Ever wondered what it’s like to taste your way around the world without leaving your sofa? The Great British Bake Off has been serving up just that, one spectacular cake at a time! The bakers consistently push the boundaries, bringing us international delights that are as beautiful as they are delicious.
We’re unboxing unforgettable international cakes that proved the tent is truly a global pantry.
1. Prinzregententorte (Germany)
Royal elegance in cake form! This Bavarian beauty features 6-8 thin layers of sponge cake with chocolate buttercream between each layer.
Named after Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria, it’s essentially Germany’s answer to the Opera cake. The glazed chocolate top creates a mirror-like finish that leaves bakers sweating over its perfection.
2. Kransekake (Norway/Denmark)
Tower of celebration rings! This Scandinavian showstopper consists of graduated almond cookie rings stacked into a cone.
Traditionally served at weddings and special occasions, it’s held together with nothing but royal icing. Bakers on GBBO often decorated these towering treats with tiny flags.
3. Dobos Torte (Hungary)
Caramel-crowned Hungarian masterpiece! Five to seven thin sponge layers sandwiched with chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel slices.
Created by József Dobos in 1884, this cake revolutionized desserts with its use of buttercream instead of whipped cream. The signature caramel top challenged GBBO contestants to perfect the art of sugar work while maintaining precise, uniform cake layers.
4. Schichttorte / Baumkuchen (Germany)
Grilled layer upon layer! This German “tree cake” gets its ringed appearance from being cooked one thin layer at a time under a grill.
Traditional Baumkuchen is made on a rotating spit, but GBBO contestants tackled the Schichttorte version with up to 20 individually grilled layers. Each layer must be perfectly even and golden.
5. Kardinalschnitten (Austria)
Pink and white perfection from Vienna! These delicate Austrian slices combine meringue, sponge, and pink whipped cream into a striped delight.
The name translates to “Cardinal’s Slices,” possibly referring to the pink color reminiscent of cardinal robes. GBBO bakers struggled with achieving the clean, distinct layers that make this cake instantly recognizable when sliced.
6. Pastel De Tres Leches (Latin America)
Milky magic in every bite! This sponge cake is soaked in three types of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream.
Popular throughout Latin America, the cake should be moist but not soggy – a delicate balance that tripped up many GBBO contestants..
7. Basque Burnt Cheesecake (Spain – Basque Country)
Intentionally burnt to perfection! This crustless wonder from northern Spain breaks all the cheesecake rules with its dark, caramelized top and creamy center.
Baked at high heat, the distinctive blackened top gives way to an impossibly silky interior. GBBO bakers had to embrace imperfection with this trendy dessert.
8. Gâteau Saint Honoré (France)
Named after the patron saint of bakers! This French classic combines puff pastry, choux pastry balls, caramel, and crème Chiboust into one magnificent creation.
The choux buns, dipped in caramel and arranged in a crown, require precise timing. GBBO contestants faced multiple technical challenges in one dessert.
9. Tarta Opera / Opera Cake (France)
Sophisticated layers inspired by the Paris Opera House! This coffee-flavored French cake features precise layers of almond sponge, coffee buttercream, and chocolate ganache.
Each slice should reveal perfect, even layers with a glossy chocolate top. Bakers struggled with the exacting measurements and temperature control needed for this cake, where even a millimeter’s difference in layer thickness stands out dramatically.
10. Mawa Cake (India)
Cardamom-scented treasure from Mumbai’s Irani cafés! This unique cake gets its rich flavor from mawa – milk solids cooked down until concentrated and caramelized.
Light yet rich with a distinctive dairy flavor, it’s often studded with nuts. When featured on GBBO, contestants had to make their own mawa from scratch.
11. Japanese Matcha Roll Cake (Japan)
Elegant green spiral of Japanese precision! This soft sponge cake gets its vibrant color and distinct flavor from matcha green tea powder.
Rolled around a filling of sweetened whipped cream, the contrast between the bright green cake and white filling creates a stunning visual effect. GBBO contestants had to achieve the perfect balance of matcha flavor.
12. Sachertorte (Austria)
Vienna’s chocolate legend with a legal history! This dense chocolate cake features a thin layer of apricot jam beneath its characteristic shiny chocolate glaze.
Created in 1832 for Prince Metternich, the original recipe sparked a famous legal battle. Contestants wrestled with achieving the cake’s signature flat top and mirror-like chocolate coating – not to mention the traditional piped “Sacher” decoration on top.
13. Black Forest Gâteau (Germany)
Cherry-chocolate symphony from the German forests! Layers of chocolate sponge, whipped cream, and cherries soaked in kirsch (cherry liqueur) create this iconic cake.
The traditional decoration features chocolate shavings, whipped cream rosettes, and cherries. On GBBO, bakers needed to balance the boozy kick of the kirsch with the sweetness of the cherries while maintaining structural integrity – no small feat with all that cream!
14. Swedish Princess Cake (Prinsesstårta) (Sweden)
Green-domed Swedish royal treat! This distinctive cake features layers of sponge, jam, pastry cream, and a mountain of whipped cream all covered in smooth green marzipan.
Topped with a pink marzipan rose, it’s as challenging to assemble as it is beautiful. GBBO contestants struggled with the dome shape and getting the marzipan covering smooth without tearing or creating air bubbles.
15. Bienenstich / Bee Sting Cake (Germany)
Sweet revenge in cake form! According to legend, German bakers created this cake after throwing beehives at raiders, hence the “bee sting” name.
A yeasted cake topped with honey-almond caramel and filled with vanilla cream, it’s deceptively complex. It’s the triple challenge of perfectly risen yeast dough, caramelized nut topping that doesn’t burn, and stable cream filling that doesn’t squish out when sliced.
16. Cassata Siciliana (Italy)
Sicily’s colorful celebration cake! This elaborate dessert wraps sponge cake around sweetened ricotta studded with candied fruits and chocolate pieces.
The dome is traditionally covered with green marzipan and decorated with elaborate candied fruit designs. On GBBO, contestants had to balance the sweetness of the filling with the richness of the decorations while creating a stable structure that wouldn’t collapse when sliced.
17. Pavlova (Australia/New Zealand)
Disputed origin, undisputed deliciousness! This giant meringue cake – claimed by both Australia and New Zealand – features a crisp shell and marshmallowy center.
Topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, it’s a textural masterpiece. They had to battled humidity in the tent when making this notoriously temperamental dessert.
18. Kek Batik (Malaysia)
No-bake wonder with a marble pattern! This Malaysian treat combines crushed biscuits with chocolate to create a cake that resembles batik fabric when sliced.
Often made with Marie biscuits and condensed milk, it’s chilled until firm. When featured on GBBO, bakers had to achieve the distinctive marbled pattern throughout the entire cake while ensuring it held together perfectly when sliced.
19. Tarta De Santiago (Spain)
Pilgrims’ almond treasure from Spain! This flourless cake from Galicia is made primarily of ground almonds, eggs, and sugar, with a distinctive Cross of Saint James stenciled on top.
Dating back to the Middle Ages, it has a dense, moist texture and intense almond flavor. GBBO contestants had to achieve the perfect balance between moist interior and slightly crisp exterior, with a clearly defined cross design dusted in powdered sugar.
20. Yule Log / Bûche De Noël (France)
Christmas rolled into delicious form! This festive French cake resembles a woodland log with chocolate sponge rolled around cream filling and covered in textured chocolate frosting.
Decorated with meringue mushrooms, sugared cranberries, or marzipan holly leaves. Holiday specials often feature this challenging creation.