Holiday Baking Championship Season 8 episode 7 recap: Finale bound

As the finale approaches, Holiday Baking Championship Season 8 episode 7 had one baker coming up just short of the Food Network glory. It seemed that one holiday card seemed to be missing the extra postage to earn one of those four finale spots. Which baker was returned to sender?

Throughout Holiday Baking Championship Season 8, the bakers have had to push both the creative flavors and stunning visuals. At this point in the competition, no one wants to hear the dreaded phrase it isn’t holiday enough nor is it better eaten with eyes closed. Being labeled the flavor guy isn’t necessarily a stamp of approval.

For the pre-heat challenge, the bakers created a Kwanza inspired dessert that used sweet potatoes. While Food Network fans might have hoped that someone would have revealed the secret to the best sweet potato pie, the desserts were not quite that simple.

While Adam and Jody pulled out elevated desserts, the décor on those desserts were a little lacking. Although the Kwanza colors were clear, the look was slightly askew. Sometimes the little mistakes are the ones that stand out when the finale is so near.

Still, these desserts proved that sweet potato can be used in many ways. Maybe the next time someone over buys the sweet potatoes, mashed, hash or baked doesn’t have to be the only way to enjoy them.

The most interesting twist from the pre-heat was Sabrina. She chose to do a bread pudding with an ice cream. While her ice creams have previously received praise from the judges, bread pudding is not always a good choice in a Food Network competition. Similar to other food television competitions, bread pudding can be that throw away dessert.

But, Sabrina wowed the judges with her sweet potato bread pudding. From crisping the bread in the oven to the combination of flavors with the ice cream, it was a huge hit.

As the only remaining baker who had not won a challenge, Sabrina broke the streak and prevailed. By winning the pre-heat she earned a huge advantage for the main heat, and it set her up for success.

Did the bakers in the Holiday Baking Championship Season 8 episode 7 capture the big picture?

For the main heat that would determine which four bakers would make the finale, the task was not an easy one and it might have put two bakers at a disadvantage. The bakers had to create holiday card cakes. Basically, they created a cake of their choice, but the décor needed to look like a holiday card, including a border.

As her advantage, Sabrina got a 10 minute head start. Given there were no flavor parameters, this time advantage was a huge help because the challenge was decoration heavy. With that advantage she was able to get her cake in the oven before the other bakers even started to gather their ingredients.

Based on the season as a whole, Jose and Richard seemed to be at a disadvantage in this challenge. Even in the pre-heat, the judges commented that their desserts needed better presentation. Since this challenge was all about decor, it was a do or die moment for them.

Another interesting twist was that both Jody and Adam basically made the same style cake. It was unclear whether the opera cake was a smart choice for this challenge, an easy choice for this challenge, or they were just trying to up the difficulty level.

Given that those two cakes were in direct competition, it was curious that neither one completely wowed the judges. The cakes were good, but there were some errors. Both cakes needed more “cake” in the thin layers.

Still, both Adam and Jody had lovely designs, Given that neither one made a huge mistake, it was clear that they would be in the finale.

The biggest surprise of the night was Sabrina. Winning the pre-heat was just the start. Her holiday card cake impressed the judges with both the visual and the flavor. From the tiny ballerina to the luscious chocolate flavor, the judges were in total agreement that she was the winner.

Although she won back to back challenges, there is no immunity. Still, she has great momentum going into the finale.

With just one spot left, the decision came down to Richard or Jose. Both holiday card cakes had a good design and flavor, but it was clear that one cake was just a slice above.

For this challenge, Jose brought the décor and proved that he could be more than just the flavor guy. His beach vibe scene was smart. The colors were vibrant and the little details shined. Jose moved onto the finale.

Unfortunately, Richard was returned to send. His card cake décor was a little off scale. While nothing was terribly wrong, the lack of filling and the issues with design put him on the bottom. At the end of the competition, too many mistakes will cause a downfall.

With the Holiday Baking Championship Season 8 finale set, which baker could walk away with the crown? Truthfully, it is anyone’s guess. All four bakers could win. It will come down to which baker executes the final challenges best.

Who do you want to win Holiday Baking Championship Season 8? Did you pick a favorite in episode one and is that baker still standing?