Put on your best apron and compete to win $1 million in dough. The freshly redesigned 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest is now open for entries at www.BakeOff.com.
For the first time in the history of the cooking competition, America will vote from among entries selected by the Bake-Off Kitchens to determine all 100 recipes to vie for the grand prize. Those 100 finalists will compete at the Bake-Off Contest finals, Nov. 10-12 at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
To give creative home cooks more chances to enter, the Bake-Off Contest now features three recipe categories with separate entry periods. The categories are Amazing Doable Dinners, Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts, and Simple Sweets and Starters.
To encourage simpler, original recipes, submissions must include no more than seven ingredients, not including table salt, ground black pepper and water, and take 30 minutes or less to prepare, not including baking or cooling time.
“We’re excited to roll out changes to the ever-classic Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest,” said Jann Atkins, Bake-Off Kitchens manager. “We know consumers crave recipes that are delicious, yet easy to make, so adding an ingredient limit allows us to provide inspiration for even the busiest families and novice cooks. And with voters selecting all 100 finalists, we hope to rally excitement and friendly competition across the country as people choose their favorites.”
Other sponsors of the 46th Bake-Off Contest are The J.M. Smucker Co., GE Appliances and Green Giant.
Contestants can submit recipes during each of the three entry periods. Judges will select 60 recipes from each category for public voting at www.BakeOff.com.
Voters will determine 33 finalists each from the Amazing Doable Dinners and Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts categories and 34 finalists from the Simple Sweets and Starters category. These 100 recipes will advance to the Bake-Off Contest event in Las Vegas, where final judging will be conducted by a panel of food experts.
Each Bake-Off Contest entry must include at least two different eligible ingredients from specific lists available at www.BakeOff.com.
The Grand Prize winner will receive $1 million and $10,000 in GE kitchen appliances. The second prize winner will receive $10,000 and $3,000 in GE kitchen appliances. The third prize winner will receive $5,000 and $2,000 in GE kitchen appliances.
Each of the 100 finalists wins a trip to the Bake-Off Contest in Las Vegas, including airfare; two-night stay at the Aria Resort & Casino; daily event-sponsored meals; a GE countertop appliance (estimated retail value of $200); and $125. The approximate retail value of each finalist package is $1,606. Each finalist is eligible to win only one of the contest awards, in addition to the finalist package.
The Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest awarded its first $1 million Grand Prize in 1996. At the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, held March 2012 in Orlando, Fla., Christina Verrelli of Devon, Pa., won the $1 million Grand Prize for her Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream recipe.
