Royal Adelaide Show baking experts share their secrets to the perfect dish

From carrot cake to sponges, biscuits and breads, some of the Royal Show’s most decorated cooking champions are revealing their secrets on how to score the top gongs.

Some of tania Hall’s award-winning pies. Picture: John Kruger

So, you think you’re a top baker – and want to enter the Royal Adelaide Show’s cooking competitions? Some of the Show’s most decorated cooking champions are sharing their secrets on how to score the top gongs.

But you’ll need to practise, expect mistakes … and most of all, have fun.

Emma Tiller

Winner Pastries 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 | Biscuits and slices 2013 | Dessert 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 | Overall Open Cookery 2013, 2016, 2017

Emma Tiller baking a sponge cake for the Royal Adelaide Show. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

(Emma travels from WA now to compete in the Royal Adelaide Show)

■ Using the best quality ingredients; the better the ingredients you have to start, the better the end result. Good quality butter, sugar and flour is essential. That also goes for preserves. Seasonal fruits, ideally home grown, will result in the most flavoursome jams and preserves.

■ Read the program carefully; there are tips on what the judges look for, and how the exhibit should be presented.

■ Good quality tins and trays. Lighter is better – won’t darken your cakes. Nice sharp edges on tins.

■ Give yourself time to perfect your entry. Trying something for the first time the day before the show might not be putting your best foot forward.

■ Plan your time, what you are making and what you need. Organisation is key and this will help keep a stress-free kitchen.

■ Have fun and enjoy what you do – if you are doing that then you are already a winner.

Emma Tiller is a multi-award winner at the Royal Adelaide Show. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

A selection of Emma’s cakes and ANZAC biscuits. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Susan Rabbitt

Jams and Preserves
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 | Fruit Cakes and Puddings 2018

■ Read the show program carefully as each class has its own criteria: tin shape and size, number of units (eg three sweet muffins), iced/uniced, filled/unfilled, set recipe, etc.

■ In most programs you will find a paragraph or page setting out guidelines, hints and tips. They contain valuable information.

■ Select an appropriate recipe and bake it as per the instructions. If you like it, stick with it. Practice makes perfect.

■ Write down any recipe adjustments you have made, eg a reduced amount of sugar. Also the brand of ingredients used to produce a good bake. Note the tin used and how you lined it, the baking time, cooling time and the oven temperature.

■ Use the best ingredients that you can afford. Don’t use old ingredients, particularly butter and nuts near or past their use-by date. They can produce a very unpleasant flavour.

■ Have a planned approach. Devise a timetable that will allow you to have your entries ready on time and with as little stress as possible. Know the total time required for preparation and baking. You can line tins and weigh ingredients ahead of baking day. Allow time for an extra bake if something goes wrong.

■ Don’t take a failure/flop to a show; just learn from the experience. The judges will handle, cut and taste every entry and they will detect the fault.

■ Bake with confidence and love, handle the ingredients with care
and you will be well on the way to producing a prize-winning entry.

Brett Draper

Champion Carrot Cake (men’s and women’s) 2022

Carrot cakes are among the most favourite to make at the Royal Adelaide Show. Picture: John Kruger

■ It is important to know your recipe well. Practise, practise and practise.
■ Use the freshest of ingredients – carrots, eggs – and measure accurately.
■ Make sure you know your oven temperature. The temperature on the dial is not always what is says.
■ Most of all, have fun. It can be a stressful time preparing a cake for competition, but it is important that you have fun making it.

Jeff Lang

Men’s Chocolate Cake (multiple years), Gingerbread Xmas Tree

■ Be sure to follow the directions and ingredient measurements.

■ Test your recipe, then test it again.

■ Try to use the same brand ingredient you used in your test recipes.

Tania Hall

Pastries 2019, 2022

Tania Hall’s pies helped her win the top pastry prize in 2022. Picture: John Kruger

■ Sweet baking tip: Do not discard vanilla bean pods after scraping out beans. Pop the pod in a container with a 1kg bag of caster sugar, wait for around a month – giving the container a good shake every now and then – and use the beautifully vanilla-infused sugar in your next pavlova, cake or biscuits. The subtle flavour of the vanilla adds a lovely difference to whatever you are baking.

■ Savoury baking tip: Keep an eye on what’s cooking in your oven, and set your timer to 5 or so minutes before the due time. (I use my late Mum’s beautiful vintage hand-turned timer). Check whatever you’re cooking, and then make the decision on whether to leave the item in the oven, or take it out. Trust your instincts; once something is overcooked, there’s no turning back.

■ Handy kitchen tip: Peel the skin off fresh ginger with a teaspoon. Yes, this may sound strange, but it works a treat, and is so much better than using a traditional peeler. Once you’ve tried this, you will always use a teaspoon to peel fresh ginger.

■ Cooking hard-boiled eggs: Pop your eggs and water in a saucepan and before you bring the eggs up to the boil, light a match and put it out in the water. For some reason, it stops the eggs from cracking.

Elsie Johnson

Overall Junior Primary 2015

Royal Adelaide Show junior cookery exhibitor Elsie Johnson and Tim Mason pictured in 2017, just two years after Elsie’s win, dressed as Tinker Tailor from the Tinker Tailors Magical Toyshop that was on during that year’s show. Picture: Calum Robertson

■ If you are entering for the first time, make sure that you try your recipe/s before the show.
■ To help build your confidence
and to practise, enter in a country show near you before the Adelaide Show.

Carolyn Johnson

Fruit Cakes and Puddings
2015 | Small Cakes 2015

■ Make sure you read the schedule and double check the criteria. For example the cake might be uniced or square, not round, or have a size requirement. You want to make sure that your entry meets the criteria. Happy baking!

Rex Liebelt

Breads and scones 2016

■ If you have a really good recipe that works for you, stick to that recipe.

■ Make sure you weigh all of the ingredients. I never guess.

■ Homebrand flour works really well for me.

■ Do what you normally do but take that extra care when baking.

■ The way you mix it matters. Mix it thoroughly; it will make a difference.

Joy MIddleton

Long time steward for Breads and scones 2016

Joy Middleton shares some of her expert tips to making the perfect cake. Picture: Emma Brasier

■ If the Ready to Roll icing that you are going to use to cover your cake is too hard, put your car in the sun and put the block of icing on the dashboard and leave for a short time to soften. It is much easier to knead.

■ Use fresh, quality ingredients whatever type of cake you are making and don’t rush the process, especially when doing competition work