The series begins with back-to-back challenges: flower-inspired cupcakes and upside-down cakes using fresh fruit.
Seven bakers remain to compete in back-to-back challenges that take sweet and tart to a whole new territory as they vie to make the best honey dessert, plus they have to create citrus treats using lemons and limes.
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.
The seven remaining bakers take on outdoor activities with a pre-heat ballpark snack dessert made from classic ballpark treats like popcorn and soft pretzels. For the main heat, it's time for grilling as the bakers attempt to create barbecue imposter desserts. Baby back rib brownies, anyone?
Spring showers bring May flowers ... and rainbows! In the pre-heat, the six remaining bakers must make yummy dippers and create a sweet fondue to fill the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Then, for the main heat, bakers must produce glorious rainbow desserts to stay in the game.
Spring is high season down on the farm, so for the pre-heat, the five remaining bakers turn farm-fresh vegetables into delicious veggie desserts. In the main heat, the bakers pay homage to a traditional farmhouse breakfast with bacon and egg desserts.
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.
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.
The competition kicks off in the pre-heat, when the 10 bakers celebrate the bountiful fruits and bright colors of the season by making fruity, tie-dye mini cheesecakes. In the main heat, the theme -- and the competition -- intensifies when the bakers are asked to incorporate fresh herbs and produce color gradients in their naked ombre cakes.
Spring abounds with gardens and flowers, so for this pre-heat, the nine bakers must create cupcake flower arrangements and amp up the flower power with flower essences. In the main heat, the competitors are challenged to make and decorate mirror-glazed gazing balls and plate them in edible gardens.
In the pre-heat, the eight bakers work in teams to create springtime mini pies perfect for an outdoor gathering. In the main heat, the competitors make desserts using three items from a picnic basket -- but they can't make the same thing as their picnic partners.
Eggs represent spring and new beginnings better than anything else, and because eclairs use a lot of eggs, the seven bakers take on springtime eclairs in this pre-heat challenge. Then host Ali Khan asks the bakers to create edible spring goodie baskets filled with two types of baked treats -- one of which must use a hard-boiled egg.
Tiny desserts are a big trend, especially in the Spring Baking Championship's Berry Tiny Bake Shop. For this pre-heat, the six bakers have to create berry tiny desserts that pack a big punch. In the main heat, it's an explosion of color and design as the bakers take on spring-patterned roll cakes.
What makes desserts sweet? Usually it's sugar, but in the desert, it's agave. For this pre-heat, the five bakers must use only agave as the sweetener in an assigned dessert -- a tart, a flourless cake, an ice cream sandwich, a doughnut or a cupcake. For the main heat, the bakers make succulent cakes that rival the real thing.
Which fruit comes into season in the spring but is often overlooked in baking? The avocado! In the pre-heat, the four bakers must pair avocado with chocolate, lime, orange or ginger in a dessert. In the main heat, the bakers "springify" a winter dessert like pumpkin pie, pecan pie, bread pudding or peppermint bark.
The remaining three bakers have to use so-called ugly ingredients to make beautiful desserts; the focus is on geodes during the pre-heat, which look like rocks on the outside, but have mineral formations inside; and the bakers are tasked with creating vibrant and colorful geode cakes using handmade rock candy.
Ten bakers celebrate spring by combining all things cute and delicious in their spring animal-themed doughnuts for the first challenge. In the main heat, the competitors get in touch with their inner artists as they create watercolor cakes featuring iconic spring fruits and vegetables.
Spring is a time for fun at the fair, so the nine bakers are tasked with creating blue ribbon-worthy rhubarb pies with decorative crusts. The competition gets wild and wacky in the main heat when the competitors have to make larger-than-life, wild and wacky versions of favorite fairground treats.
In the spirit of spring romance, the eight bakers are paired up in teams to create harmonious mashups of two different desserts. In the main heat, the pressure is on at the Spring Baking Championship Spelling Bee when the teams have to make colorful cream tart words that evoke spring -- and need to be spelled correctly!
The seven bakers put a spring spin on Southern classics, starting with the challenge of turning a can of biscuits into a spring dessert flavored with lemonade, bourbon or sweet tea. In the main heat, host Clinton Kelly asks each baker not only to give a classic Southern cake a spring makeover but also to include a Southern pantry ingredient like pickled peaches or pepper jelly. Also featured is a surprise appearance by Southern baking expert Jason Smith.
Easter is a time for colorful desserts and marshmallow treats, so the six remaining bakers have to create an ooey-gooey marshmallow dessert in a bright Easter color. For the main heat, it's off to the Easter parade for some fun with fashion as the competitors must bake and decorate a tropical fruit-flavored dessert that looks just like an Easter bonnet.
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.
Pink is the color of spring, and rose is the perfect party wine, so the four remaining bakers are charged with making mini desserts featuring rose and cheese. Then it's off to the races in the spirit of the Kentucky Derby as the bakers make all-pink party desserts using pink ingredients.
Remaining bakers celebrate Mother's Day; competitors make baked items inspired by mai tais, mojitos or mimosas; they then use flavors inspired by Mom's favorite coffee drinks to create cakes featuring their Mother's Day gifts; the winner is chosen.
Eleven bakers celebrate the natural beauty of spring by making perfectly patterned spring fruit geometric tarts. Then they show off their skills by making trendy fault line cakes that feature spring transformations such as caterpillar to butterfly, rain showers into sunshine and bare trees bursting into bloom.
The ten competing bakers celebrate the spring equinox by first making colorful and delicious doughnuts themed to either sunrise or sunset. Then the theme is stargazing at night, and each baker is assigned a celestial event to bring to life in dessert form. There are shooting stars, the Milky Way, the Northern Lights, meteor showers and more.
It's raining cats and dogs as the nine competing bakers make "kittyclairs" -- eclairs with an orange kitty theme. Then they play puppy games, making desserts with sporty themes like a kayaking poodle and a tennis-loving Labrador.
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.
In celebration of the upcoming movie, the seven remaining bakers join the Trolls World Tour and are challenged to make colorful tiny Troll treats. Then the competitors have VIP all-access passes to a Troll rock concert and must create cakes with a musical Troll tribe theme.
Spring is the time to clean and streamline, so the six remaining competitors make minimalist creations that are both flourless and flower-less. Then the bakers choose a crafted item from a funky yard sale and use it as inspiration for a gorgeous dessert.
It's all things spring and flower-centric when the five remaining bakers are assigned cherries, cherry blossom decor and a crumble dessert to combine into a fabulous floral fusion. Then the competitors work with an ever-popular trend to create flower-crown cakes.
It's Mother's Day, and Mom takes a spring vacation to celebrate. Inspired by Mom's favorite cocktail, the four remaining bakers create sweet, spicy margarita madness desserts. Then the competitors make look-alike baked goods based on Mom's pool float, choosing between flamingo, swan, seahorse or peacock.
The pressure mounts in the Spring Baking Championship finale as the three remaining bakers celebrate graduation day by making an honor roll dessert and a diploma dessert with a dipping sauce. Then the competitors create prom-night cakes themed to the '50s, '60s or '80s. One baker wins the title of Spring Baking Champion and the $25,000 prize.