, it wasn't

emmawoodhouse
emmawoodhouse

Romy is my hero. Fuck the sprinkles! 😃

MerBearHou
MerBearHou

I thought y’all would enjoy this — I’ve literally never sought out a cook or baker from FN on Instagram, but earlier today I felt compelled to find Justin from SBC.  I found him quickly — there were s

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GiandujaPie

GiandujaPie

Most of the Minecraft cakes looked bad on the outside because there simply wasn't enough time to clean up the decorations. There simply wasn't enough time to put the fondant on cleanly without wrinkles and puckering or to straighten up any of the square pixels. I agree that for every challenge, they should make Duff do it in the same allotted time to see if it is even do-able. They could even use his creation as a comparison. Or they could simply give them more time. 

I liked Jamie (rooting for Sacramento/Bay Area bakers!) but she was on the bottom 2x already and her cake looked bad and apparently was dry, probably from rushing the second bake when she realized she didn't have enough cake. I don't know why the bakers don't always make extras of everything, especially cake. 

In the pre-heat, did they ever explain why that one baker (can't remember her name) didn't make a small square like everyone else? Hers was much bigger and she didn't even have time to pour her glaze or frosting over it. 

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KittyMom4

KittyMom4

On 3/19/2025 at 9:25 AM, RoxiP said:

I don't have anything against Paul but he didn't help his partner to save her - he helped his partner because as a team they were in danger together - he pretty much said as much.  He actually finished his cake (and he should have gone back and done some clean-up on it) with plenty of time to spare so he did help his partner but I honestly don't think it was altruistic.  He did a lot of eye rolling and is lucky he was paired with a person whose presentation was significantly worse than his.

I was rolling my eyes as well, as he should, it was not his fault she did not make enough cake batter, and it was not his fault she didn't pivot to a simpler decorating plan once she realized how far behind she was. The challenge wasn't the TEAM going home, just that they would be in the bottom and one would go home. I felt bad that he gave up so much of his decorating time trying to help her finish.

Those who are saying Priya should have said something to Kareem, maybe so but Kareem strikes me as someone who, while sweet and ambitious, doesn't have a clue what he's doing here. All he needed to do was look around and he would have noticed he wasn't doing it right. I am assuming there is some kind of 'tutorial' off screen that explains what Minecraft is and even if there isn't, a simple observation of the other teams would have clued him in. 

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Splashy

Splashy

On 3/18/2025 at 4:10 PM, tennisgurl said:

what the hell is the connection to spring from Minecraft? Farming? 

Nothing. It's just that the movie is being released in April, therefore, SPRING!

Not. 

On 3/18/2025 at 5:53 PM, mlp said:

I also didn't understand why Priya didn't set him (Kareem) straight as they were going to be judged together.  Maybe she's just too nice.

Maybe she didn't notice until it was too late for him to do something different. 

 

On 3/19/2025 at 9:25 AM, RoxiP said:

I don't have anything against Paul but he didn't help his partner to save her - he helped his partner because as a team they were in danger together -

And that's what sucks about team challenges!

 

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MerBearHou

MerBearHou

(edited)

And as someone said above, there is no question that most of these bakers had to have a pretty detailed tutorial on what overworld and nether world and Minecraft are.  Yes, a couple said that their kids played Minecraft, but I would be shocked even these bakers could create an entire cake out of the design.  My kids may play video games, but I can promise you I have not paid close enough attention to create a cake out of the scenarios.

Edited by MerBearHou
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jcbrown

jcbrown

I thought I had not watched this because I did not remember it. Went back to it last night and realized that I did watch it, it's just that it put me to sleep. That is how engaged I was with the dumb Minecraft tie-in. Don't care about the game, don't care about the movie, I'm here to watch talented people make pretty desserts. Where's my cane to shake?

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Ancaster

Ancaster

8 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

And as someone said above, there is no question that most of these bakers had to have a pretty detailed tutorial on what overworld and nether world and Minecraft are.  Yes, a couple said that their kids played Minecraft, but I would be shocked even these bakers could create an entire cake out of the design.  My kids may play video games, but I can promise you I have not paid close enough attention to create a cake out of the scenarios.

