Three teams emerged winners in Simply Her's birthday baking challenge on Nov 8 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Eight pairs of amateur bakers had less than two hours to bake a cake to mark the magazine’s 10th birthday, using a Philips Avance XL Airfryer HD 9240/30. More than $6,000 worth of exciting cash and prizes was at stake.
The cakes were judged on taste (25 per cent), design and presentation (25 per cent), variety of ingredients (15 per cent), work organisation (10 per cent), hygiene (10 per cent), teamwork (10 per cent) and timing (5 per cent).
First prize went to Ida Betryl Cecil, 37, and Sunitha De Silva-Cant, 44, who baked a Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. The cake was decorated with delicate fondant daisies and fondant letters that spelt “Happy Birthday Simply Her”.
Ida, a senior manager, and Sunitha, a head of development, took home $1,000 cash plus a Rest and Relax Package from Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel (2D/1N stay in Waterfront or Executive Suite, Club Lounge access, river-taxi ride for two to the Marina Bayfront and $50 dining voucher) with a weekend buffet dinner at Cafe Brio’s for two, worth $1,005. The former colleagues also received a Philips Avance XL Airfryer HD9240/30 worth $539.
“They scored highest overall, based on the criteria. I thought they were very professional. In fact, towards the end, they probably sensed that they were going to win,” said Chef Steven Ong, Assistant Director, Culinary Studies (Pastry & Baking) at SHATEC (The International Hotel & Tourism School – Singapore).
“We can’t believe we won but we worked hard for it,” said Ida. She and Sunitha practised baking with an Airfryer only once before the competition – and they had to borrow the Airfryer from Sunitha’s mother. The baking enthusiasts said they picked a chocolate cake because they felt it would be something that Simply Her’s readers would enjoy.
Second prize went to Audrey Loke, 34, and Elaine Chan, 29, who made a Green Tea Sake-Misu Cake. They took home $500 cash and a Rest and Relax package from Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel with a weekend buffet lunch at Cafe Brio’s for two, worth $958. The bank managers who are former colleagues also received a Philips Digital Airfryer HD9230/50 worth $459.
Third prize went to Wendy Ang, 58, and her niece Carina Ang, 18, who made a carrot cake that they called Karaton Rose Te Amo. They took home $300 cash, plus a Rest and Relax Package from Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel with a dining voucher from Pontini, worth $945. Audrey, a manager, and Carina, a student, also received a Philips Digital Airfryer HD9230/50 worth $459.
Apart from Chef Steven, the panel of judges included Maureen Ow, Food and Travel Blogger of www.misstamchiak.com, representing Philips, and Lim Tsiao Hui, Consumer and Lifestyle Editor of Simply Her.
Simply Her had shortlisted the contestants from almost 40 entries, based on their proposed recipes and photos of the cake they planned to bake.
During the event, Ms Ow demonstrated how to make an apple crumble muffin, also using a Philips Airfryer, in just 20 minutes. Next up, SHATEC students showed how to make a croquembouche, a French dessert consisting of choux pastry balls stacked into a tall cone and cemented with threads of caramel.
Those in the audience had a chance to win a Philips Viva Collection Mixer worth $79 and a RECIPES by SHATEC dining voucher worth $50 by participating in a photo contest. They had to snap a photo of their favourite cake among the eight entries, and upload it on their Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #simplyherbirthdaybakingchallenge on Saturday. The winners were announced on Simply Her’s Facebook page on Nov 10, at 6pm.
The event was held in collaboration with the School of Life exhibition from Nov 7-9 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Halls 401-402.
Event highlights:
First-prize winners Sunitha De Silva-Cant and Ida Betryl Cecil with their Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
