For the eight remaining bakers, spring vacations inspire tropical desserts and destination doughnuts based on locations such as a poolside resort, a spring cruise and a Vegas getaway.
It's team challenge week, and the eight bakers grab a buddy to spring into the outdoors. First, they bake tasty hand-held treats for a hike. Then it's time for a bike ride as each baker must make a Paris-Brest wheel and work with their teammate to create a complete two-wheeled dessert, decorated for a ride through a vineyard, canyon, city park or country lane.
There's hidden beauty inside many things, even ugly ingredients. In this pre-heat, the remaining three bakers have to use so-called ugly ingredients to make beautiful desserts. In the main heat, the focus is on geodes, which look like rocks on the outside but have beautiful mineral formations inside. The bakers are tasked with creating vibrant and colorful geode cakes using handmade rock candy to win the title of Spring Baking Champion and the $50,000 prize.
For Earth Day, the five bakers are celebrating the bounty of Mother Nature, starting with wondrous walnut desserts featuring an assortment of flower honeys. Then the competitors find themselves in a forest grove filled with wild berries, which they must use to flavor an enchanted forest cake with edible moss.
When the weather gets nice, it's time for some remodeling! The six remaining bakers attempt to lighten up a dense, dark brownie and give a classic Napoleon a springtime twist.
This one's for you, mom! In the pre-heat, the four remaining bakers take inspiration from typical Mother's Day gifts for their stunning desserts. Then, in the main heat, the bakers take on the most classic Mother's Day gift of all -- chocolates.
Spring showers are in the forecast! Since rain makes gardens grow, the four remaining bakers must make whoopie pie critters you'd find in a garden. Next, to capture the drips and drops of rainfall, the bakers create colorful drip cakes while eyeing a spot in the finale.
It's time to hop on a plane to a destination wedding! For the last pre-heat, the final three bakers must create an array of hospitable snacks for a groom's welcome basket. Then, for the final main heat, the bakers battle for the title of Spring Baking Champion with their best destination wedding cakes inspired by Mexico, Hawaii and Italy.
Spring means it's time to get fruity, so for the pre-heat challenge, eight of America's best bakers undertake a shortcake makeover using any fruit but berries. Then, the main heat is berry, berry challenging as the bakers create berry naked cakes to stay in the competition.