Mention "nether world" and all I think of is "nether parts".  That's how old I am.

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Pi237

Pi237

I’m familiar with Minecraft through the kids, and was disappointed with how bad the cakes looked.  So many used fondant squares, and left sugary fingerprints all over them.  But I guess unless you trust your piping, it was the only option. Plus, the time limit was far too strict for that kind of tedious decoration.  Too bad they weren’t familiar with the characters from the game. They were all kind of a mess. And I laughed out loud at that huge grey square as their ‘portal’ Looked more like a portable toilet. 
 

The flavor combinations were crazy, but the inside of the cakes looked so good. 

  • Like 3
Ohmo

Ohmo

On 3/7/2025 at 5:23 PM, HyeChaps said:

Where can I find past seasons?

I started this season late and am catching up.  Amazon has all of the seasons.  You have to pay for them, but they're available if you really want them.

I have Discovery+ access through Amazon, so that's an option.

It's also possible to buy individual episodes.

Spring Baking Championship on Amazon

CalicoKitty

CalicoKitty

(edited)

I do not watch this for commercials.  Especially commercials for things I do not care about in the slightest.  I am really tired of the product tie-ins.  I want to see nice baking.  Preferably without weird ingredients.  Same with the kid's baking show.  I want to see (and am usually amazed by) the accomplishments of the bakers.  I don't understand the need for adding all the comedy.  Just bake, already.

Edited by CalicoKitty
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cowgirlwen

cowgirlwen

On 3/22/2025 at 7:39 PM, CalicoKitty said:

I do not watch this for commercials.  Especially commercials for things I do not care about in the slightest.  I am really tired of the product tie-ins.  I want to see nice baking.  Preferably without weird ingredients.  Same with the kid's baking show.  I want to see (and am usually amazed by) the accomplishments of the bakers.  I don't understand the need for adding all the comedy.  Just bake, already.

Exactly why these Food Network shows will NEVER stack up to The Great British Bake Off!  There's never any gimmicks, twists, or terribly assigned flavors on GBBO.  It's all about the baking.  Why can't Food Network figure that out?

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libgirl2

libgirl2

10 minutes ago, cowgirlwen said:

Exactly why these Food Network shows will NEVER stack up to The Great British Bake Off!  There's never any gimmicks, twists, or terribly assigned flavors on GBBO.  It's all about the baking.  Why can't Food Network figure that out?

And if there are weird flavor combinations, it is the baker's fault for choosing them. 

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CrazyInAlabama

CrazyInAlabama

(edited)

 S11.E03 “The Magic of Spring Colors”  New 3/24/2025

“Jesse Palmer surprises the 11 bakers with a towering, whimsical madeleine sculpture and asks them to create their own impressive madeleine tower infused with an assigned tea flavor. Then, the competitors unleash their creativity by crafting rainbow cheesecakes for judges Duff Goldman, Kardea Brown and Nancy Fuller, with each cheesecake featuring a unique fruit flavor and a rainbow inside.”

I'm hoping this episode is as fun as it sounds.  My prediction, the Madeleine towers will either be great or flops.  

11  Bakers:

Jon’nae  "Chef J"- Atlanta. Does catering for life events

Priya -Calgary, Alberta  Her chocolate desserts are beautiful. Chocolatier and pastry chef (Says she looks like Mindy Kaling)

Kareem -Brooklyn  Learned from grandpa and You Tube, has bakery.

Julian - Sacramento  Newlywed and pastry chef, lovely desserts. 

Corey -Washington, D.C. Wants Nancy to be so happy she conducts music. (She did on the first episode)

Raveena Oberol-Vancouver, B.C. (Judge on Wall of Bakers) Made her own wedding cake, opened first storefront at 22. 

Kari -San Diego.  Seven years clean and sober.  

Lisa -Boston. Catering company chef. 

Paul Feybesse-Bay Area (wife Monique was on Top Chef, Season 19, Houston) Co-owns two bakeries. Trained as a savory chef. 

