The Halloween Baking Championship season 9 on Food Network concluded with Hollie winning the $25,000 grand prize on October 30, 2023. In the finale at the Henson and Sons Carnival, Hollie, along with two other finalists, competed in a series of baking challenges. Emerging victorious was Hollie, whose consistent performance throughout the season, marked by her unique blend of flavor and presentation, won over the judges.

The episode's challenges tested the contestants' ability to innovate under pressure, with tasks that required them to craft desserts that were not only visually stunning but also amazing in taste. Hollie's winning creation, a passion fruit cake with sour lemon buttercream, showcased her flair for combining unusual flavors with thematic designs.

Hollie wins Halloween Baking Championship season 9 with passion fruit cake

As the final episode of the Halloween Baking Championship season 9 unfolded, viewers were treated to a spectacle of culinary creativity. The episode commenced with the Thriller Challenge, where the finalists were tasked with creating a black, flourless dessert. This challenge demanded the use of black ingredients and dead flowers.

Hollie's entry, a gothic coffin-themed chewy cookie paired with cheesecake, stood out for its bold use of black pepper, adding a surprising twist to the flavor profile. In contrast, James's entry, a black seaweed-stacked macaron, though visually appealing with its striking use of color and texture, fell short in the flavor department.

The judges found the taste reminiscent of a goldfish tank. Ryan, another finalist, presented a black sesame-stacked macaron, likened to an adult version of a peanut butter cup. His dessert, complete with chocolate roses, was praised for its inventive flavor combination.

The Halloween Baking Championship season 9 episode's second task, the Killer Challenge, required the bakers to create a cake-scape based on attractions for the carnival's reopening. Hollie's choice of the fun house theme allowed her to showcase her decorating prowess fully.

Ryan's creation for the Hall of Lost Souls, a lemon chiffon cake with butternut squash cream cheese filling, was another highlight of the challenge. The Halloween Baking Championship season 9 judges commended the cake for its light, airy texture and the innovative use of butternut squash. James's two-headed monster attraction cake, while thematically on point, was critiqued for its heavy chocolate texture and the need for a brighter note to balance the flavors.

The judges, Carla Hall, Zac Young, and Stephanie Boswell, made their final decision, crowning Hollie as the champion. This decision was based on a comprehensive evaluation of her performance throughout the season. Hollie's journey in the competition was marked by her ability to consistently deliver desserts that were both visually appealing and rich in flavor.

James and Ryan, the other finalists, also demonstrated remarkable skill and creativity throughout the season. James, known for his visually striking designs, faced challenges matching his aesthetic skills with equally compelling flavors. His final entry, while visually appealing, did not resonate well in terms of taste, highlighting the critical balance between appearance and flavor in culinary competitions.

Hollie's reaction to her victory was one of overwhelming joy and gratitude. She expressed her excitement and shared her aspirations for the future, looking forward to exploring more opportunities in the culinary world. Her Halloween Baking Championship win not only brings her the grand prize but also opens doors for her to make a significant mark in the baking industry.

" modalPopup.closeOnEsc = false; modalPopup.setHeader("Why did you not like this content?"); modalPopup.setContentText(modalText); modalPopup.addCancelOkButton("Submit", resetRatingAndFeedbackForm, sendRating); modalPopup.removeCloseModalIcon(); modalPopup.disableDismissPopup(); modalPopup.open(); } else { sendRating(index); } } function sendRating() { var requestPayload = { "post_id": 1729049, "rating_value": ratingValue } if (ratingValue > 3) { requestPayload.rating_feedback_type = null; requestPayload.rating_feedback = null; } else { if (!$('input[name="drone"]:checked') || !$('input[name="drone"]:checked').value) { showErrorMessage('option'); return; } if (!$(".post-rating-feedback-note textarea") || !$(".post-rating-feedback-note textarea").value) { showErrorMessage('note'); return; } var selectedOption = $('input[name="drone"]:checked').value; var feedbackNote = $(".post-rating-feedback-note textarea").value; requestPayload.rating_feedback_type = selectedOption; requestPayload.rating_feedback = feedbackNote; } pureJSAjaxPost(addratingAPI, requestPayload, onsaveRatingSuccess, onsaveRatingFail, function() {}, true); } function resetRatingAndFeedbackForm() { var activeStars = Array.from($all('.rating span.rating-star.active')); for (var i=0; i < activeStars.length; i++) { activeStars[i].classList.remove("active"); } if ($('input[name="drone"]:checked')) { $('input[name="drone"]:checked').checked = false; } var userNote = document.querySelector(".post-rating-feedback-note textarea"); userNote.value = ''; modalPopup.close(); } function onsaveRatingSuccess() { modalPopup.close(); savePostIdInUserRatedPostsCookie(); $("#post-rating-layout").classList.add("hidden"); $("#post-rating-message").classList.remove("hidden"); window.setInterval(function showMessage() { $("#post-rating-widget").classList.add("hidden"); }, 3000); } function onsaveRatingFail() { console.error('Saving post rating failed!'); modalPopup.close(); } function savePostIdInUserRatedPostsCookie() { userRatedPostIds.push(1729049); var expiryTime = new Date(); expiryTime.setMonth(expiryTime.getMonth() + 12); // Expiry after 1 year setCookie("user_rated_post_ids", JSON.stringify(userRatedPostIds), expiryTime); } function isPostRatedByUser() { var userRatedPostIds = getCookie('user_rated_post_ids'); if (userRatedPostIds) { try { userRatedPostIds = JSON.parse(userRatedPostIds); } catch (err) { console.error(err); return false; } } else { return false; } if(userRatedPostIds.indexOf(1729049) >= 0) { return true; } else { return false; } } function getRatingCountByPostId(postId) { return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) { pureJSAjaxGet( getRatingCountBaseURL + postId + '/rating/count', function(data) { try { data = JSON.parse(data); if (data.meta_value) { resolve(data.meta_value); } reject("Failed to fetch rating count for the post:" + postId); } catch (err) { reject("Failed to fetch rating count for the post:" + postId); } }, function(err) { reject("Failed to fetch rating count for the post:" + postId); }, true); }); } function showErrorMessage(messageType) { var messageContainerId = '#' + messageType + '-error'; $(messageContainerId).classList.remove('hidden'); window.setInterval(function () { $(messageContainerId).classList.add("hidden"); }, 5000); } (function() { var callFired = false; function lazyLoadPostRating() { if (callFired) return; callFired = true; if (!isPostRatedByUser()) { getRatingCountByPostId(1729049) .then(function(ratingCount) { if (ratingCount < 10) { $("#post-rating-widget").classList.remove("hidden"); } }) .catch(function(err){ console.error(err); }); } } document.addEventListener("scroll", lazyLoadPostRating, { passive: true, once: true }); document.addEventListener("mousemove", lazyLoadPostRating, { passive: true, once: true }); document.addEventListener("touchmove", lazyLoadPostRating, { passive: true, once: true }); })();

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tLzOq6uso5WasaJ6wqikaKifpXqkwcutrKudX52urbjOsJyepl2Xrqy1zaBknKCRor2qu82sn6KoXaiyor%2FOp2RyZaedvG7DzqdkoKqRo7FussinmKWdXayurbfEnWSar5GuenOBjGlnaWWXp66vsIypqaKylQ%3D%3D