Great British Bake Off: Frances was a 'force to be reckoned with' says Welsh ... - WalesOnline

Welsh baker Beca Lyne Pirkis says Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn was a "force to be reckoned with" from week one of the competition.

The 31-year-old, from Penylan, Cardiff, who left the show at the semi-final stage, admitted she had come to terms with narrowly missing out on a place in this week's all-female final.

"It was bizarre watching the final because I had prepped all the recipes," said the mother-of-one.

"We were given the recipes a couple of weeks in advance, so I had already prepared by the show stopper - a wedding cake. I have made quite a few wedding cakes in the past, so I knew exactly what I wanted to do."

Beca Lyne-Pirkis

 

Beca was there for the final announcement of the winner, but hadn't seen what had actually gone on in the tent until watching the BBC2 show on Tuesday night.

"I was really gutted for Kimberley after her signature dish went wrong," she said.

 

"It is something she would have perfected and it just didn't go right for her on the day. She is a really strong person, so it was difficult to watch her in the field on her own. She would have been having a word with herself."

Beca has remained close with all the finalists, but she was not surprised when Frances was named the winner.

"Frances has been phenomenal from day one of the competition," said Beca. "Her squirrel in the cake was amazing and she just had these bonkers ideas that turned out amazing. She had an idea and ran with it, where other people would just not think to go.

"Frances really listened to what the judges were saying and made it better.

"Watching the final really helped me come to terms with going out so close to the end. It made me realise I should be proud of what I managed and has helped me look forward to the future."

And life after Bake Off has been busy for Beca, who has already held talks with a cookery school about running classes and has been approached about a Welsh language cookery programme.

 

"That is still in the very early stages and we need to see if it would work out before going ahead with it," says Beca, who also writes her own recipe blog.

"It has been very busy and lots of fun."

Would she, though, encourage others to enter the bakery competition?

"I would if you were passionate about baking," she said.

"You have to be able to do more than cakes though. The competition was high this year, but I think it will get even higher next year with the move to BBC1. You need to be able to perfect bread, pastry and be an all-rounder, but if you are passionate about baking and can see yourself in the tent, then go for it."