Mary-Frances-Calgary, Alberta.  Culinary instructor. 

Stacy -New Jersey. Pastry chef, loves Duff. 

Preheat challenge: Madeleine tower infused with a flavor of tea. Julian's is spectacular. Paul's is equally spectacular. Kareem's is messy, but Duff loves it. Stacy's has lumpy sugar granules.  Lisa's is nice. Mary-Frances, good decorating and taste.  Priya's is lovely. but bland. Jon'nae's is nice, but dense flavor. Corey's is fantastic decorating, cake is great.  Raveena's is too dark, and dense cake. Kari's is lovely, great flavor. 

Winner: Julian (Gift Basket reward is the Gift of Immunity, he has to tell Jesse he wants to use immunity before the judging, but can use it later in the contest if he wants to.  He's going to wait for another episode to use the immunity.)

Elimination Challenge: Fruit flavored Cheesecake with a rainbow inside.  The bakers pick the color and fruit flavors.  Corey, nice decorating, crust is great, taste is lovely.  Raveena's is lovely, great decorating, taste is off. Stacy's is nice decorating, and taste is too dense, and flavor is off. Julian's is spectacular decorating, he made a baked cheesecake, taste is nice, but consistency is flawed, and overbaked. Kari's is gorgeous, but rainbow decor fell over, taste is ok. Priya's is pretty but sparse decorating. Jon'nae's is OK . Lisa's is baked cheesecakes, taste is OK. Kareem's is not nice decor, taste is Ok, but too tart.  Mary Frances-decorating is nice, taste is tart, needs more sugar.  Paul's is lovely, taste is great. Kardea says not cheesecake, Duff says it qualifies, and so does Nancy. 

Winner: Corey

Bottom Two: Stacy and Julian

Eliminated: Stacy

Edited by CrazyInAlabama
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libgirl2

libgirl2

25 minutes ago, Frost said:

I am so over the judges giving Kareem a pass!  That madeleine tower was a disgrace!  The piping was pretty before he stuck unevenly frosted madeleines hurly burly all over it.  There's no way Nancy would let someone else get away with that.

It did look bad. I think they aren't so much giving him a pass but know he is way over his head and feel bad for him. 

Honestly, none of the towers looked great. Or springey.  

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kathyk2

kathyk2

4 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

It did look bad. I think they aren't so much giving him a pass but know he is way over his head and feel bad for him. 

Honestly, none of the towers looked great. Or springey.  

Kareem's tower looked ugly and disorganized. What do the judges have against female bakers? Three bakers gone all women I know Lauren left due to illness but it still counts.

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libgirl2

libgirl2

Just now, Grizzly said:

I would have laughed if Julian had been sent home. He wasted too much time on that rainbow that had nothing to do with his cheesecake. Just showing off.

Agree. It didn't even look like a rainbow just a dark arch. 

The best ombre cheesecake didn't taste good and the baker went home. I also thought Lisa's looked like a deflated blob. 

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mojoween

mojoween

Surprised Lisa was safe - her cheesecake was flat, jiggly and not ombré. Julian’s wasn’t really ombré either, though, so tomato tomahto.

Cory made me nervous in the first episode but he has come on like gangbusters.  So happy for him!

Kareem’s decorating is atrocious.

Also if you stick things inside my Madeline I would be very sad.

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libgirl2

libgirl2

4 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

The timeframes they're given are just designed for failure.  2.5 hours for a cheesecake, with all that required decoration?  It's no wonder most of them were dismal.

Exactly! I think even some of the poorer bakers are more than capable of making something that tastes good and looks good, but with that time frame, they rush and things suffer. 

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laredhead

laredhead

2 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

Exactly! I think even some of the poorer bakers are more than capable of making something that tastes good and looks good, but with that time frame, they rush and things suffer.

I have commented before that most seem to plan way more than can be completed in a 2.5 or 3 hr time frame.  Scaling back on adding 50 flavors or decorations and making the bake taste good would be more important I think.

