Welcome to the FREE River “Bake-off” competition 2025 – a baking challenge run as part of our Annual Produce Shows. Our Bake-off is open to everyone of all ages and abilities – you needn’t be a professional Chef, you just need access to a kitchen and some basic ingredients! 🙂

The River Bake-off Competition is run annually and is split into Three competitions held in the Spring, Summer and Autumn. You can enter as many or as few categories as you like – there are prizes for each category and an overall prize (with a Trophy for the winner) for the entrant with the most points across all categories.

Rules & Hints

• All exhibits in the Cookery classes must have been made by the exhibitor.
• Exhibits may not be cleared before prize giving. Exhibits not cleared immediately after prize-giving will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Club.
• All Bottles and Jars must be clear, clean glass with White Lids
• Attach a plain stick-on label to the container with name of contents & date of preserving.
• Quiches, flans etc. should be shown out of the container
• Entries must comply with the recipe – if given

Spring Show Categories (29th March 2025)

39. Decorated Victoria Sponge (use own recipe)
40. 5 Easter Nests (use own recipe)
41. 5 Cheese Straws (use own recipe)
42. Focaccia Bread (use own recipe, can be topped with rosemary, garlic etc)
43. Marmalade – Approx. 500g Jar
44. Soft Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
45. Stone Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
46. Lemon or Orange Curd – Approx. 250g Jar
47. Jar of Jelly – Approx. 250g Jar
48. Jar of Chutney/Pickle (Matured

Summer Show Categories (05th July 2025)

59. Madeira Loaf Cake (use own recipe)
60. 5 Sweet Scones (use own recipe)
61. A Banana Loaf (use own recipe)
62. A Cottage Loaf – use approx 500g (use own recipe)
63. Soft Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
64. Stone Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
65. Jar of Jelly – Approx. 250g Jar
66. Jar of Chutney (Matured) – Approx. 500g Jar
67. Bottle of Blackcurrant Cordial 0.25 – 0.5L (recipe supplied Pg 6

Autumn Show Categories (13th September 2025)

58. Apple & Cinnamon Loaf Cake – (recipe supplied Pg 14)
59. 5 Pieces of Flapjack (use own recipe)
60. 5 Ginger Biscuits (use own recipe)
61. 3 Wholemeal Round Rolls- Using 500g dough
62. Soft Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
63. Stone Fruit Jam – Approx. 500g Jar
64. Jar Jelly, sweet or savoury – Approx. 250g Jar
65. Jar of Mincemeat
66. Jar of Chutney (matured) – Approx. 500g Ja

Recipes

Summer Show:Class 67 Blackcurrant Cordial

300g golden caster sugar

zest and juice of 2 lemons 450g blackcurrant’s.

Put the sugar in a large saucepan with 300ml water. Bring to a simmer then add the lemon zest and juice followed by the blackcurrant’s. Cook the mixture over a medium heat until the blackcurrant’s start to soften and burst. Pour the mixture through a sieve lined with muslin into a clean, heatproof jug then transfer to sterilised bottles.
Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Autumn Show: Class 58 Apple & Cinnamon Loaf Cake

75g Butter
200g S.R. Flour
100g light muscovado sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 dessert apples, about 350g before peeling
2 med eggs, beaten
1-2 Tbsp demerara sugar
2 Tbsp warmed, sieved apricot jam

Preheat oven 180C/160Cfan/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Rub butter and flour in a bowl until resembles fine breadcrumbs (this can be done in a food processor). Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Peel apples, core and dice two and half apples into cake mixture with eggs. Beat until combined. Spoon mixture into prepared tin. Thinly slice remaining apple and arrange in a row along middle on top of loaf. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake for about 35-45mins until golden brown, risen, firm to touch in the centre and just shrinking from sides of tin. Brush top of loaf with apricot jam. Allow to cool in tin for 10mins, then turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack.

How to Enter

To enter, simply complete this entry form by Wednesday prior to each show.

Entries to be brought to River Village Hall and positioned between 09:00 and 10:45. Results available from 14:00

Need help on the Show day?

Just ask us, one of our friendly team in branded T-Shirts.