Queen Elizabeth Is Hosting a Baking Contest and the Winning Treat Could Be Britain’s Newest Dessert Staple

Ashley Abramson
Ashley Abramson
Ashley Abramson is a writer-mom hybrid in Minneapolis, MN. Her work, mostly focused on health, psychology, and parenting, has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, Allure, and more. She lives in the Minneapolis suburbs with her husband and two young sons.
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published Jan 11, 2022
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JUNE 04: Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Princess Anne, Princess Royal look on as Queen Elizabeth II cuts a Women's Institute Celebrating 100 Years cake at the Centenary Annual Meeting of The National Federation Of Women's Institute at the Royal Albert Hall on June 4, 2015 in London, England.
Credit: Getty Images/Chris Jackson / Staff

Great British Bake Off fans, rise up: Buckingham Palace recently announced a brand-new baking competition in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee — a celebration of Her Royal Majesty’s 70-year reign. The challenge? Come up with a pudding recipe that could become Britain’s new dessert staple. 

By February 4, kids and adults across Great Britain can enter their best dessert recipes. A panel of eight pros — including Dame Mary Berry from GBBO and the head chef at Buckingham Palace, Mark Flanagan — will review the ideas and choose a final five to invite for a final competition in March. The winning pudding, to be dubbed “Platinum Pudding,” will be served to thousands at Big Jubilee Lunch street parties throughout Britain on a four-day holiday weekend in June 2022.

While any baker in Britain can enter, the judges provide some important guidelines to ensure a recipe fit for royalty. First and foremost, the pudding — which can be virtually any dessert — should be delicious. Judges also encourage bakers to submit recipes that can be duplicated by home bakers with ingredients and equipment readily available to anyone. And to encourage passion and pride, it’s also encouraged to share a recipe with a story behind it. (Bonus points if your recipe is inspired by the Queen herself.)

If you live in Britain, you have until February 4 to submit your idea, and you can enter here. 

If you’re stateside and want to get in on the fun, it’s rumored that the Queen particularly enjoys “honey and cream sponge, ginger cake, and a chocolate biscuit cake that is so lovely, Prince William also had it served at his wedding to Kate Middleton.” Or, you can check out our most popular dessert recipes from 2021. Either way, happy baking!