A 12-YEAR-OLD Kirkby Stephen schoolgirl has been crowned Great Cumbria Bake Off champion after showcasing her skills at Kendal College.

Her peanut butter sponge cake complete with fudge icing and sugar spirals won her the title after impressing the judging panel made up of Yannick Lequitte, chef pastry lecturer at Kendal College, and Bells of Lazonby managing director Michael Bell.

The Great Cumbrian Bake Off was open to all 12 to 16-year-olds in schools in and around central and north Cumbria and ten made it through to the final.

Judges awarded marks based on technical skill, flair and imagination, hygiene, safe working methods and overall consistency.

Emma won £250 for her school plus a delivery of core baking ingredients to support on-going skills development.

Mr Lequitte said “Emma is a very confident young lady who demonstrated outstanding technical and complex baking skills, under pressure, and produced a quality product”.

Emma said: "I really enjoyed taking part in the completion. I was very nervous when I started but it all went really well and I was so happy to win.”

Robert Marshall-Slater, head of culinary arts at Kendal College, said: “We had a strong response from schools in the area and it has been a joy to see these young finalists really rise to the baking challenge."