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Episode 9 of Spring Baking Championship season 11 aired on May 5, 2025, on Food Network, showcasing which bakers moved on to the finale. With only five bakers remaining, the challenge required mastery over an old-school dessert and its execution under pressure.
The Pre-Heat round tested the contestants' baking skills as they prepared Ile Flottante, while the Main Heat demanded an innovative ice cream bomb cake with glow-in-the-dark décor inspired by flambé cocktails. Despite early successes, one baker was eliminated just before the finale.
The finale of Spring Baking Championship season 11 will air on May 12 at 8 pm ET, with episodes streaming on MAX the following day.
What happened in the Spring Baking Championship episode?
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In Spring Baking Championship season 11 episode 9, the remaining five bakers—Corey, Mary Frances, Lisa, Priya, and Raveena—entered the kitchen for two critical challenges. The episode opened with the Pre-Heat, where contestants had to make Ile Flottante, or floating island, an old-school French dessert featuring meringue floating in crème anglaise.
Bakers were allowed to either poach or bake the meringue, but baking yielded better results. Additionally, each dessert had to incorporate a tropical fruit and a sugar cage.
The Pre-Heat round revealed a wide range of execution issues. Lisa’s dish had overcooked eggs, and Priya’s meringue was undercooked. One of the common problems was the sugar dome melting into the meringue, affecting the presentation.
However, Corey’s dessert stood out among the rest. He baked his meringue for better texture, selected appropriate tropical flavors, and presented a clean sugar cage. Corey was declared the winner of the Pre-Heat challenge. Still, Spring Baking Championship season 11, episode 9 did not provide any advantage to the Pre-Heat winner, even with the finale on the line.
In the Main Heat round, the bakers had to create an ice cream bomb cake inspired by flambé cocktails and enhanced with glow-in-the-dark visual effects. Pressure mounted quickly as issues began to surface across the board. Ice cream melting, decoration failures, and rushed execution became common problems.
Mary Frances delivered a standout performance in this challenge. Her cake bomb featured strong flavors and effective glow-in-the-dark elements. Judge Nancy Fuller was especially impressed and even did her signature "flavor conducting" gesture, indicating how well-balanced the dish was.
Mary Frances’s performance solidified her position as a frontrunner. She told host Jesse Palmer during the judges' deliberation that she was grateful for the opportunity to evolve throughout the competition.
Lisa also bounced back in the Main Heat round after a less-than-perfect Pre-Heat. Although she struggled with melting ice cream, her chocolate cake was praised by the judges. Despite the issues, she managed to stay composed and received positive feedback from both Nancy Fuller and Duff Goldman, ensuring her spot in the finale.
Priya’s cake was appreciated by Duff for her flavor combinations. However, Nancy expressed reservations about the dessert’s overall balance. Still, the execution was strong enough for Priya to move on.
Raveena had problems with her décor early on and struggled to recover. Her ice cream melted significantly, and the peach flavor was lacking. However, the judges noted that her cake texture remained impressive.
During the evaluation, she admitted to Nancy Fuller that she lost track of time. Duff Goldman acknowledged her effort, saying he could recognize the potential had things played out differently.
Spring Baking Championship season 11 episode 9 saw Corey’s elimination. After winning the Pre-Heat round with a well-executed Ile Flottante, Corey’s ice cream bomb cake faltered in the Main Heat. Despite a stunning presentation, the judges were disappointed to find that the cake resembled a biscuit due to overbaking.
Spring Baking Championship airs every Monday on Food Network.
