Fans of “The Great British Bake Off” know what to expect by now: hordes of towering tortes, exquisite illusion cakes and fantastic fondants paraded out each episode. Could their counterparts in Lafayette College’s Great Rivalry Bake-Off live up to its namesake? Well, not quite.
While none of the results from Easton’s response to the long-running competition merited a “Hollywood Handshake,” the event successfully brought together seven housing groups to settle a raging debate: who could decorate the best cake?
As the (flour) dust settled in Fairnon College Center on Tuesday night, two teams emerged victorious. Faculty judges Tyler Bergsma and Braeden Barnett declared bakers from the Tabletop Roleplay Appreciation Program, or TRAP, and South College’s first floor as co-winners in the first annual event.
“They had that creative element, something the other cakes didn’t have,” said Barnett, the director of student conduct and restorative practices. “Just super clean and presented in a really great way.”
Each team was given one hour and a cornucopia of bases, buttercreams and toppings to make a Lafayette-Lehigh rivalry-themed decoration for the ages.
Only three teams were present as the starting bell sounded, but a mix of Tuesday tardiness and aggressive recruiting from the hosting Lafayette Activities Forum increased that tally to seven by the 20-minute mark.
Most teams opted for a traditional maroon-and-white decorative palette and pro-Lafayette messaging, though South’s third floor opted to go the “Sesame Street” route in its quest for victory.
“Cookie Monster is awesome,” Jackson Ayres ‘29 said, while teammate Asa Young ‘29 pledged to sing “C Is for Cookie” to win over the judges. Both students left before the final judging commenced.
Another team, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, bodaciously attempted to recreate Lehigh’s 2024 goalpost-dunking in their entry.
“I feel like they’ll understand and see the vision in it,” Mauricio Hernandez ‘27 said. “But hopefully with our river this time.”
The team also left before the final judging.
The co-winners honed in their creative energies to maximum effect. TRAP’s hid a sprinkle explosion inside their beige-and-maroon, football-topped “Who will win?” cake, while South’s first floor iced a leopard print “L” and mini football field atop vanilla cupcakes.
“There were a lot of unique connections to the rivalry game,” said Bergsma, an assistant director of residence life. “Creativity definitely shined out.”
The event was conceived in a brainstorming session during a Lafayette Activities Forum general body meeting, according to Director of Traditions Sabrina Fodor ‘27.
“We haven’t really had an event like this,” Fodor said. “It was just fun to hear everybody’s ideas come together.”
The forum enlisted college dining to cater the necessary cakes, and found their judges after enlisting Student Involvement staffer Melissa Dalrymple to reach out to faculty.
“I saw it was something new,” Bergsma said. “I was like, ‘I’m here.’ Why not come and support a new initiative and see something unique?”
Barnett, on the other hand, was more intrigued by the gig’s benefits.
“Anytime I can look at and or eat cake, I’ll be there,” he said.
Just don’t expect either judge to come for Paul Hollywood or Prue Leith’s job on “The Great British Bake Off” anytime soon.
“I follow the recipe exactly,” Bergsma said. “I don’t know if I’ve got the juices in me.”