Young contestant, 16, emerges as rising star on series return of Great Australian Bake Off

A fresh batch of bakers are ready to serve up delicious desserts on Great Australian Bake Off with one teenage contestant emerging as a rising star.

Beloved Foxtel lifestyle program the Great Australian Bake Off returns on Wednesday evening with a fresh batch of bakers ready to serve up some delicious desserts.

Among the 12 talented bakers is 16-year-old Sydneysider Molly Cameron, who is the youngest in the mix this season.

“It’s a little bit weird to think I am one of the youngest! Whenever I tell people that I’m on Bake Off, they usually respond with something like, ‘Oh, the junior one?’ and I have to clarify that it’s not,” she tells news.com.au ahead of tonight’s Season 7 premiere.

Molly Cameron, 16, is set to be the breakout star of Great Australian Bake Off Season 7. Picture: Nick Wilson

GABO follows 12 baking enthusiasts through a series of challenges over 10 weeks to test their skills and creativity when it comes to creating mouth-watering desserts, cakes, pastries and more.

At the end of each episode, which airs on Foxtel weekly from September 18, one contestant is named Star Baker while another is eliminated. One baker is ultimately left standing in the series and will be crowned Australia’s Best Amateur Baker.

Stream Great Australian Bake Off on BINGE and Foxtel, available on Hubbl.

Molly is among 12 baking enthusiasts vying for the title of Australia’s Best Amateur Baker. Picture: Foxtel

Molly applied for the show on a whim, but because she was not yet 16 at the time, she thought she had “no chance” of being selected.

As it turned out, she would hit the minimum age requirement by the time filming began, so here she is with bowls and mixers at the ready.

“I wanted to apply because I thought it would be a great opportunity to improve my skills and push me to experiment with new flavours and techniques,” she says.

Not that she needs much help in that department. Although Molly is still in school, she already has a baking business on the side called Molly’s Kitchen Sydney.

The teenager is already a whiz in the kitchen and has her own baking business in Sydney. Picture: Nick Wilson

“One of the pros is having a headstart on everyone else!” she says of having a small business. “I’ve found that the skills I’ve gained from selling cakes have helped me so much in other areas, such as managing study and communicating with a wide range of different people.”

Molly admits she has faced a fair share of naysayers, who haven’t taken her seriously as a small-business owner.

“Sometimes people don’t take my business that serious and when I say I have a business they kind of laugh,” she reveals.

However, the contestants on GABO have shown her nothing but love and support.

“Everyone was so lovely and I never felt out of place because of my age,” she says. “There is a part of me that wishes I got to stay in the accommodation where the other bakers stayed, but it was still an awesome experience.”

“I had seen the show before and I also thought it had such a wholesome and welcoming vibe.”

Judges Darren Purchese and Rachel Khoo. Picture: Foxtel

And the sky’s the limit for Molly, who is keen to grow her business and study at university in the near future.

“After school I would love to pursue medicine at university, but definitely continuing baking in some way throughout that,” she shares. “Otherwise, I would absolutely love to have a cake studio, where I teach classes and make wedding or celebration cakes.”

For now, her focus is on GABO, during which she got to work with the best judges in the business: culinary icon Rachel Khoo and Australia’s King of Pastry, chef Darren Purchese.

“Both Darren and Rachel were so lovely. I had bought Rachel’s book Kitchen Notebook years ago and bought it on set with me for her to sign it,” Molly says.

“Being able to learn from them and use their tips to improve my baking was so helpful, and I learnt so much from their feedback and in particular, from the technical bakes that they set.”

Molly also got to be on set with co-host Cal Wilson, who sadly passed away during filming.

Co-hosts Natalie Tran and Cal Wilson, who sadly died after filming four episodes of the new series. Picture; Foxtel

“Cal was an absolutely amazing person and is so missed,” Molly says. “She was such a warm, funny and comforting person to have on set.”

Wilson, a beloved comedian and TV personality, passed away in October following a short battle with cancer, after having already filmed four episodes of Season 7. She was 53.

Wilson’s co-host and fellow comedian Natalie Tran will tackle the hosting gig without Wilson after episode four.

“This year, Bake Off holds a special place in our hearts and allows us to truly celebrate Cal,” Tran said.

“This season is a tribute to her memory, the incredible talent of our bakers, and the genuine camaraderie that makes the show so special.”

The Great Australian Bake Off premieres Wednesday, September 18 at 8.30pm AEST on FOXTEL and BINGE, available on Hubbl