Spring Baking Championship Returns, Eggs, Baskets & Bunnies

Spring dessert lovers rejoice with the return of Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship. The first episode is filled with eggs, baskets and bunnies.

Spring Baking Championship returned to Sunday night programing on the Food Network. The panel of three judges, Duff Goldman, Lorraine Pascale and Nancy Fuller have returned to determine the fate of these determined bakers. New for the season is the show’s host, Jessie Palmer.

The premise of this Food Network Show is simple. Professional and home bakers compete in a series of challenges with Spring themes. Each episode highlights two challenges and one baker is sent home at the end of each episode. The show’s winner goes home with a $50,000 prize.

Spring Baking Championship, egg in a basket winner, photo from Food Network

The first episode featured two challenges, an egg in a nest and a bunny cake challenge. Both of the challenges were Easter themed. Since the show has both home and professional bakers, the finished project ranged from show stoppers to the dreaded Pinterest fail.

The egg in a nest challenge winner featured a toasted coconut covered sponge cake with lemon curd and whip cream. The dramatic “egg” sealed this dessert as the winner. Made from coating a small balloon with chocolate, the egg was perfectly cradled in the nest.

The main elimination challenge gave hope to all home bakers who have had a Pinterest fail.

Bunny Cakes, Spring Baking Championship, photo from Food Network

In the elimination challenge, contestants had to create a bunny cake with multiple little bunnies.This challenge balances both the taste and the presentation of the final product. Personally, taste should trump presentation, but some of these bunny fails make any novice baker feel more confident.

From bunnies with no eyes to mice-bunnies, the final products proved quite amusing. Even though people eat with their eyes, these cakes were better enjoyed with their eyes shut. In the end, the winning baker presented a clever, yet delicious carrot cake, bunny cake. Judge Nancy Fuller liked the taste of the cake so much that she even asked for the recipe.

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Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship airs on Sunday nights at 9 ET.