The inaugural winner of a children’s bake-off was announced following an against-the-clock contest last week.

The five finalists for Buster’s Bake Off gathered at St Anselm’s School in Canterbury on Friday September 28.

They were:

Ronnie Hammond of Spire’s Academy, who made rice pudding with pineapple juice, curd, coconut foam, roasted hazelnuts and stir-fried banana

Roisin Aldridge of St Anselm’s, who made chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream

Katie Head of St Edmund’s, who made lemon drizzle cake with home-made lemon curd and candied lemon

Carolina Padilla Maier of King’s School, Canterbury, who made chocolate and vanilla cake with chocolate butter cream and a selection of berries

And Gemma Thompson of St Lawrence College in Ramsgate, who made vanilla cup cakes with vanilla butter cream and fondant icing.

After an agonising deliberation process, the judges announced Carolina Padilla Maier as the winner.

The judges were Blessing Enakimio of Blé Couture Cakes, Lucie Maslin of Baked Hand Made and Home Made, and St Anselm’s academy principal Jes Rowarth.

Buster’s Bake Off is a fundraising contest, which this year was organised by East Kent Schools Together, a partnership comprising the five schools of the competition finalists.

East Kent Schools Together coordinator Sarah Moir said: “It’s been fantastic partnering with the KM Charity Team on this pilot.

“Our aims are raising aspirations and improving well-being and confidence, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to achieve those aims.”

For 2019, the competition will be hosted by the KM Charity Team, with all of the money raised going towards its road-safety and literacy work with schools.

Schools can now register to hold heats for the 2019 contest any time between now and next year’s summer holidays.

Recipes and photos will be judged by food-industry VIPs, and heat winners will be shortlisted for the final to be held following the summer holidays.

Find out how to hold a heat at www.kmcharityteam.co.uk or by contacting coordinator Maxine Tarquini at mtarquini@thekmgroup.co.uk or on 0844 264 0291.