KIWI KIDS BAKE OFF 2026
Bake With Me is SO proud to present the Kiwi Kids Bake Off is returning this year! With 2 age categories, 2 different baking categories AND EPIC prizes to win, it's not to be missed!
Each entry will receive a bake box with local ingredients to use and inspire your bakes AND entry to the Bake Off Carnival!
This is in conjunction with Flavours of Plenty Festival, which brings together foodies from all over the Bay of Plenty for wonderful food related events.
ABOUT:
The Kiwi Kids Bake Off is all about encouraging kids in the kitchen in a fun way!
This year we're doing something super fun with a bake off style carnival! You'll bake your entries at home, and then bring them for judging to our carnival event on the 2nd May.
There's 2 categories- you can enter 1 or both! Create a showstopper cake or creative and delicious cookies.
There's 2 different age categories- firstly for Juniors in Years 0-4 at School and the other is for Seniors in Years 5-8.
HOW IT WORKS:
Decide what category you'll enter- Cakes or Cookies (or both!).
Register through the Flavours of Plenty Event page.
Do some practice bakes, get ready!
Closer to the event day, you'll receive your "Bake Box" which has a gorgeous collection of ingredients from local companies. You need to include at least two of these ingredients in what you present to the judges.
Bring your completed bakes to the Carnival Event on the 2nd May at Toi Ohomai, Tauranga.
Carnival event is for participants and up to 3 other members of their family. There will be free entertainment and cupcake decorating!
JUDGING CRITERIA
Taste:
The overall deliciousness of your bake. The perfect bakes have yummy flavours that are balanced and no too sweet or overpowering. The theme for Flavours of Plenty is "Push the Palate" so interesting or unique flavour combinations are more than welcome!
Creativity:
How unique and interesting your overall design is. Have you got a really interesting, original idea or flavour combination? We want to see ideas that are fun and something we've never seen before!
Overall presentation:
Decorate your cake or cookies in a way that looks beautiful and delicious.
PRIZES:
There will be 3 winners in each category plus spot prizes!
Prizes have been very generously donated by local businesses.
Some of the prizes include:
* Vouchers to Motion Entertainment in Rotorua
* Tauranga Crossing Vouchers
* YOMI Vouchers
* Gifts from Sugar & Spice- Historic Village
* Spongedrop Gift Vouchers
* Pepper & Me Gift Box
*Family passes to the Tauranga Food Show
* Visits to Chipmunks
PLUS LOTS MORE!
OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION:
How can my child have the best chance of winning?
TIPS FROM HEATHER:
Creativity is key! Use your imagination and creativity to make something unique and special to you.
Flavour First! Make something delicious that's baked well.
You can buy fondant from the supermarket or from Bake Boss. You can use this like edible playdough to create items to decorate your baking.
Use gel food colouring to get bright colours for icing. They are also available from Bake Boss in Mount Maunganui or some supermarkets.
Who can I contact if I have a question?
Contact Heather Kalisch at Bake With Me- [email protected]
What else do I need to know?
The Fine Print:
By entering you agree to the following rules:
*Your entry has permission to be shared on Bake With Me Social Media; this also may be shared by other parties from Flavours of Plenty Festival.
*All costs for this competition are to be covered by the participants.
*Due to limited Spaces, there are no refunds available once you have purchased your entry through Flavours of Plenty
*The competition details may be changed, postponed or cancelled at any time without any compensation.
*You enter this competition at your own risk. Bake With Me and Flavours of Plenty take no responsibility for injuries or accidents that occur either directly or indirectly because of this competition.
*Entries may be removed from the competition at any time if deemed to not have met the rules or are inappropriate.
*Judges decision is final. No correspondence will be entered in to. Prize cannot be exchanged.
Judges
This event couldn't run without our amazing judges!
Mel Rowlands is a Tauranga based pastry chef and former Executive Pastry Chef at But First Dessert. With a background in professional cakeries and a passion for creative desserts, she now runs her own business, “The Dessert Studio” and is excited to help inspire the next generation of young bakers.
Noel Remacle is a third-generation Belgian baker and pastry chef with more than four decades in the craft. After running his family bakery in Belgium for a decade, he moved to Aotearoa New Zealand where he went on to manage bakeries and work with an international pâtisserie brand, developing desserts sold in places such as Dubai, Shanghai, Sydney and Seoul.
Today Noel teaches baking and pâtisserie at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology and also shares his knowledge internationally.
Noel believes that passion for the craft, continuous learning, and supporting the next generation are the true ingredients for future bakers and pastry chefs.
SPONSORS:
This event couldn't run without our amazing sponsors for both prizes and items in our bake boxes!
Please give them some love on their Social Media and thank them for supporting this event. We honestly couldn't do it without them!
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