The Great British Bake Off: Cake Week

Grab a cuppa and kick back, the second episode of The Great British Bake Off airs tonight.
The Great British Bake Off (2018): Sandi Toksvig, Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood and Noel Fielding with the contestants.The Great British Bake Off (2018): Sandi Toksvig, Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood and Noel Fielding with the contestants.
The Great British Bake Off (2018): Sandi Toksvig, Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood and Noel Fielding with the contestants.

If you’ve not yet watched episode one, turn back now. This article contains spoilers for the first week.

Last week’s episode was a mixed bag of emotions, with viewers quick to claim favourites and place their bets on winners.

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As French baker Manon was declared the series’ first Star Baker, County Tyrone’s Imelda left the tent.

Karen, who lives in the Wakefield district, scored a solid start to the competition, with judge Prue Leith declaring that she was “delighted” with Karen’s Wagon Wheel biscuits.

Karen entered this year’s competition, with the support of her daughters, as a challenge with which to celebrate her 60th birthday.

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She said: “After scaling down work commitments to work part time I spent many weeks at a time in France in our very sleepy village, so much time on hands and so many wonderful bakeries and patisseries to take inspiration from, I see baking as an art form and a great creative hobby.”

The Great British Bake Off (2018): Karen, who lives in the Wakefield district, will compete against 10 other bakers in this week's show.The Great British Bake Off (2018): Karen, who lives in the Wakefield district, will compete against 10 other bakers in this week's show.
The Great British Bake Off (2018): Karen, who lives in the Wakefield district, will compete against 10 other bakers in this week's show.

Karen’s Yorkshire Perkin Biscuits, flavoured with mace, corriander and nutmeg, were perfectly identical and featured handmade Yorkshire roses, while her final bake, a “biscuit selfie portrait,” paid tribute to the 15 years she lived in France with her husband.

She also proved a hit online, with Twitter users praising her bakes, cheery attitude and snacking habits.

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But this week looks set to be a little more stressful, as cake week returns to the tent and bakers battle the summer’s heatwave.

A sneak-peek of tonight’s episode revealed Karen kissing her bakes for good luck, while viewers were advised that the week’s challenges would include a signature tray bake, a technical challenge “to turn the bakers green” and an ambitious showstopper.

The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 at 8pm on Tuesday, September 4.