Who are the top 4 bakers heading into the Spring Baking Championship Season 11 finale? Details explored

The eleventh season of Spring Baking Championship aired its pre-finale episode Floating Islands on May 5, 2025. As the competition narrowed down to the top four, the final five bakers — Mary-Frances, Lisa, Priya, Raveena, and Corey — faced two major tests to earn their spot in the finale.

For the Pre-Heat, they needed to create an Ile Flottante — a floating island dessert — with tropical fruit and a sugar cage. The outcomes varied. Some bakers had issues with the meringue consistency, while others struggled to keep their sugar designs intact. Corey did the best in the first test, but, he didn't get any advantage for winning.

The Main Heat required the bakers to make a glowing ice cream bomb cake inspired by flambé cocktails. Corey’s cake was overbaked, which cost him a spot in the finale. The four bakers heading into the Spring Baking Championship season 11 finale are Mary-Frances, Lisa, Priya, and Raveena.

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Pre-Heat challenge in Spring Baking Championship featured floating island desserts with tropical fruit and sugar work

In the Pre-Heat challenge, the bakers were asked to prepare a classic French dessert known as Ile Flottante — a poached or baked meringue served in crème anglaise. They also had to incorporate tropical fruit and build a sugar cage as part of the presentation in this episode of Spring Baking Championship.

Baking the meringue proved more reliable than poaching, especially when it came to avoiding off-putting textures and smells. Corey followed this method and stood out with his execution and flavours, earning praise from the judges. While Lisa’s dessert was affected by overcooked eggs, Priya’s meringue was underdone. Raveena and Mary-Frances also struggled with elements of their sugar work.

Corey was named the winner of the Pre-Heat challenge. However, unlike previous episodes, the win didn’t come with any extra advantage in the Main Heat, which raised eyebrows given how close the bakers were to the final round.

Despite the uneven results across the board, the challenge helped set the tone for the high-pressure task ahead. With no immunity or bonuses in play, all bakers entered the Main Heat on equal footing. As the competition edged closer to the finale, the smallest mistake could make all the difference in who stayed and who went home.

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Glow-in-the-dark cake bombs determined the four finalists

The Main Heat challenge in Spring Baking Championship brought a visually challenging twist — each baker had to create a cake bomb with ice cream filling and glow-in-the-dark decoration. The flavour profiles were inspired by flambé cocktails, and while there was no actual fire involved, the difficulty level was high.

Mary-Frances delivered the strongest performance, impressing the judges with her flavour combinations and presentation. Nancy Fuller responded with her well-known flavour conducting gesture, a sign of approval. Mary-Frances’ growth throughout the season was noted, and this challenge confirmed her spot in the finale.

Lisa faced melting issues with her ice cream but managed to win over the judges with her chocolate cake. Priya’s dessert received mixed feedback — Duff Goldman praised her flavour pairings, but Nancy was less enthusiastic. Nonetheless, Priya’s creativity and consistency secured her a place among the top four.

Raveena ran into trouble with her décor and had problems with her ice cream melting, but the judges appreciated the texture of her cake. Her ability to adapt helped her edge past the elimination line.

Corey, who had won the Pre-Heat, encountered problems in the Main Heat. Though his cake looked visually appealing, it was overbaked and had the texture of a biscuit. That misstep led to his elimination. With Corey gone, the competition now moves to an all-women finale featuring Mary-Frances, Lisa, Priya, and Raveena.

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Watch the latest episodes of Spring Baking Championship streaming on MAX.