CAUTION: SPOILERS for this episode of BCNG!

Breakfast imposter challenge: at first, I wasn’t too excited about this episode. Just like Genesis, as all the kids were jumping about and shrieking with glee upon hearing the theme, I was nonplussed. Imposter desserts are not my favorite thing. I like cakes that look like cakes, and imo the whole “is it cake?” trend has gone way too far. But, this was honestly really impressive. These kids did way better than I expected them to. It was cool to see what they could do.

What would I do for this challenge if I were on the show?: No one did a bowl of cold cereal. A cake made to resemble a bowl of Froot Loops or Fruity Pebbles would have been fun. You could do a white confetti cake for the sponge, and top it with rainbow feuilletine, or like miniature cookies or something, then a vanilla glaze to look like milk. For the two side dish desserts, I think a soft-boiled egg bonbon would be really cute: like a vanilla mousse with a truffle center, inside a white chocolate shell. All of which sounds really fancy, so I’d probably do something simple for the last item, like a slice of pound cake “toast” with coffee flavoring (for the surprise coffee flavor twist that the kids had to do) and like yellow buttercream “butter.”

What would you guys do??

Also, I know I’ve said before that I’m not really as into the kids’ version of these shows – but, I’ve realized, one thing I really like about the kids’ baking championship: no one bakes with booze! Not a drop! As a non-drinker, it’s always disappointing for me to see how much alcohol gets used in dessert-making: couldn’t eat that, couldn’t eat that either. But on this show, all the desserts are fair game!

My silly little thoughts:

– Leila & Melody: When Melody was dumping the coffee flavoring into their apples, and Leila was freaking out screaming at her to stop, I was sitting there going: “let her cook!!” because last week when Melody had a crazy idea and Leila tried to stop her, Melody ended up being on the right track and actually should have done even more. Unfortunately, this week, Leila’s instincts were right; the coffee flavor in the apples just didn’t work out. I am bummed to see these two go home, because their little interviews were always so entertaining; I loved their chaotic energy. But it did seem fair; their cake tasted burnt, and their “sausage” treats were “too sticky.” I’ll miss you, girls!

– Maci & Emmett: Their second win?! These two are ones to watch. Their desserts aren’t as visually spectacular as Leia and Kiera’s, nor are their flavors as outstanding as Gensis and Akbar’s, but they have that magic ingredient of consistency that judges on these shows always love. Their three desserts were all really good; Maci and Emmett were, in fact, the only ones who served three good desserts. Although, I will say, big thumbs down to Duff and Emmett’s little comedic back-and-forth about vegetarian bacon being so “gross.” The Morningstar Farms soy bacon is actually really delicious, and objectively way less “gross” than strips of greasy fatty swine flesh, thanks very much. Emmett gets a pass for this because he’s a child (and a sweet, adorable one at that!), but Duff, as a foodie adult – come on now.

– Abigail & Kenneth: Abigail so wanted to win! And they came so close. Sweet little Kenneth did such a good job on that “parfait” all by himself, and Abigail’s “avocado toast” with the two-tone green buttercream was astounding. She’s not messing around anymore: I fully expect this team to win next week, with how determined Abigail is. Jovie agrees with me – she said this week that she thinks Abigail and Kenneth are her fiercest competition.

– Harper & Holland: Crisis averted! Harper accidentally dyed their rice pudding an unfortunate shade of pink! It looked nothing like oatmeal – more like raw ground turkey. Little Holland was pissed, lol. Then Harper had the idea to add just a drop of black food dye. Black?! “NO,” I was shouting at the TV, “not black!! what are you doing?!” but, lo and behold – it worked! That dish came out looking exactly like oatmeal! Just goes to show I know absolutely nothing about baking and cake decorating! Way to go, Harper! These two are so precious, I love to see them do well – and their flavors sounded delicious too.

– Genesis & Akbar: Massively impressed with these two once again. They weren’t even looking forward to this challenge, but their “stack of pancakes” cake looked so good – and so real! And the way they got those sugar cookies to look like sausage patties – I did not see that one coming. Too bad they forgot to put the coffee glaze on one of them, and too bad they didn’t have time to do the meringue for their egg; but the rest of their work was outstanding.

– Leia & Kiera: Once again, blowing everyone else out of the water with their decorating skills. That “bagel breakfast sandwich” was a work of art, visually, and their milk jelly + coffee ganache “sunny side up egg” was technically insane work! How on earth did kids this young learn to do that?! Unfortunately, their donut was underbaked, and the fondant filling didn’t add much to the flavor. They do err on the side of pretty rather than delicious. These two need to team up with their friends Genesis and Akbar – with their powers combined, these four would be unstoppable!

– Jovie & Lenore: Another good week for these two. That pate a choux bun looked exactly like a cinnamon roll! And their cheesecake “parfait” sounded delectable. Keep it up, Jovie and Lenore. This is my husband’s favorite team – he has a soft spot for “weird” people (obviously, considering that he married me). So I kind of hope they win, because he’ll be heartbroken if they get eliminated.

Stats:

Superlatives from the judges: 2: one was Duff to Leia and Kiera “best egg imposter ever”; and the other was Duff to the whole group, “some of the bet I’ve ever seen”. (Running Total: 4)

Kid who most deserved a hug: Kenneth, when he and Abigail came in second instead of first. “I dreamt of winning,” he said wistfully, but with resignation. Poor thing! Next week, Kenneth. My money’s on next week.

Kid who most deserved a high five: Genesis, for producing yet another “phenomenal” sponge. She mentioned adding buttermilk and sour cream to her lemon-blueberry cake, to make it extra moist. They have not baked a bad cake yet. She may not have quite the decorative finesse of Leia and Kiera (no one does), but what’s more important is, that girl seriously knows what she is doing with cake!

The dessert that I would most have liked to eat: Harper and Holland’s “oatmeal” imposter: coconut rice pudding with crumbled coconut macaroons and coconut-macadamia brittle. Or maybe Jovie and Lenore’s cheesecake “parfait.”

What do we think?! Leave me your comments!