Gallery: Kesgrave High School pupils take inspiration from Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood in Great Kesgrave Bake Off final

Budding cake bakers from Kesgrave High School have taken inspiration from Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood to take part in the school’s first Great Kesgrave Bake Off.

Forty-three students entered the competition in round one, where they were tasked with making a cake, tart or roulade.

From there the best 12 crafted choux pastry, before six were selected to participate in the final, which took place on Monday, January 19.

The six finalists, all from years seven to nine, were presented with an unknown technical challenge in the morning, which required them to make two types of scone in an hour, followed by the showstopper challenge in the afternoon, where the creative youngsters had to make a two-tiered celebration cake.

The event was judged by Gemma Roberts of Gemma’s Crafty Cakes in Felixstowe, teacher Mrs Margaret Burn, and other students, who selected Year 7 pupil Zoe Beauchamp’s effort to be the winner.

Cath Breckell, deputy headteacher at the school who promoted the project, said: “It went really well and the cakes were brilliant. The standard was incredibly high, for some it was the imagination and others the technicality.”

The event was overseen by Mrs Burn, and organised by sixth form pupil Chloe Whitman as part of her extended project qualification, an aditional award pupils can undertake to help boost their CVs and university applications.

Ms Breckell added: “We will definitely do it next year, and I think it will be come a regular occasion in our calendar.”