Next Level Baker: Bakers make a three-tier cake as the clock runs out, and chaos ensues in the final challenge

Next Level Baker saw a high-energy finale that premiered on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 8:00 pm on FOX, featuring the six finalists who remained competing on the final night of Gordon Ramsay’s holiday baking competition 

The two-hour season finale episode challenged the bakers to make a savory holiday showstopper for the first bake. Jeff could not make it across this round, getting eliminated, leading to an all-female competition.

The final round saw the remaining five bakers struggling with baking a towering three-tier cake challenge, and only one baker walked away with the prize as the winner was decided and announced by Gordon, joined by Carla Hall and Candace Nelson.

Next Level Baker season 1 comprised three types of contestants, including home, professional, and social media bakers, who entered the three-tier kitchen hoping to win the title along with $25,000 and a Hexclad prize package.

Here's what happened on the final challenge in the Next Level Baker finale 

As Jeff got eliminated, the five women: Nikki, Stefanie, Zoha, Chloe, and Deirdra moved to the kitchen one last time for the final bake off.

The final challenge of the Next Level Baker finale was to bake an ultimate delicious three-tier cake, with each layer having to be baked on a different level of the kitchen.

Each tier had to feature a different flavor profile, but it needed to feel cohesive as a single dessert.

All this had to be finished in four hours. Towers dropped ingredients on each level as the bakers rushed between the levels.

Nikki and Deirdra got the ingredients they needed, but Stefanie could not find peppermint extract, so she used candy canes instead.

Meanwhile, Nikki forgot about her basement cake, which got nearly burned, while Chloe did not notice the oven door was not locked properly, leading to an undercooked cake.

She also may have added baking soda instead of baking powder in her cake, which led her to restart.

Zoha struggled with sticky pans, unable to release her cakes from their pans. Deirdra dashed between floors and avoided overbaking after Gordon called out for her just in time.

Nikki used a stocking to control the cornstarch for her fondant. With 90 minutes left to finish and 25 minutes to decorate via the final tower drop, stress peaked.

The cakes are all finished, and as they hit the counters, the mentors taste them and give their feedback. Zoha's cake looked stunning and festive with well-balanced flavours.

Chloe made a simple yet elegant cake packed with the flavours of the holidays.

Nikki's cake was complimented for being beautiful and kid-friendly, while the fondant was too thick in some parts, and the cake made by Deirdra stood out for its divine carrot flavour.

However, Stefanie's cake looked elegant the capturing the perfect spirit of the party and holidays with something unique in every layer.

After much discussion and judging, the mentors announced Stefaniw as the winner of Next Level Baker. The home baker received $25,000 and a HexClad cookware prize, along with the title. She said:

"It feels amazing. I am so grateful to be here. I have such a wonderful feeling that supported me through all of this. This has been the best privilege of my life. Thank you. These women are so incredible. It’s been such a gift. I’ve worked really, really hard for so many years. Coming here and winning this, all that hard work and sleepless nights, the tears, it’s all been worth it. A home baker did this. I think it shows that even if you’re not trained in something, you can do anything. I can’t wait to celebrate with my family. It’s going to be a Christmas for the books."

Next Level Chef will return for its season 5 on January 29, 2026, on FOX.

Stay tuned for more updates.