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Pi237

Pi237

(edited)

Most of those madeleine towers looked like huge cockroaches swarming up something, especially the second macha one-Jon-nae, her flavor was too much, but she had a great sense of humor about it. “My Macha was too mucha” 

Julian’s was the best, he deserved the immunity.  Nice bonus that he can use it for any of the next 5 challenges. 

Jessie’s rainbow shirt was hilarious. I kind of loved it. 

Edited by Pi237
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libgirl2

libgirl2

4 minutes ago, Pi237 said:

Most of those madeleine towers looked like huge cockroaches swarming up something, especially the second macha one-forget her name, her flavor was too much, but she had a great sense of humor about it. “My Macha was too mucha” 

Julian’s was the best, he deserved the immunity.  Nice bonus that he can use it for any of the next 5 challenges. 

Jessie’s rainbow shirt was hilarious. I kind of loved it. 

That is what they looked like! 

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Pi237

Pi237

(edited)

Corey’s cheesecake was so pretty. My favorite, except I don’t like mango.  He deserved that win. 

The red raspberry is the one I’d probably like the taste of best, but it looked sloppy.

Speaking of….Kareem…nice guy, but his decorating style is awful.  

I like Julian’s design aesthetic. He doesn’t do the typical stuff.  So, you look forward to seeing what he’ll come up with. Too bad his cake was overbaked. 

I dont think it was fair that Jesse told them Julian had immunity and didn’t use it. That could unfairly influence the judging.  Of course, I say that as if the producers aren’t the ones who really make the decisions. There were worse bakes than Julian’s like the one that was all gelatin, but they couldn’t resist a nail biter ending.

Edited by Pi237
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storyskip

storyskip

2 hours ago, laredhead said:

I have commented before that most seem to plan way more than can be completed in a 2.5 or 3 hr time frame.  Scaling back on adding 50 flavors or decorations and making the bake taste good would be more important I think.

I don’t disagree with this statement in the slightest.

But having watched these “baking championship” shows for years, there have been times when “tasted good, but decoration failed the challenge/was lack luster, etc” has often sent people home.

The competition requires both the taste and the look to meet the challenge. One is not more important than the other.

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libgirl2

libgirl2

8 minutes ago, storyskip said:

I don’t disagree with this statement in the slightest.

But having watched these “baking championship” shows for years, there have been times when “tasted good, but decoration failed the challenge/was lack luster, etc” has often sent people home.

The competition requires both the taste and the look to meet the challenge. One is not more important than the other.

But I thought the person who went home's cheesecake had the best ombre effect. The taste must have been really bad. 

Salacious Kitty

Salacious Kitty

21 minutes ago, storyskip said:

I don’t disagree with this statement in the slightest.

But having watched these “baking championship” shows for years, there have been times when “tasted good, but decoration failed the challenge/was lack luster, etc” has often sent people home.

The competition requires both the taste and the look to meet the challenge. One is not more important than the other.

When they consider who to eliminate, taste always outweighs decorations. That's what sent the gal home last night. All agreed it was a failed bake. 

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mlp

mlp

4 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

But I thought the person who went home's cheesecake had the best ombre effect. The taste must have been really bad. 

I thought Stacy's cheesecake looked like a stack of kitchen sponges.  The colors were good but I could almost feel the unpleasant texture.  She was my least favorite of the bunch so I wasn't sorry to see her go.  Julian is obviously talented.  He made that stunning madeleine tower in the same time that everyone else had to make theirs which was impressive.  

I think Jon'nae (?) has a great personality but I doubt she'll last more than a couple more weeks.  I still like Priya but I thought she'd be doing better by now.

 

  • Like 7
Maverick

Maverick

 I would ask how Kareem is still here, but the real question is how was he cast in the first place.  I get he's elf taught and his story about his grandfather is sweet, but he's not eve non par with the home bakers.  I can appreciate the judges being gentle with him but my jaw dropped with them going on about his madeline tower.   It was a mess (which Kardea told him) and telling him otherwise doesn't do him any favors. 

 I suspect the short prep times are a result of FNs notorious cheapness.  They're probably trying to film as much in one day as possible to keep production costs low.

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