The BEST episodes of Next Great Baker

#1 - Battle of the Sexes

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/21/2013

The contestants split into teams of men and women to create theme cakes for the bakery’s portfolio, but a late change in the rules by Buddy intensifies the competition.

#2 - Crown Winning Cakes

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/23/2012

#3 - Nightmare on Baker Street

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 7/22/2014

Making cakes inspired by horror movies; gory cakes and a guest judge who is a scary film villain.

#4 - Gators, Chimps and Bears...Oh My!

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/2/2012

The contestants' speed and agility are tested when they unload the industrial ovens at the new factory. Meanwhile, animal cakes are needed for a New Jersey zoo.

#5 - Bunny Suits and BB Guns

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/10/2012

The remaining chefs are tasked with creating a cake for the cast of Broadway's newest musical, one that pays homage to the holiday film, "A Christmas Story", after which their creations are judged by the movie's star, Peter Billingsley.

#6 - Cakes Al Dente

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/14/2013

Contestants create cakes resembling classic Italian meals.

#7 - Destination Wedding!

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/8/2014

The bakers switch partners to build a cake for a destination wedding, while Buddy gets help from two celebrity guest judges.

#8 - Vegas Showstoppers

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/19/2014

The top three teams remain, but only two will move on to Vegas; each team must create a masterpiece revolving around each judge's specialty.

#9 - Headbanging Bakers

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/16/2012

#10 - Cake Powers, Activate!

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/3/2012

The chef-testants prepare to construct and decorate 3-foot-tall cakes that pay homage to their favorite childhood fantasies by creating a superhero cake; a surprise judge for the week worries the participants that they may be smashed to pieces.

#11 - Buddy's Winter BBQ

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/15/2014

The teams must create barbeque inspired cakes and present them to Buddy's family; a six-foot long hot dog and a 4-foot wide hamburger.

#12 - Bakers On Ice

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/19/2011

Competition heats up for the holidays when the bakers break into teams to create their best holiday themed cake for the Valastro Christmas party. But not everyone is merry as tempers flare amongst the teams with one baker making a trip to the hospital.

#13 - Gravity Defying Cakes

Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/5/2014

A trip to Rachael Ray's show will decide the winner of a competition involving the creation of cakes that defy gravity.

#14 - Long Island Medium Cakes

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/29/2014

The teams have to create life sized cakes in the form of the Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo.

#15 - Wedding Belles

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/7/2013

The competitors create wedding cakes, but they have to change course when the brides alter their design plans.

#16 - New Years Eve, Hoboken Style!

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/31/2012

The contestants discuss the casting process, their first day at the bakery and emerging rivalries.

#17 - Sugar High

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/1/2014

Bakers choose their own teams in a challenge that involves 100 pounds of candy and a very demanding client.

#18 - Life-Sized Cakes

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/5/2011

Sculpted cakes are one of the most popular requests made by clients today and nobody does them better than Buddy. The competitors are asked to create life-sized sculpted cakes in 10 hours with special mystery clients serving as the models.

#19 - Sexiest Cakes Alive

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 8/12/2014

Cakes with a moving element make up the contestants’ quest to be featured in People magazine as part of the publication’s 40th anniversary.

#20 - Empire State of Mind

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/24/2014

With two new experts by his side, Buddy the Cake Boss judges ten pairs of bakers in the first phase of the fourth season. Each team takes a bite of the Big Apple as they race to iconic city cites for inspiration in their inaugural cake challenge.

#21 - Let the Sparks Fly

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/26/2011

"Engineered" cakes that spin, smoke and spark require the contestants to work together on a difficult challenge.

#22 - Wedding Wonderland

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/12/2011

Being the Next Great Baker means creating cakes that are magazine worthy. The stakes are raised when the competitors are asked to create elaborate wedding cakes inspired by the latest wedding trends for Brides Magazine.

#23 - Wow Cakes

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 8/12/2014

An eliminated group returns when the teams unveil their creations at the Cake Boss Cafe in New York City’s Times Square.

#24 - Here Comes the Bride-zilla!

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/9/2012

It's wedding day at the bakery! The bakers must team up to create an off-beat wedding cake for a true bridezilla! It's the ultimate test to see how these bakers will handle a difficult client, but will the bride's requests be too demanding?

#25 - The Big Finale!

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/24/2011

The winner is crowned in the Season 1 finale. At stake is $50,000 and a job at Carlo's Bakery.