Day 117: 4 March 2026

 Short Story -- Bake Wars: Part 1

She stood next to her workspace, hands nervously running over her apron.

She hadn’t expected it to be so warm. Or so bright.

She wondered if the others also thought this. Were they nervous too? Or perhaps just excited?

She was excited, too. She tried to hold on to that. She thought to herself, ‘You wouldn’t be nervous if you didn’t care. You can do this. You’re good at what you do.’

The hosts walked in. She could hear them making jokes with the contestants at the first two workspaces nearest the front.

There were six of them total.

They were competing for a chance to bake for a premiere and also have their own cookbook.

Maisy baked from home at the moment and sold her goods at the local farmers’ market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. She had a small but loyal client base. She was doing alright. She’d called her business ABC Baking because she thought of her bakes as the simple classics done well. Sort of the ABCs of baked goods.

Now the judges had entered.

Maisy stood straighter.

‘5, 4, 3…’ someone counted down, holding up fingers for the last two numbers.

Film was rolling.

‘Welcome to Bake Wars,’ Justin Timberland said, one of the hosts. ‘We’re excited to have six contestants today baking for us for a chance to showcase their delicious treats at Anna Mason’s much anticipated book premiere of Ghostly, along with a chance for their very own cookbook.’ Justin turned towards the judges — Paul Night and Candace Starr — continuing, ‘Judges, would you like to explain the first challenge?’

Three people would be gone by the end of today’s ‘episode’ and the remaining three would come back to compete in another three rounds for the prize.

Maisy had always loved the show. She’d never considered herself talented enough to compete on it. It was her best friend, Juliet, who had ended up nominating her.

She zeroed back in as Paul Night said, ‘For the first round, we really want you to focus on texture and flavour. We’d like two different flavours of cupcakes complete with fillings and frostings.’

‘Thank you, Paul,’ said Karra Swan, the other host. Then she turned smiling to the bakers, ‘3, 2, 1, BAKE!’

Maisy quickly decided that she wanted a decadent chocolate cupcake with a thick caramel filling and a chocolate espresso buttercream as her first cupcake and then to balance the richness of that she was going to make a classic lemon cupcake with a raspberry filling and raspberry buttercream.

She ran to the panty to grab the necessary ingredients. Back at her station she started preheating her oven as she grabbed a large bowl and started mixing.

Several minutes in, Justin stopped by her station. ‘Hi Maisy! How are you feeling about being on Bake Wars?’

‘Honestly,’ Maisy answered still measuring and mixing, queen of the multitasking, ‘I’ve always loved the show but never dreamed that I’d be considered good enough to be a contestant. I’m honored — and nervous, but excited! — to be here!’

The time went quickly. Maisy was just able to wipe off the plates of cupcakes making sure they looked neat before Karra called, ‘Time!’

The judges went from station to station tasting everyone’s cupcakes. They loved Jason’s caramel and espresso combo. They thought Nivea’s guava and strawberry needed more oomph. They raved about Hailey’s peanut butter and banana combo but said the texture of the cupcake was off.

Now it was Maisy’s turn.

The judges went for the chocolate one first. Then they each took a bite of the lemon one.

‘Classic flavours,’ Paul said.

‘But very well executed!’ added Mary.

Maisy felt like she could breathe. Classic but well executed was what she was known for.

They moved on to the last two contestants. Jeremy got mixed reviews for his champagne and raspberry cupcake. And Ed seemed to have had an off day baking because the judges thought that both of his cupcakes were too dry.

‘Well,’ said Justin when the judges made it back to the front. ‘Your first difficult decision is here. Who will be the first person to leave Bake Wars today?’

Mary looked out and said, ‘We have so many talented bakers here today. And we realise that each of you has different strengths. Unfortunately, the first person to go home is Ed.’

Maisy let out a breath that she hadn’t realised she was holding. She was safe. At least for now.

She stood next to her workspace, hands nervously running over her apron.

She hadn’t expected it to be so warm. Or so bright.

She wondered if the others also thought this. Were they nervous too? Or perhaps just excited?

She was excited, too. She tried to hold on to that. She thought to herself, ‘You wouldn’t be nervous if you didn’t care. You can do this. You’re good at what you do.’

The hosts walked in. She could hear them making jokes with the contestants at the first two workspaces nearest the front.

There were six of them total.

They were competing for a chance to bake for a premiere and also have their own cookbook.

Maisy baked from home at the moment and sold her goods at the local farmers’ market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. She had a small but loyal client base. She was doing alright. She’d called her business ABC Baking because she thought of her bakes as the simple classics done well. Sort of the ABCs of baked goods.

Now the judges had entered.

Maisy stood straighter.

‘5, 4, 3…’ someone counted down, holding up fingers for the last two numbers.

Film was rolling.

‘Welcome to Bake Wars,’ Justin Timberland said, one of the hosts. ‘We’re excited to have six contestants today baking for us for a chance to showcase their delicious treats at Anna Mason’s much anticipated book premiere of Ghostly, along with a chance for their very own cookbook.’ Justin turned towards the judges — Paul Night and Candace Starr — continuing, ‘Judges, would you like to explain the first challenge?’

Three people would be gone by the end of today’s ‘episode’ and the remaining three would come back to compete in another three rounds for the prize.

Maisy had always loved the show. She’d never considered herself talented enough to compete on it. It was her best friend, Juliet, who had ended up nominating her.

She zeroed back in as Paul Night said, ‘For the first round, we really want you to focus on texture and flavour. We’d like two different flavours of cupcakes complete with fillings and frostings.’

‘Thank you, Paul,’ said Karra Swan, the other host. Then she turned smiling to the bakers, ‘3, 2, 1, BAKE!’

Maisy quickly decided that she wanted a decadent chocolate cupcake with a thick caramel filling and a chocolate espresso buttercream as her first cupcake and then to balance the richness of that she was going to make a classic lemon cupcake with a raspberry filling and raspberry buttercream.

She ran to the panty to grab the necessary ingredients. Back at her station she started preheating her oven as she grabbed a large bowl and started mixing.

Several minutes in, Justin stopped by her station. ‘Hi Maisy! How are you feeling about being on Bake Wars?’

‘Honestly,’ Maisy answered still measuring and mixing, queen of the multitasking, ‘I’ve always loved the show but never dreamed that I’d be considered good enough to be a contestant. I’m honored — and nervous, but excited! — to be here!’

The time went quickly. Maisy was just able to wipe off the plates of cupcakes making sure they looked neat before Karra called, ‘Time!’

The judges went from station to station tasting everyone’s cupcakes. They loved Jason’s caramel and espresso combo. They thought Nivea’s guava and strawberry needed more oomph. They raved about Hailey’s peanut butter and banana combo but said the texture of the cupcake was off.

Now it was Maisy’s turn.

The judges went for the chocolate one first. Then they each took a bite of the lemon one.

‘Classic flavours,’ Paul said.

‘But very well executed!’ added Mary.

Maisy felt like she could breathe. Classic but well executed was what she was known for.

They moved on to the last two contestants. Jeremy got mixed reviews for his champagne and raspberry cupcake. And Ed seemed to have had an off day baking because the judges thought that both of his cupcakes were too dry.

‘Well,’ said Justin when the judges made it back to the front. ‘Your first difficult decision is here. Who will be the first person to leave Bake Wars today?’

Mary looked out and said, ‘We have so many talented bakers here today. And we realise that each of you has different strengths. Unfortunately, the first person to go home is Ed.’

Maisy let out a breath that she hadn’t realised she was holding. She was safe. At least for now.